Improving the world

[Sangetsu]

Here is a phrase to live by: "God helps those who help themselves." What do you think it means? What is the opposite meaning?

It was once said "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for the rest of his life." A man who can fish controls his own destiny, as opposed to one who can't, and has to rely on others to choose his destiny for him.

Where we are in our lives at this exact moment is the result of all of the decisions we have made in our lives up until now. Those of us who have made good choices are probably doing well, those who have not made good choices may not be doing so well.

To make the world a better place, you have to teach others to make the right choices. Unfortunately, you cannot make their choices for them. It's the God-like nature in us that requires us to personally make such choices in our own lives, and to feel the consequences, for better or worse, for them.

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

Here is a phrase to live by: "God helps those who help themselves." What do you think it means? What is the opposite meaning?
.

My mother raised me by saying that almost everyday. Here are three more of her proverbs: "People in hell want ice water (when I said I wanted something)" "If horses were wishes, beggars would ride" and "It's what you do with what you got."

[sillygodxdisco]

well today i was in new york city and i saw homeless people, which, everytime i do, i get really depressed because i hate seeing them pawing through the garbage for scraps of food. i feel even worse when they're disabled, like they're missing a limb. :[ so today i came up with an idea i hope to be able to put into action:

i want to be able to gather a bunch of my friends and assign each person to get particular food items. then i'd want to gather all of them and have everyone make a lot of paper bag lunches, then go to manhattan and spread around the city and give the lunches to the homeless. i'd need at least several people, though, because i can't afford this myself. i know it's not a really creative idea but i think it's still good. i always wanted to do something like that but i got reinspired today when i saw this guy walking down the street with 3 pizza pies, and offered one pie to a homeless guy. it was so generous, because a whole pizza pie, especially in nyc, costs quite a bit, and it was a random but really nice act. =o

and if i ever get rich, i'd donate a lot of my money. except probably not to a big organization, i'd rather do something myself. maybe a little homeless shelter to help them get on their feet.

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by Paul11

My mother raised me by saying that almost everyday. Here are three more of her proverbs: "People in hell want ice water (when I said I wanted something)" "If horses were wishes, beggars would ride" and "It's what you do with what you got."

So what do you think she meant when she told you those things? Was she trying to help or hurt?

[Jaydelart]

I do my best to do what I believe is right.

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

So what do you think she meant when she told you those things? Was she trying to help or hurt?

She was helping enormously. She was teaching me to get by on my own devices and don't expect society to just hand me everything. You have to work for success. Don't be spoiled. At the same time, my family helped me when I needed it and made sure I was educated and experienced enough to be successful enough to stand on my own two feet. I almost equate some of those things with "rugged individualism" to which I subscribe (when tempered with concietless compassion).

I agree with your post above, but it's good to leave a place better than when you found it. It's good for the few who will drink when led to water and good for the individual to do good works.

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by sillygodxdisco

well today i was in new york city and i saw homeless people, which, everytime i do, i get really depressed because i hate seeing them pawing through the garbage for scraps of food. i feel even worse when they're disabled, like they're missing a limb. :[ so today i came up with an idea i hope to be able to put into action:

i want to be able to gather a bunch of my friends and assign each person to get particular food items. then i'd want to gather all of them and have everyone make a lot of paper bag lunches, then go to manhattan and spread around the city and give the lunches to the homeless. i'd need at least several people, though, because i can't afford this myself. i know it's not a really creative idea but i think it's still good. i always wanted to do something like that but i got reinspired today when i saw this guy walking down the street with 3 pizza pies, and offered one pie to a homeless guy. it was so generous, because a whole pizza pie, especially in nyc, costs quite a bit, and it was a random but really nice act. =o

and if i ever get rich, i'd donate a lot of my money. except probably not to a big organization, i'd rather do something myself. maybe a little homeless shelter to help them get on their feet.

You have a good heart, and the help will be appreciated for awhile. But before long they'll begin to sober up, and then they'll start scaping together what money they can to get another 6 pack of Natural Ice. There are 2 main reasons that people become homeless in America. The first reason is substance abuse, the second is mental illness (which is often a result of the first reason).

If you want to help, donate or volunteer at detox centers or mental health care centers. The longer the homeless can stay in such places the better their odds become of lifting themselves up. These places are so crowded and short-staffed nowadays that they don't have the bed space or staff to treat anyone for more than a day or two.

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

You have a good heart, and the help will be appreciated for awhile. But before long they'll begin to sober up, and then they'll start scaping together what money they can to get another 6 pack of Natural Ice. There are 2 main reasons that people become homeless in America. The first reason is substance abuse, the second is mental illness (which is often a result of the first reason).

If you want to help, donate or volunteer at detox centers or mental health care centers. The longer the homeless can stay in such places the better their odds become of lifting themselves up. These places are so crowded and short-staffed nowadays that they don't have the bed space or staff to treat anyone for more than a day or two.

I am in contact with homeless people all the time because of my profession and I completely agree. Volunteer at an organization that caters (responsably) to the mentally abused or addicted would be a better help. The veterans administration would be a good place as well (they work with a lot of homeless vets with the above listed problems).

[sillygodxdisco]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

You have a good heart, and the help will be appreciated for awhile. But before long they'll begin to sober up, and then they'll start scaping together what money they can to get another 6 pack of Natural Ice. There are 2 main reasons that people become homeless in America. The first reason is substance abuse, the second is mental illness (which is often a result of the first reason).

If you want to help, donate or volunteer at detox centers or mental health care centers. The longer the homeless can stay in such places the better their odds become of lifting themselves up. These places are so crowded and short-staffed nowadays that they don't have the bed space or staff to treat anyone for more than a day or two.

thanks for the advice. =o
but anyways, there are a lot of other types of homeless. i've heard of kids who were abandoned by substance abusing parents and became homeless .. there are also people who lose jobs because they were in an accident [and for example lost an arm] and can't find another job due to their disability, so they run out of money. o_o i'd like to help them out too, and i feel bad when people get put into bad situations that they didn't do anything to deserve to be in.

i think the more fortunate should contribute more, though. especially the ones who throw their money around. =| i wish the world could be a more equal place, but of course that's too idealistic.

i think there would be more people helping others if they became more aware of the world around them. for example i have a friend who's always throwing away his food if he doesn't like it [he's a picky eater] and when i tell him that there are less fortunate people out there he's like "whatever" ><

i may have gotten a little off topic. perhaps i just wanted to unleash some of my frustration? =x

[Paul11]

Originally Posted by sillygodxdisco

thanks for the advice. =o
but anyways, there are a lot of other types of homeless. i've heard of kids who were abandoned by substance abusing parents and became homeless .. there are also people who lose jobs because they were in an accident [and for example lost an arm] and can't find another job due to their disability, so they run out of money. o_o i'd like to help them out too, and i feel bad when people get put into bad situations that they didn't do anything to deserve to be in.

i think the more fortunate should contribute more, though. especially the ones who throw their money around. =| i wish the world could be a more equal place, but of course that's too idealistic.

i think there would be more people helping others if they became more aware of the world around them. for example i have a friend who's always throwing away his food if he doesn't like it [he's a picky eater] and when i tell him that there are less fortunate people out there he's like "whatever" ><

i may have gotten a little off topic. perhaps i just wanted to unleash some of my frustration? =x

Work in a group home or with emotionally disturbed youth!