Helping Others Is A Waste Of Time
February 8th 2009 23:45
Australians are quite big on mates and 'mateship'. So why then, do young people not like volunteering? Maybe I'm confusing camaraderie with charity, but whenever I volunteer at anything, I find most other young people (if there are any) have only turned up as a requirement for their course/work experience/ bail condition.
So, what's up with not lending a hand?
When I told a friend I was volunteering at my local Lifeline store he thought it was part of some court ordered community service. Yeah, thanks mate. Anyway, when I explained that I wasn't in any trouble and that it was something that I wanted to do, he reacted the way most people do when they hear I'm volunteering by choice; he cocked his head and asked "why?" It turns out most people my age think what I'm doing is a waste of time.
I volunteer because I want to give back to the community. I appreciate the festivals and events that are put on free of charge but I understand they need staffing, so I consider my 'payment' to be the work I put in at the occasional event.
As for working with those less fortunate, I think it's a humanitarian thing to do. I believe that humans are inherently good and cooperative by nature and that we do have a tendency to work together, so I thought what I was going was natural, but maybe times have changed.
Ah well, every generation has its trademarks...
So, what's up with not lending a hand?
When I told a friend I was volunteering at my local Lifeline store he thought it was part of some court ordered community service. Yeah, thanks mate. Anyway, when I explained that I wasn't in any trouble and that it was something that I wanted to do, he reacted the way most people do when they hear I'm volunteering by choice; he cocked his head and asked "why?" It turns out most people my age think what I'm doing is a waste of time.
I volunteer because I want to give back to the community. I appreciate the festivals and events that are put on free of charge but I understand they need staffing, so I consider my 'payment' to be the work I put in at the occasional event.
As for working with those less fortunate, I think it's a humanitarian thing to do. I believe that humans are inherently good and cooperative by nature and that we do have a tendency to work together, so I thought what I was going was natural, but maybe times have changed.
Ah well, every generation has its trademarks...
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