Everyone is always pushing someone to “do” something to help someone or something else. And largely these are noble causes with good intents.
The problem with philosophy is that many don’t take it seriously. That it’s a useless endeavor.
In Life (with a capital “L”) nothing we do is without thought. Even performing explosive, reactionary movements in the moment, as in martial arts, is first learned through directed thought. Try doing anything without thinking about it. And, yes, your internal bodily functions are that way, but I’m singling out conscious activity.
There is no “try” to help out or “going elsewhere” to help out. We do not have to “donate” food or money or time to an organization to help out (though I’m also not saying that actually doing so also does not benefit!). Each and every one of us helps out Life-at-large by just being ourselves.
A friend on Facebook asked a very good question: what would we contribute to the world if we had unlimited resources?
I maintain that we are each already doing that.
LIFE is our unlimited resource that each of us has been “granted,” and how “much” of that we all feel we have is for us to discern and employ as we see fit.
I am not saying that anyone has more resources than they seem to have (say money, control over ones life, et cetera), but I am saying that it is up to each of us to look at our lives and employ what we have. Our perceptions are heavily involved. Physical life is all about perception, and many other co-related concerns, all of which are deeply and intimately nested, but it is not the point of this post to dive into all of that. But all that we have is a perception by each and everyone one of us. And “perception” is not meant as a “bad” or “good” term. It just is. You perceive the words of my post. The intent and direction of my post. “Perception” is.
And it is this perception in and about ourselves upon which we all act. Perceive ourselves as we look in the mirror, think about ourselves, and go about our days. It defines how we act. Directly related and deeply nested within that is that nothing we do is without thought. “Think before you act”? You can’t not do so. Impulses, in this vein, of saying something stupid, for example, still originate from thought first. How you think of yourself, what you think is your best response at the time, whether you feel (perceive) nervous or awkward and how you internally feel you would react, however “correct” or “incorrect” it appears in a future reassessment.
As we think, so we do. As we do, so we are.
Therefore absolutely every act we do has been thought out. Also, ergo, every thought has a consequence, whether it’s a physical action or another thought. And it is all of our collective thoughts and actions that comprise our world. Life. And each of us builds upon these “performances.” So, when we think and behave kindly, kindly things happen. It spreads to others. Affects ourselves (focusing on the positive directly affects our health and outlook in Life). We help others feel good about themselves (though that’s also another area of refined discussion as well). Others see that others are the same as they are, and if THEY did something, well, why not me? And kindness spreads. We don’t feel alone and we see there are others out there just like us. And kind and good behavior unleashes good biology within each of us. Makes us feel good. And we want to do more.
But all of this starts with a thought.
Which is followed by an action (and “thoughts” can also be termed “actions”).
And it doesn’t HAVE to be in someone giving away money or officially volunteering for a certain cause, but it can.
What it DOES HAVE TO BE is a thought.
What it does HAVE to be is how we look at Life. How we treat people. How we look at ourselves. It’s everything we do. Absolutely everything. So, if you have money to spare, time to spare, all of those ARE good things and should be done if that’s where you are gravitating toward (“gravitating toward” something can also be a good thing, of course!). But do not feel pressured that you have to DO SOMETHING just because someone or some agency says that you should give money or your time. If you want to learn music or art or poetry or philosophy, I maintain they are every bit as good as volunteering or donating money or time elsewhere that is obviously outside your purview, because if it wasn’t, you’d already be doing it, based upon the person that you are.
There is a person for everything. And all that we do directly contributes to a better Life, with each of us doing our own thing from all the astronomically different angles-of-attack. Even as seemingly trivial as saving a spider’s life by relocating it rather than calling in a thermonuclear strike on it.
Do not feel that you HAVE to do a “separate thing” from what you are already doing.
You help the world by being a good person.
You help the world by thinking good thoughts.
You help the world by loving your family and friends.
You help the world by leaving fun notes to those you love.
You help the world by disengaging from negativity. Walking away from that which “offends” you. By smiling at those you don’t know. Saying “Hello” more often. Giving up a seat on the metro to another being. Watching and reading positive movies and books (this is over the long haul…reading or watching murder mysteries, horror, or other “stories-of-conflict” are, again, something that requires further refined discussion, which, you know, I really should write about after all these years!). By looking for the GOOD in Life. In People. Animals and insects. By the overall metaphysical Fall Line of your being.
You wanna know how you can help the world if you had unlimited resources?
By being your best you.
Reality Check 
I agree with you in principle. Everything we do that is good puts a glass of wonderful out to the world. But if I had unlimited funds I personally would choose to innovate in big ways that move us farther toward a time when being poor no longer exists (for those who would rather not be), I’d move fusion forward, I’d donate to every legitimate cause, I’d eat out at very nice, very healthy restaurants much more often. I ‘d start my own publishing company and hire whomever is needed to put out great books for free but pay the authors as much as they need to have a life free of $ worries. I’d buy a riding lawn mower, and let everybody on my Block use it. I’d take art lessons, hire people to do any chore I don’t like and pay them very well. I’d repave our street. I’d shop at high-end grocery stores all the time. I could probably think of dozens more… but I must go to sleep next to one thing I’d never change… you know that’s not a pillow.
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And all of that IS truly wonderful! Thank you for sharing that, Karen! Personally, I just really want world peace. 🙂
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