Pick up trash you find on the ground. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say thank you. Apologize and mean it.
It’s not that difficult.
In my opinion (and personal experience), I used to freeze up and not do anything because I felt I couldn’t make a big enough difference — so why bother? Then I had kids, and I realized that everything I do (and don’t do!) is scrutinized and repeated by my children.
My small actions have now been multiplied by 2. Pretty neat if you ask me.
You will not like this answer but it’s because change is usually small and not visible. The people you were nice to will not remember the small things you did, but they will remember the happiness, and associate it with that, and then they eventually pay it forward. But it needs a lot of small nice actions by a lot of people to make people pick up on it and pay it forward, and it’s probably completely opaque to you.
What I’m saying is if you wanna see these small things making a difference, you’re gonna be disappointed. So instead, be selfish, do it because you want to, and for no other reason.
It’s a collective investment in the betterment of humanity. Over time those little pieces of empathy and charity create a better world. A lot of people are bitter because they were never shown any empathy, or love, or care, so they don’t know how to express it.
I’m sure you can’t save everyone this way, but it seems a whole hell of a lot better to try than to not
Yes I have already arrived at the conclusion that I’m on a planet ruled by psychotic apes and that I have no real agency beyond saying “Fuck you, I do what I want” which is to be nice because honestly it makes dealing with the apes more efficient.
The problem is not only that, but that those who want to leave the world better when they die can’t seem to agree what “better” means…
Pick up trash you find on the ground. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say thank you. Apologize and mean it.
It’s not that difficult.
In my opinion (and personal experience), I used to freeze up and not do anything because I felt I couldn’t make a big enough difference — so why bother? Then I had kids, and I realized that everything I do (and don’t do!) is scrutinized and repeated by my children.
My small actions have now been multiplied by 2. Pretty neat if you ask me.
TIL holding open doors will stop technofeudalism and climate change.
Just because little things might not solve big things doesnt mean we shouldn’t do the little things.
…or we can actually organize and do what needs to be done.
And I’m saying I’ve been doing the little things and it doesn’t seem to be working
You will not like this answer but it’s because change is usually small and not visible. The people you were nice to will not remember the small things you did, but they will remember the happiness, and associate it with that, and then they eventually pay it forward. But it needs a lot of small nice actions by a lot of people to make people pick up on it and pay it forward, and it’s probably completely opaque to you.
What I’m saying is if you wanna see these small things making a difference, you’re gonna be disappointed. So instead, be selfish, do it because you want to, and for no other reason.
It’s a collective investment in the betterment of humanity. Over time those little pieces of empathy and charity create a better world. A lot of people are bitter because they were never shown any empathy, or love, or care, so they don’t know how to express it.
I’m sure you can’t save everyone this way, but it seems a whole hell of a lot better to try than to not
Yes I have already arrived at the conclusion that I’m on a planet ruled by psychotic apes and that I have no real agency beyond saying “Fuck you, I do what I want” which is to be nice because honestly it makes dealing with the apes more efficient.
Well, have you tried it yet? Be patient. Kindness and courtesy is everything!
I’ve been doing it my entire life because I was raised right.