Neighbors
Over the years, I’ve realized how easy it is to write about things that seem out of line, just plain bad, and I’m guilty of having done so. In that category, I put the many assertions that people need to be just plain nicer like we once were. That would require a much closer look at how nice we were then compared to how we are now. Such analysis would need to be empirically sound, not just on fantasizing about the “good old days.”
Think about it: Did you have it better then than you do now?
Having, in my dotage, ended up with two bad knees and constant vertigo, I’ve concluded there are very many “nice,” thoughtful people. I’ve come to realize I’m a cripple (or put in today’s language, I’m disabled), not able to use my hands or knees like “normal.”
I’ve also come to appreciate how many nice, caring people, of all ages, there are. Drop my cane, they are there to pick it up. Try stepping up a curb or using stairs, they are there to hold my arm. If I struggle to get up or need to cross a room to get something, there is help. These folks all do such acts with a smile and a comforting word.
Is this an empirical study? No, it is an accumulation of one-plicates in a small community, but they reflect the spirit of community: looking out for one another, and they do so with warmth.
It strikes me that putting down teachers and students becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, this is just a simple reminder: There are many, many good people out there; give them their due; be kind to all.
The Golden Rule arose in many civilizations, including long years before Jesus. With all due respect, we don’t need ten commandments, five pillars, or the Torah; keep it simple but direct: Do unto others.
Editor’s note: Jim Coufal of Cazenovia is a part-time philosopher and full-time observer of global trends. He can be reached at madnews@m3pmedia.com.