“ Is it possible to be happy when somewhere in the world someone is dying because they do not have enough food, or have been born with scrambled genes, or their very breath is a political problem? Shouldn’t they over shadow us, those with dreadful lives, unconsciously perhaps? ”
Excerpted from “Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman” written by Elizabeth Buchan
Chapter 3 pg. 27 [I’m currently reading this book]
I look at the above statement and I wonder to myself, is this a fair statement? Should we question ourselves as to whether we have a right to be happy when someone else in the world isn’t; or is dying; or doesn’t have enough food; or is in some situation which makes it impossible for them to not be happy? Would me feeling the opposite way make it better for them; or better for me; making me a better person because I empathize with them?
Recently on another blog an Anon user commented that we Americans don’t care about others, only ourselves. [This was at the time of the earthquake in Pakistan which someone wrote about – sorry I can’t reference it was a month ago and that would mean sloshing through all the articles which I don’t have time for.] {Speaking of which, we really need a search feature – that’s probably too much to ask though, after all JU is FREE}!
Back to the topic at hand!
This was such an outrageously unfair statement by that Anon user because it is not true. I won’t go into how much our great country does for other people around the world and yes in our own country too, day in and day out. Even when the whole world is against us and like to spit at us we trudge on lending whatever aid we can.
Sure we do get selfish, when we have to protect ourselves and use whatever means necessary to do so; when we have to have allies, yes we are selfish, because if we’re not how can we take care of ourselves?
I know our leaders are not perfect and there are moments when others needed help and we weren’t there at all or didn’t give the help in time, (Rwanda, N.O. [and I don’t need a debate about N.O.]); but we do help every time, and we do it selflessly.
Individually we give to others who are in need and we do so selflessly. We might be somewhat opinionated but that’s what makes us who we are. And if standing up for ourselves and demanding respect makes us selfish, then pfffffffffft!