matteveland.net

Every organization preaches diversity. Every organization sets established processes in place to ensure there is a wide breath of persons working within. (Diversity in the sense of experience amongst the workforce. You can keep the race based diversity to yourself.) Yet in the end, the organization refuses to actually promote the process. Time and again, meeting after meeting the concept of innovation and experience and spoken to at length. How can you, meaning me, make the processes better. How I make the people better? What am I doing to make the organization a better place? I can tell you want I’m doing. Can you tell me shat you’re doing?

Within my organization people are constantly told how they should shape their careers. How doing this or that benefits in one way or another. What committees you should belong to. What events you should lead. It is this forced path I belief limits the opportunity of the members and pigeon holes the organization to reproduce like members.

Hear me out.

Organizational management at a higher level constantly lays out the path to success. This path involves blocks that must be filled out, awards that must be won, and career opportunities that must be achieved. So one heads such advice and sets out on this route doing everything stated. Eventually, one day the member will be rewarded with the goal set forth. They have achieved everything they could. Now they are simply left to motivate others and see them become successful.

This is where I find fault.

Using this process of establishing a benchmark the organization limits the diversity within. No longer are people full of thought and ambition, but content with a careerist mindset. The process no longer setting apart the best and brightest. Now the process simply dictates you must be like the others. The process repeats and repeats. And eventually, the organization is build upon a foundation of “yes people” simply moving through the organization to check a box. This is stifling innovation amongst all the members.

If I have bright ideas, ways to improve, or just something different, I am cast aside for those that are lockstep with the drumbeat. I am not trying to change to world. I simply want to work in the best organization that I can. I was to see people perform at their highest levels. Because of this it become increasingly frustrated with the process. I cannot watch the organization implode upon itself, there has to be a better way.

Do I have the best ideas, no. Nor do I have all the answers. But I am willing to learn. To think. To understand.

Of late, I have seen many post and articles dealing with something I have long thought of but could never conceptualize. This topic at the most basic level is so obvious that is should not have to be mentioned. Even the slightest mention raises emotions in others that often become heated under much debate. While looking at the whole often we lose sight of the original idea or concept. What is this basic idea? Personal responsibility. I know right a basic concept.

With out getting into too much political theory and what have you, the idea is that we as members of society have entered into an agreement to live and participate in society in accordance with the established laws and regulations of the government that has dominion over us. And in return, the government has an obligation to protect us from wars, disease, or any other event that could led to our demise as a society. So here are two entities coming together, each mutually depended upon the other for survival and success. Yet it seems in recent years that this is no longer the case. It is as if the government has evolved into a separate entity, capable of perpetuating its own existence separate from the people.

Everyday laws are formulated and in acted to control societies thoughts and actions. Laws ranging from the MPG of your car to those that have access to your information through warrants.

But the things is this, everyday we prove the government correct. Correct in the assertion that we as society have no clue what we are doing. Somewhere over our existence there was was a shift. Somewhere we stopped taking credit for the dumb things we do and place it on others. And the same thing is, we did it to ourselves. If we will not accept responsibility, we must force someone else too. And there you have it, the end of personal responsibility.

I get it I am dumb. Often times I have no clue what I am doing. But that is where it ends. You see I am different. I refuse to pass blame to others. I refuse to force someone to watch over me. I refuse to be a hindrance to someone else. I will not be a burden to someone else. The way our society is established, we must, each as individuals, pull our own weight. It is when you begin to forgo your responsibilities that society starts forcing your responsibility onto others. Others start to work more. Others begin to resent you. The attitudes towards equality begin to erode. No longer are the founding value for which our nation was build taken seriously. Sure you could argue somethings are outdated, I could even agree with you, but the basic foundation, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as stated in the Declaration of Independence still reigns true. This is however, only if we each do our part.

If I refuse to participate I should bear the consequence of my actions. If I refuse to act with accountability, I should be punished accordingly. At no point should I be allowed to pass blame to someone else. At no point should a separate entity be held in blame for the actions I have committed. But you see that is where we have given up. And this is precisely where the government has stepped in to fill the void left by us. Or you don’t want to stop texting and driving? Ok we will start looking at textalyzers to prevent you from doing that. Sure this is just a recent example but there are many more. (I am not going to list them because I don’t care enough too.)

All of this intervention could be avoided if we simply just thought about what we did. Thought about how much the choices we make will impact so many more than just ourselves. Does the drug driver realize the lives affected because of the actions they choose? Do you think that the person that runs the red light cares about the those they hit when they enter the intersection trying to make it to work on time? No, simply put, they care about themselves and not the others who have also entered into this agreement by default.

We as a society need to do a better job at policing ourselves. We need to realize that the others in life are here participating just like they are. Not one of us had a choice in being here, therefore we must consciously act in due regards to those around us. We must act in such a way that acknowledges everyones existence and commitment to the purpose. But everyone must do their part and be responsible foe their actions, no matter how some they seem to be. This is the only that we can have a society that is just for all.

No matter what you’re personal beliefs or worldview, not one person selected whom they would become or how they would get there.

Frustration sets in after awhile. It is only possible to absorb so much before one becomes consumed with rage. I myself have reached that point.

Everyone has something they are pushing. Everyone has something that is near and dear to them. And with the widespread use of social media, it is ever so easy to let others know of the cause they should be fighting for. Everyday news articles are shared, liked, and retwitted to the masses. Newsfeeds and timelines are bombarded with stuff that matters to your “friends and followers” all the while trying to make you known of the issues, products, or events that are taking place.

This is where my frustration grows.

I long to create content through various mediums. I want to bring entertainment to people. But yet every time I do, it is simply ignored. It is passed over for something bigger, bolder, something that simply doesn’t matter. I wonder why this is? It makes me wonder who my “friends” are. I know my friends are supportive. They offer advice, assistance, and even participate in the process.

This is the frustrating part, you want me to like, share, and follow all the crap you send me, yet you fail to reciprocate the gesture. Well no longer will this be the case. I will know practice Quid Pro Quo. If I do not get anything from the relationship that we have created, I will cut you off. No longer will I be your vessel for nonsensical communications. I will no longer participate your ridiculous propaganda campaigns against whatever it is you’re pushing.

Simply because you shared the latest issue, event, or idea does not mean you are helping that cause. You want to help, go outside and assist in the crisis. Go to your polling station and cast your vote. Call your Representative/Senator and let your thoughts been known. Until then, your actions are pointless. You will never act what it is you seek. Unless you just want talking points to share with the likeminded simpletons you associate with.

I will leave you with this, when you reflect over your mediocre life, know that you are the reason for it. I will press on with or without support, because I want to succeed. What I am creating, or will create has purpose. And one day will help others find what they are looking for.

~Matt

Please understand the irony in this…

Recently I have noticed that everyone has an opinion about something.

Gun control, immigration,and the police state have all been center stage as of late. With the presidential elections upcoming in 14 months it is only suiting that we have these issues front and center. However, those aren’t really the issues. (If I have written about this before, I apologies now.) Those are only the issues that the major news outlets want you to see. You see, you think that gun control should be a non-issue, so you watch MSNBC News to validate your view of the subject. You late attend a gathering among friends with varying political outlooks. You precede to regurgitate everything you heard earlier. Meanwhile your friends are doing the same. So you concede a draw only to go back and watch more of your favorite news channel to further strengthen your views on the subject. But in the end, MSNBC News doesn’t care about you. You are ratings. You are a means to ad revenues. You are money in their pockets. And what do you get from it? Nothing. Recently I saw a news article talking about how Facebook.com should be paying the users because they are the products that they sell to advertisers. Seriously, do you hear yourself sometimes? The stand you have taken on gun control, immigration, etc is a product you have been sold.

Let us imaging for a second that you were not consumed by all this nonsense. We’ll just play this out for a second. You live in a city with low crime, middles class, gentrified neighborhood. You have a steady job at the (blank) where you make a enough money to provide for your family, with enough to invest into a 401k. So your doing pretty well for yourself. So let us figure out where these hot button issues you are preaching about effect you. We’ll start with Crime.(This is a loaded question, please I do not want to hear about it.) How many of you have been effected by a violent crime? According to [FBI data],(https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/tables/table-18/table18ratebymetropolitanandnonmetropolitancountiesbypopulationgroup_2013.xls) in metropolitan area with over 100,000 persons there were, see below, out of a total of 41,660,407 million people.

117,863 violent crimes

1,457 murder/manslaughters

6,227 rapes

29,329 robberies

77,394 aggravated assaults

858,047 Property crimes

221,931 burglaries

568,073 larceny-theft

68,042 motor vehicle theft

Now let us compare that to the population 25,000 or more, with a total population of 9,368,448.

16,075 violent crimes

266 murder/manslaughters

1,607 rapes

1,210 robberies

12,356 aggravated assaults

139,520 Property crimes

47,371 burglaries

84,151 larceny-theft

7,998 motor vehicle theft

So you can see from the two tables that there is a greater chance that something will happen in metropolitan areas then in the suburban areas that you live.

So how safe do you feel in your home, city, or whatever? How much of your fears are driven by those around you? Stories of your sister’s friend’s cousin’s co-worker who was raped outside of her work. Of course there was also the one time your Grandma’s neighbor’s son’s nephew was robbed at the ATM and knife point for $50.

So now that can see you are statistically less likely to have something happen to you, why does it matter if the government regulates the types of guns you can have? Does this really effect you in any way? I am a gun owner. I work with weapons regularly. I enjoy shooting them. Pretty much all of the above. So how can it be that I am saying regulate guns? it goes back to my original point, how does it effect you. Ok so the government says you can’t have a full automatic AK-47. You’re all up in arms for whatever reason, and maybe it is justified. But why? Unless you simply have money and want to just buy guns as a collector, there is zero reason to have one. I hear from people in conversations talking about protecting themselves from government involvement. Or if a second revolution takes place they will be ready? Ready for what? Let me introduce you to reality. The United States has the largest, strongest, most powerful military in the world. You think your going to go toe to toe with them? Your attempt at a Shay’s Rebellion is to going to happen. You have heard the saying, “bring a knife to a gun fight.” Well you’re bring a gun to do nothing against tanks, artillery, missiles, etc. Do I really have to go on with this? It seems simple to me. You don’t stand a chance. So let us just call it what it is, you don’t like to be told that you can’t do something, therefore you want to rebel and have what ever it is you can have. And i would be fine with that, if you just stated that, but you don’t.

Now on to the next hotly contested issue, immigration. Can you honestly tell me how you fear this? Let me see if I can get this straight. You are afraid of an unskilled laborer taking a job from you that you weren’t even interested in? Here is a list of jobs (sorry it is from 2008). But you get the idea.

1.Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons
2.Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers and tapers
3.Roofers
4.Miscellaneous agricultural workers
5.Helpers, construction trades
6.Dishwashers
7.Construction laborers
8.Maids and housekeepers
9.Cement Masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers
10.Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
11.Grounds maintenance workers
12.Packers and packagers, hand
13.Butchers, poultry and fish processing workers
14.Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers
15.Painters, construction and maintenance
16.Parking lot attendants
17.Chefs and head cooks
18.Sewing machine operators
19.Refuse and recyclable material collectors
20.Cooks

Oh now I get it, you are mad that this unskilled workforce is taking jobs away from your do-nothing kids. Here is something, your kid does want this job either. (Your kid is a whole different topic all together.) I mean if it such a show stopper for you, why don’t you take a job in one of these industries?

Oh what about all the crime that “these” people bring? Seriously? Look at the crime the citizens of the US bring. We as a nation are up in arms when an undocumented worker kills somebody. This makes the national media and is talked about for a few days, and then it disappears. But you’re left with your, “I hate them” attitudes, when the truth is it doesn’t effect you. Oh what about the medical care they are “stealing” from those that deserve it. Again, is this even an issue? So people doesn’t deserve assistance with medical issues? This is a basic right that everyone should be allowed.

I think we have lost focus of what is right. Every life is just as important as the last. And the basic needs that you are afford should be afforded to all within the protection of the nation they reside regardless of their status. Sure we have a soaring deficit, upwards of 18 trillion dollars, but rest a sured that is is not because of some “freeloading” immigrants. The largest begets item that the US has is Medicare. Ready for this shocker? The Pharmaceuticals/Health industry spent $3,146,090,212 between 1998 -2015 lobbying politicians. interesting fact, $272,760,917 was spent in 2009. The Affordable Care Act was introduced as the United States National Health Care Act (2009, H.R. 676). And in 2010 Harry Reid was the top recipient of lobbyist funds from the pharmaceutical/health industry with $315,408. Does that come as a surprise? It shouldn’t. All I am getting to is this, if you are unhappy with he current shape of things vote in change. Vote in the government you want to see.

Sorry back on topic, the government should provide basic amenities, and healthcare should be on of those. I mean do you get upset when you are forces to buy an efficient toilet? Why should the government regulate the gallons my toilet can hold. If i want a 55 gal. capacity toilet I should be able to buy one. Wait… I don’t hear that argument. Are you mad about that? Nope. Why? Because it honestly doesn’t effect you. Does it matter is how many gallons are in my toilet? Nope.

I wanted to install a power outlet for a welder at my home. I was all up in arms over this. It felt it was stupid for my to have to go buy a permit and have some joe inspect it. Begrudgingly I went to city hall and bought the stupid permit. The inspector came out and was like, “Yep it’s an outlet.” He spent a about a minute in total looking at it. He signed it off and went about his way. I was so mad. I felt as if my time had been wasted and to top it off it was for “nothing.” But later it made sense to me. There are these checks in place to prevent dumb things from happening. If I installed the outlet I could have did something wrong. This could have led to something later down the road, resulting in a structure fire. Or worse I sell the home and the worst happens to them. It is almost as if processes and procedures are in place to prevent us from hurting ourselves or others.

I have spent time in places where governments seem to be vacant. There are no real rules to do things. It seems that the population can “freely” do as they please. Let me tell you that it isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Buildings being built with tree logs as scaffolding. Tin roofs that hold zero elements out. Or exposed power lines in the road for people to touch or trip over. I would gladly take the safety the government has, then to risk something like I have seen before.

Would these be issues for you? If your _ News did a story on the work conditions of whatever, would it be something that drove you to action? Nope, because these don’t draw you in. They do not penetrate the market. Ultimately, they don’t draw in ratings.

In the end, you and I are sheep to the issues we are fed. Facebook recently suggested that if you didn’t like your newsfeed you should broaden your friend circle. What they were saying was this, the issues that you hear about are because it is what you choose to hear. All of your friends are like you. You dislike gun control, so do they. You find fault with immigration, they do as well. Your friends take issue with the same things you do. That is why you are constantly bombarded with the same issues over and over. Meanwhile, they aren’t even issues that effect you.

Sure you may refuse to see the validity of point because of your own biases. You and I will continue to not understand the points we make towards our arguments and ultimately refuse to concede any ground. And this animosity will create a divide amongst us, a divide that is self inflicted.

The creativity is difficult. Often times I wonder if what I create is worth someones time? Is it worth the few minutes that they would spend on the site? Everything is buying for our time, what can I do to secure just a faction of that time? Billboards, radio stations, and everything else want us to look or listen, but there is only so much time in the day, so something has to give. So what will it be? I know my time is spend listening to the radio and music, it spend some time surfing the net, but nothing that draws hours of my time.

How is it that site can have thousands, if not millions of site visits a day? Is it the content that they offer? Do the personalities on that site drive the traffic? What product are they offering? How can I make my site a site that has just one thousand visitors? Something has to drive it. It seems that content just needs to be created, regardless of the size or length, just something. The idea that less is more I don’t believe translate here. The more content that can be accessed and consumed is what drives the demand. YouTube if full of short meaningless videos, I know because I have several on the site, but it is the few who can create that have succeeded with millions of subscribers and tens of millions of views. And I don’t be like that the frequency of the content is what drives the response, it is simply the content that is produced. People have deemed it valuable enough to consume and share.

Within the here and now it seems that there is no original idea. Some have blatantly copied others, while some have expanded or simplified. But regardless there is some form of the original in the copy. But that is it, you have to do something that will set you apart, even if it is the same shtick. Or if you don’t have one like Seinfeld.

Have you ever disgusted something because of an event or reaction? Have you spread animosity towards a specific sect or business because of your experience? I believe I have found the origin of your distain, inconvenience. The inconvenience of something is the reason why people grow a certain displeasure towards something. Additionally, perception is also at play. With inconvenience and perception one can arrive at a conclusion of being wronged or hurt. All while in reality there is nothing except our own thoughts that have caused us alarm. With each passing thought we place ourselves into a distinct mindset that forces us towards ill will of a given person, place, concept or idea. All the while, inconvenience is merely subjective to the value we place on our time. Our time is valuable, so having to redo something we believe should have been accomplished the first time, forces us to evaluate our relationship towards that person, place, concept or idea. And it is through this that we come to the conclusion of being wronged or slighted in some way. However, in reality we are affected by various factors that are beyond our control, such as the stop lights on the way to the store or the line at the DMV that causes you to be late for your doctors apportionment.

But how can we change this? (Without being all mumbo jumboish.) Attitude. Our attitude have such a profound influence on the way we act and think. Relationships are nurtured or destroyed based on how we approach them. And likewise we can become successful or a failure based on how we allow something to affect us. Will I allow the something to have such a tremendous effect on me that it changes my outlook towards something. Honestly, yes. However that should not be the case. The choices I make throughout the day should be mine and mine alone. Yes I must react to everything as it happens and must allow for contingencies to take place. But when I look back on my day, I am the one that is responsible for the end. And sure I may be “wasting” my time having to redo something, but my attitude will be correct in that I have chosen to not allow such mundane events to force me one way or another.

“If you hear a voice within you saying, “You are not a painter,” then by all means paint, boy, and that voice will be silenced, but only by working. He who goes to trends and tells his troubles when he feels like that loses part of his manliness, part of the best that’s in him; your friends can only be those who themselves struggle against it, who raise your activity by their own example of action. One must undertake it with confidence, with a certain assurance that one is doing a reasonable thing, like the farmer drives his plough, or like our friend in the scratch below, who is harrowing, and even drags the harrow himself. If one hasn’t a horse, one is one’s own horse – many people do so here.”

Recently I have been thinking a lot about motivation. About how many times our friends and family can be our biggest hindrance. Often holding on to the simple view that we may become embarrassed because of something we choose to do.
 
Why is it that we neglect the things we want to do to simply save face for those around us? Why do we value their opinion so greatly? By having _______ like me, does it make me a better person? Does this relationship provide benefit to me in any way? Or is the relationship built simply out of necessity?
 
Every day I lean a little more on the side of being alone. It is my opinion that people, generally speaking, do not want you to be happy. A very bold statement indeed. Look around you. How many of the people that you interact with on a regular basis have a pessimistic outlook on life? And how many of those people smear their pessimism on everything around them?
 
I personally believe that this pessimism stems from a combination of several things. First, we value these relationships because they offer is something, the possibility of a connection for a job or a relationship of some sort. But how long should do the relationship continue for when they result in nothing? The old saying, you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip certainly applies here. If those you or I call friends don’t grow the relationship, then we must end it. Life is not worth the hassles that others bring. Their problems are their problems; we should not allow them to persuade us in any way. Think of it like this. You have a great idea to get healthier. You decide to buy clothes, a gym membership, and allow yourself time in order to make the most to fulfill the new you. The first week you start out strong. Everyday is something new. The muscle fatigue hurts, but is motivation for the next day. Week start begins, and how you’re thinking what am I doing. Doubt races through your mind, as there are certainly better things you could be doing. Week three starts and ultimately never finishes. You have given up. The chore of going to the gym to achieve the goal you set out for yourself was too difficult.
 
So here you are failing. Now look at it a different way.
 
You have a great idea to get healthier. A friend mentions the something while you are having coffee one afternoon. Each of you buy clothes, a gym membership, and makes time to encourage each other. The first week both of you start out strong. Every day is something new. The muscle fatigue hurts, but is motivation for the next day. Week start begins, and how you’re thinking what am I doing. But your buddy encourages your to continue. Week three, starts and you want to quit. You call your friend who is excited for the next workout. His motivation is contiguous. You want to give up, but you will be letting him down. The chore of going to the gym never really established, your friend is your motivation, and you are his.
 
Now sure you can quit on your buddy. But understand your buddy is going to go places while you sit and wonder what could have been.
 
The second part of this is simply, people only want. Meaning, no one is willing to work for anything. For some reason, our society or the perception of our society (as I see it) is that no one really wants to do the work in order to succeed. Again the perception is that our society has sat idle, waiting for something to happen. And it seems often that the most action taken is merely stretching a hand, like a small child, wanting something for nothing. If you look around at people and their roles in society, everyone has something they can offer. Now that something can be a product or a service. But everyone has something and everyone fits into a specific group. If you do not offer a product or a service then you are forced out of the system. Look at it like an ecosystem. No not your apple or android ecosystems, but animal ecosystems. The sole purpose is to survive. Each microbe, animal, and plant serves a specific purpose. Each fulfill as role as predator or prey to further the system. When something within the system begins to become unusable or “correct” the system begins to break down. Outside of natural disasters, which may destroy a portion of a select ecosystem, each variation of the ecosystem is self-sustaining.
 
Now why is it that society cannot achieve the same role? The answer is you and I. For millennia people have survived by forming societies and governments. Entities that allow for the protection of people and property. But it seems that with every iteration society expects something. No longer are basic provisions warranted.  Long gone are the days of security for survival. Only until recently was war within the west a possibility. Everything happens to “those” people. No one will do us harm. And even with the events of the last 20 years, our stance really has not changed much; the preservation of our way of life from a tangible threat (foreign nation) merely doesn’t exist. So we become comfortable. Never really earning what we have. 

Those that fought during World War II were called the greatest generation and for good reason. Those that sacrificed so much to preserve the freedoms they thought were just. They fought for an ideal, a way of life. 

But now we have a different generation. A generation of occupy this or occupy that. Some have coined this generation the entitlement generation. Which seems fitting. Sure it is easy to stand here and demand equal treatment, wages or whatever you seek, but at what cost? Constantly there are increases in taxes, inflation, healthcare, ect. but the working wages of average people seem to be stagnant. As I drive down the street of Brussels, capital to the European Union, I am frustrated. all round the area there is construction. Buildings are created, facades are updated, and the like. There are signs displayed prominently along the roads, telling passerby’s of the cost of such a feat. Being a simple person I am, I fail to understand why there is such a need for such grander. A few years ago I went to Berlin on a holiday. We traveled the city looking at various “attractions” and reminders of the Cold War that divided the city. The one thing that stood out was the apartment buildings in the east of the city. There stood remnants of the Soviet controlled section of the city. These buildings were plain to say the lest. Dreary remnants of the past. But the one thing they could boast was that they were effective. Simply put, I fail to understand why Governments around the world need to build extravagant buildings. Is it a sign of power or wealth? Does the grander of the building motivate the populous? Sure I understand the King, President, or Leader should have something that can hold symbolic power. Or even the legislative or high courts have something that is comparable. But for the life of me I do not understand why everyone below needs something so grand. Lets face, there isn’t much work being done in there anyway. Millions could be saved if we provided simple buildings, buildings, which are only used to process paperwork. 

All I am asking is this, are the governments of the world to just spend our money on the right things. Remember that when you walk past the homeless outside the newly built courthouse or federal building. However, you and I aren’t any better.

Updating your Facebook or tweeting about Kony does nothing about it. Action is something. Sure your method raises awareness to an issue, but unless you act you get nothing. Look at the past leaders around the world, at those that obtained a status or following, whose actions cause revolutions or equality, all without the need of violence. Those leaders understood something I feel most to day have forgotten, actions speak louder than words. By doing what you believe is correct and noble has the ability to affect a nation. And if your actions are worthy of repeating, change can happen. I know it is easy to rattle of names like Gates and Buffett as examples of how to give. The argument is like this, “it is easy for them cause they are billionaire.” Excuses. There are countless examples of people making a different by providing comfort or equality to those in need. Further we shouldn’t be arguing about whom to help. Those in China need assistance just as those in Niger. You could insert any country in to this statement. There are over 7billion people currently living on the globe, how many of those do we truly care about? Honestly only a few that we are genuinely concerned with our about. 

This whole situation reminds me of several select companies. Toms shoes is the one that comes to mind. Toms shoes is build on a concept of giving. Their motto is, One for One. Think about that for just one minute. One for one. What does that truly mean. Well for Toms and specifically Blake Mycoskie that was offering shoes to those that needed them. A simple solution to a problem. Now Tom’s are not the most durable. Their materials are fairly basic, some twill canvas or burlap with a foam/rubber sole. The company is not selling Nikes. They aren’t looking for a high-end market. They are simply building shoes. But yet their concept and implementation is effective. Blake Mycoskie has taken this concept even further and expanded the One for One to eyewear and water. And it is exactly this type of solution that I am speaking of. There was no study completed. No hours wasted. No extra time expended just out of need, but rather a solution to a problem. A problem that involved helping where Blake Mycoskie could, and that was shoes. 

We need more people like Blake Mycoskie who develops solutions, doesn’t rely on outdate means like government intervention, but works towards a goal of helping that that need it. Now I’m not advocating everyone go out and create a shoe company. But am suggesting that we help somewhere and when we can. 

Which leads me to something else, panhandling. I know there are numerous articles about and against this. But is this the right attitude to have. You see a woman and child sitting in an alleyway, often times around busy city centers. The child seems lethargic, and you think to yourself, like I have, there has to be something else you could be doing. And as I pass by ignore both, hoping that they don’t shake their cup of change at me. So here panhandling touched both points I am trying to make. First, those children that are sitting there, lifeless, have no choice in the matter. Everything about them is forced upon them from their clothing to their education. Even the opinions that are formed about the people that pass by without helping. So because based on our inaction, you as the passer by and the child form opinions that ______ are bad people. Thus perpetuating the cycle, which is never broken because now one cares. And second, those children and even adults just need help. Something. The amount that I, we spend on nonsense could go a long way to assist people that need it. Yes there will be outliers who take “advantage” of the system, but that happens in every system. (If we ever going to play that game, we could say that about most everything that we participate in.) There is no way we should neglect those that need the assistance. There is no reason someone should go barefoot or without food. Food, water, clothing, and shelter should be basic things given to all. No matter what your belief or opinion. 

And the next time you complain about something that is so mundane as, they are out of your gourmet coffee at Starbucks, think about those that have not eaten. Those taken from their homes in the middle of the night and sold into slavery. There is more to life than just you. What is it you are doing to make the world a better place for all? 

The United Nations, the various governments around the world, and our societies needs to do a better job of helping people. We need to spend less time worrying about how to spend money. And work on solutions to the epidemics taking place around the world.  

Look, I am just as guilty as everyone else. But I have realized my err. I am looking for solutions to the problem. About how I could affect those around me. How I can contribute something. Everyone deserves a chance at prosperity. Everyone deserves has a right to live a free and health life, free or fear of persecution or even death. 

-Matt