Selfishness forms in many different ways. We are exposed to it on a constant basis and sometimes we don’t even realize. America is the land of the free and we take what we have for granted. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all countries throughout the world.
We live in a first world country where anything we want is at the tip of our fingers. We have the necessities, food, clothing, and shelter, but don’t realize how lucky we are to have this. Third world countries struggle to feed themselves, let alone their families. Along with malnourishment, their homes are huts and electricity is extremely uncommon. In the U.S. however, we can come up with as many reality television shows and give large quantities of money away for a small amount of work put forth. It seems we have an endless amount of money to put towards entertaining our lives, but forget about those who struggle to live.
Just recently msnbc.com posted an article about hunger in Haiti http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27826184/ ; children as old as five years old are struggling to weigh 20 pounds, yet here in America childhood obesity is at an all time high. Neither situation should be neglected, but how can one world vary in such extreme degrees when children’s lives are at stake.
I may only be one person, one voice, but it’s a start. If one person does something good for another, a chain reaction occurs, and that one good deed can perpetrate into a change; a change for the better.
Advertisement
I have to agree! Selfishness is such an issue in the United States. While it may not be as important as hunger in Haiti, I gotta say that black Friday (“Pink” Friday for us Victoria’s Secret employees…gag me) completely illustrates your point. The number of teeny-boppers whining to their poor mothers at the Galleria Mall at 6 am “But mom, I want 5 pairs of pants for christmas!” and middle-aged women complaining to me about the lack of sales (I’m a processor – I just bring merchandise to the floor, take it up with someone else!) was outrageous. May your stand against selfishness reach millions!
Jenna – - I’m glad you brought up black Friday because I completely agree with your comment and despise the day. It has come to the point where people are dying because of others selfishness to be the first in the store and to gain all the bargains. We’ve created a world of wants and excluded the idea of needs. Like you said “I want 5 pairs of pants for Christmas!” What about those in Haiti who struggle to eat, let alone cloth themselves; those who are fortunate will never be grateful for what they have. Thanks for the encouragement and I do hope this can reach even a small audience!
It is so true. I have mixed feelings about Christmas. I absolutely love the holiday and the spirit and spending time with family. But, I feel as if it has lost something as I grow up. I now see the greed that has overtaken this wonderful holiday and it makes me wish I was little again. I had decided this Christmas to go for the partially homemade Christmas just like back in the good ol’ days. A) Because I am poor B) Because I hate the greed of it all C) Because it is easier than fighting off Canadians in the mall (I am from Niagara Falls so there are more Canadians that Americans in our malls)… I digress… I miss the days when Christmas presents were given with love not gift cards… I don’t know that we can ever return to that… and that makes me sad…
I find it interesting that you brought up the amount of money we spend on reality shows and other entertainment in general. I often get to thinking about where my future after college will lead me, and natually, how much money I will potentially be making. Although I will never get to this level, it pains me to think about the amount of money that entertainers are raking in. I don’t doubt the talent of those who make it big in movies and music, but it doesn’t seem that their service is worth their income. I understand the fact that entertainment is something we value in our lives, but it just seems a little bit outrageous. People are willing to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to film budgets, lavish mansions and prizes for reality shows, and the best music producers, yet people continue to struggle all around the world in poverty.
Meghan – - I am with you 100 percent on how Christmas has become a greedy holiday. What happened to true holiday spirit! It’s all about what people want, not what they need. We have everything we need in our lives and on top of those, wants develop and things that meant something last year just sit in the back of a closet collecting dust this year.
I like your ideas on going back to the traditional times of Christmas such as making gifts instead of spending an absurd amount. I was helping my Aunt over Thanksgiving break put up her tree and she had a dozen ornaments from me as well as my brothers and sister. We had made them as kids and it made me think of how fun I had making them, and to know she still uses them shows me that those are the gifts that mean the most.
Your probably right that we may never get back to those days, but here’s hoping!
Katie – - I’m glad I’m not the only one who cringes at the amount of money entertainers make because it is unnecessary money that could be used for good. You make a very valid point, “there service is not worth their income”. It truly is sickening to see how they live compared to those starving and struggling to survive in a day. Your right that we do value entertainment in our everyday lives, but lately it’s all about reality TV and now money is just being given away. Why doesn’t someone take that money and put it towards the third world countries struggling because it’s been made clear that America is the land of the free so why spoil ourselves when we can help others.