Helping Others: Know When, How And Who To Help

Do you always help the people in need without expecting anything in return? It's not always a piece of cake and you might get bitten, but well worth it as you see some smiles on their face. Creating connection with a smile is a great feeling. In a world, where there are a multitude of people no one likes to be the "taker" it is a moral dilemma. But in instances, where taking is needed or the person in need is unable to help themselves, it is prudent to find creative ways to help those people.

We don't realize how bad the world is. Every day we read stories about people on the streets, out of work, struggling to make ends meet. On a global level, the world has been on the brink of negative changes and it has become more and more pronounced. What's more, some of the people in need are our own allies and friends.

The Relationship Between Suffering And Morality

Morality and ethics are all relative. It's contextual. It's a matter of degree. There are degrees of bad and there are degrees of good. It's a matter of intent. When you see someone in need, you have two choices. You can either walk by them and act like you see and are not bothered by their presence, or you can interact with them in some way.

As the world becomes more globalized, the need for charitable aid becomes more prominent. As such, there is a greater demand for people who are willing to give or do things without expecting something in return. This is a noble cause and most people choose to contribute to it, no questions asked.

But there are people who have different ideas. They're proponents of a cause, that is rooted in the notion that the world owes them something for the good they've done. They're willing to put in the work to ensure the world is just for them. They're willing to use whatever power they have for their own ends.

As such, there are those, who believe that good intentions and acts of charity should be rewarded. There are those, who believe the ends justify the means. They don't see any gray in their black and white thinking. They believe it is their right to have certain things just because they exist or because they've earned them.

It is for this reason, that these people are often at odds with those who give unselfishly, because they don't see why their actions should be praised when those who take without asking are criticized or condemned.

This is not to say that there aren't any heroes. There are many who do the right thing without expecting anything in return. There are those who give of themselves freely and ungrudgingly. There are the selfless, who feel no need to prove anything to anyone. These people are rarer in number, but their actions are certainly praiseworthy.

The problem is that their deeds are often times overshadowed by those who choose to do the above mentioned acts of charity for fame or glory. Those who do so usually have ulterior motives. They seek to be seen in a good light and above all else, they want to be rewarded. The world has always had heroes and villains.

Inequality

At the heart of the problem lies the notion, that there are those who are considered to be more worthy than others. The rich have always had the poor vouch for them. The educated have always had the ignorant believe, that they understand things that the ignorant don't. The strong have always had the weak proclaim, that they fear them. This is the way it has always been and there's no reason to believe that it will change.

The way things are is not the way they should be. This was made clear thousands of years ago by philosophers and ethicists. This was made clear by religious texts. This was made clear by the speeches of political leaders. And this is made clear by the daily lives of billions of people. There is a better way and it is the only way. It is the only way because it is the right way.

As human beings, we have the capacity to be better, than what the world has allowed us to be. We have the capacity for genuine change. When it comes to helping others, what makes a person worthy of help? Is it the strength to endure? Is it the ability to see visions? Is it the knowledge of things not meant to be known? Is it the possession of some great power? Is it the potential to do great good? Is it any of the above? No. It is none of the above.

It is what a person has done, that makes them worthy of help. It is the measure of a person that determines the nature of their character. The question therefore becomes, what kind of person do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to have helped you? What kind of person will you allow the world to treat you like? If you want to be good, then you must start by becoming good. If you want to be better, then you must begin by being better than you are.

Ethics Of Helping

Our relationship with others can be a delicate one. We don't know how people will react when we help them. It could go a number of different ways. They could be pleased with our actions. They could be angry with us for making them do such an unethical thing. They could look down on us for thinking that we are better than they are. Or they could try to take advantage of us. All of these things could happen and there is nothing we could do to stop them.

The same thing could happen when we help someone who doesn't really want our help in the first place. What if we tried to do something good and they take advantage of us anyway? This is why we must be very careful in how we proceed. To do something without a full understanding of the situation is the definition of gullibility. To think that someone who has done the unexpected is the definition of credulity.

To assume that because someone is good in one situation that they will be good in another is the worst kind of naivety. We must help people when we can. But we must do it with a clear understanding of the situation. And if we think someone will be good, then we must ensure that our expectations are not too high. We must not get involved with people who cannot maintain a healthy relationship with anyone. If someone wants to be selfish and hurtful, then it's better not to get involved with them.

Thank you for reading.