While hanging around the office a day ago, a coworker and I began a discussion. It started out as small talk but really went deep into the way things are these days. One of the topics we talked about, brought way out into a broad generalization, is that people have a need to connect and do good things for others. In this way someone who has a large amount to be thankful for reaches out to others to share that goodness. This is why we have charities.
People will always express this in different ways. Some have no desire to take away from their own personal time and will want to contribute monetarily. A monetary contribution to a cause or fund does not necessarily mean that the person wants to do it to benefit others. Many times the monetary contribution is still for personal gain (i.e. tax write-offs). The people who genuinely give to help others are the ones who truly make a difference for that cause or for the beneficiary’s life.
The other side of the coin involves those people who want to take part in making that change. These people are true cavaliers in bringing about change. Whether it’s a doctor who dedicates his medical career to research to find a cure for a disease or a successful businessperson who works hard to put together fund raisers to aid a local charity. These people are the ones who allow society to advance. Their hard work is the catalyst by which others may live happy and prosperous lives.
By nature of the beast, a recession is a time when people are less likely to spend money. This applies everywhere in the food chain from people who choose to shop at discount or big box stores rather than brand name stores to companies looking to lay people off in order to meet year end budget goals. Nobody wants to spend any extra money. Where am I going with this you ask? Those at the top of the line to me seem to be the ones inhibiting change. When a company cuts back on its workforce it causes the unemployment rate to go up. The higher the unemployment rate the larger the tax burden that is placed on those who are still employed. The employees are now not only under the stress of losing their jobs but also have less money to spend on living expenses.
Yes, there is a point to my rant. Those employees, the people in the middle who have the time to give to make a difference in others lives, when faced with financial trouble no longer have the ability or the will to give back. If I work every day until I have nothing left to give in order to make ends meet, how can I give back?
A few of the items on my bucket list include coaching a young soccer team, using my public relations and advertising skills to help out a non-profit, and doing something out of the ordinary to make a positive impact on the life of others. The last one is very broad but it will change when I find out exactly what I can do. The question still remains, if the economy continues this way and wages stay the same how will people like me ever be able to bring about societal change. Grand change, a staple promised by a certain current administration, can not be brought about in a large corporate manner. That kind of change fizzles out fast. Lasting change is brought about by a small group of individuals dedicated to a task at hand and willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Whether it was the small group of men that wrote the documents that started our government and gave us our independence from Britain or the two people that witnessed a tragedy and began Amnesty International, change on a grand scheme begins with passion, ideas, and persistence from a few driven people.
With the world the way it is now, what can be done to allow those individuals (like myself) the opportunity to make a difference and bring about positive lasting change?
Just something to ponder on…..
RTSN: Random Tangent Side Notes 
What do you think?