SERVICE TO OTHERS

I admire those who serve others — either out of sense of civic / patriotic duty, desire to give back, or just because they care about people suffering /struggling and want to help.  While not all of us can choose military service, run for public office, work for a community service organization or volunteer to help the sick, deprived, uneducated, etc—we can support dedicated public servants and non-profits. At times I‘ve felt good about giving my own time, energy or charitable contribution to aid such efforts. (Note: “Service is the rent we pay for being…the very purpose of life” as Marian Wright Edelman put it.)

CYNICISM

Once I thought people could be trusted, had good intentions, were decent, caring, honorable. Now I think otherwise:  humans are self-serving; many are corrupt: fraud / bribery follows them! Those who embrace altruism are deluded, not seeing misguided self-interest for what it is. Many “do gooders” are hypocrites, too stupid to see themselves as such.  I was once more accepting  and forgiving.  Now I am critical—sneering at, and finding fault with, much of what people do and say.  Most politicians are crooks. I don’t support “public servants”!