Let's Help People... Psyche!

In the 1920s, if thunderstorms trapped a family inside their car on a public street, the majority of Americans would have the attitude of "Let's go and help that family now!"

In the 1980s, the majority of Americans would have the attitude of "Don't talk to strangers, you don't know where they've been!"

In 2010, the majority of Americans would have the attitude of "Get the video camera!"

I find this trend disheartening, although not too surprising. If an individual helps enough people, sooner or later one of those people will take advantage of him, which will naturally lead him to the thought that he cannot be taken advantage of if he doesn't help people. He would have to be really self-aware and fight against the reaction to continue to help people.

We as a nation aren't very self-aware, at least not self-aware enough to look at our actions and notice that we're actually making things worse. Not helping the family makes that family less likely to act compassionately in the future, and thus we breed a nation of people who feel as if no one is looking out for them and they should not look out for anyone else. In fact, if there is an opportunity for self-profit in somebody else's suffering, it's not only accepted, but rewarded. I give you America's Funniest Home Videos as proof, a television show almost exclusively devoted to laughing at people who fall, set themselves on fire, get run over by snowmobiles and generally get hurt while people who could help them watch them suffer from behind a camcorder. And at the end of the show, monetary prizes are given. "Here, have some money for finding somebody who is hurt and showing us how they are hurt."

Please ask yourself if this is the lesson you would like your children to have when you are crippled and needing health care. If it is, don't do a thing. You're well on your way to allowing your nephews to win $1,000 from your public humiliation.