6/06/2008
8:31 pm
1 simple picture
no grey lines...
just innocent child-like thoughts.
If only...
I'm sure that everyone would be better off if we all had innocent and simplistic thoughts and intentions, but face it... This is the real world. No one would really help someone else unconditionally unlike what we see in movies or read in stories. After all we are only human, to care for our own self-interest is our utmost priorities. The ideal situation where members of society help each other with no expectations of any return would only be feasible if everyone is capable of performing altrustic acts. And I mean everyone, which is the primary reason why the world is the way is it today.
Performing altrustic acts in the world that is consumed with greed, uncompassion is basically suicide. Imagine a kind and innocent person keeps on giving and giving to everyone, expecting nothing in return. Everyone around him or her would just keep on taking and taking until he or she has nothing left. In other words, you don't play by the rules of the Survival of the Fittest, you lose out. And yes, we are playing a game of Survival of the Fittest in life. You cannot really blame someone for acting in their own self-interest even at the expense of another.
I don't think that the world is totally uncompassionate and selfish though. There are a few kind people out there but the rules played by the majority isn't in their favour, making them unable to have the ability to help others even if they want to. Once one decide that he or she wants to start giving, that person would be caught in the trap of his own generousity and kindness. Recognition and popularity gained might be great or perhaps he or she is truly altrustic and is doing good deeds purely out of good will, but how long can it last? The built-up reputation of giving means that people will expect you to keep on giving and if you stop, you will be deemed as selfish and heartless. The irony is that the people who are shooting down these givers who no longer have the ability to continue their altrustic acts may be even more self-centred and had not even bothered to make the effort to add some love to the community. Reason being that givers stand out more from the selfish majority. It seems like a greater deal when they do something "bad" of discontinuing their altrustic acts. Like they say, "the higher you go, the harder you fall."
All in all, I think that society is just not ready for the idea of altrustic behaviour among everyone. We have not completely broken away from our primitive instinct of putting our individual self at the top priority. Moreover, we have not learnt or understood the benefits of altrustic acts, which is actually much greater than doing things for ourselves. People just cannot let go of competition pressures in fear of losing out. But if with eliminate the pressure of competition, we can spend more effort on improving ourselves. However again, this requires a change in mindset of everyone, without which, the ideal of everyone helping one another to improve would really just remain an ideal.
waiting by the river|`