How can I have an impact on my community as a whole?

I think the main question you need to ask before embarking on trying to impact your community as a whole is "why?"

Are you doing it because you see that your community needs to change? Or are you doing it for ego gratification? In other words do you want to fix it because it is broken or do you want to fix it to say "Look what I did"? Even by doing nothing you are affecting the reaction that we are all a part of. If you ceased to exist than the reaction would continue in a completely different way. If you are trying to change your community for ego gratification than the change will be more temporary than if you want to change it because it is fucked up.

After you thouroughly examine your motives and don't bullshit yourself, it's easy to convince yourself you want to change shit for the greater good when honestly you want ego gratification for it your answer will present itself to you.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

Also I couldn't help but think of this interview I saw:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGKVCnMo3Dw"]YouTube- Frank Zappa-It's not even imporatant to be remembered

I believe that no truer words have ever been spoken.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

I want to change it because it is fucked up. I could careless if anyone ever knew who I was, all that matters to me is to be able to see change and hopefully when people see change they will want to contribute. Being remembered for something is not my goal in life, my goal is to help make a better place for my little brother to grow up and my little cousins. I went to the highschool my little brother is at right now and when I was there it wasn't such a great place I can only image what it is like now. It scares me. I just want the kids around here to learn what the important things in life are. Not how popular you are or what clothes you wear. Kids are beating eachother for looking at them wrong, bricking peoples windows, they treat eachother like shit. This whole damn world is fucked up. Television, cell phones, computers, all this fucking shit is making all of our lives more fucked up. Giving people access to fuck other people up without even ever having to see their face!! Internet bulling, sexting!! What the fuck is all this shit!!

 

Zappa was great.
And what exactly scares you buddalove? change?

 

The fact that everyday this place is getting worse. What is it going to be like when I want to have kids? Am I going to even want to bring kids into such a fucked up place?

 

I wish you understood but you don't because you and a lot of others who've posted think that i'm a kid who just wants to make a name for themselves like all these people we see on tv. I made a lot of mistakes at a young age. I'm a drug addicted drop out who tore their family apart. In the last couple of years I've completely changed my life around. I'm in college, i've earned the respect of my family back, i'm on the right track finally. I do not have more than 4 friends in a city that I know everyone because I choose not too. Associating with people who have a negative affect on me is something I gave up for me. I live with my boyfriend, my aunt lives across the street my grandpa around the corner and my mother a few streets over. Those are the only people I need in my life, family. What i'm trying to say is that the less people who know who I am the better, so say what you may, believe what you please, but i'm not asking how to make a change in order to get attention, i'm asking because I want the kids to be on the right track and care about important things. It makes me sick to read things in the news about how some kid overdosed on drugs and died at the age 15 or how there is a need for extra security in schools because kids are bringing guns. The violence the drugs the hate its got to stop, and no one else seems to want to do anything else about it but i'm not going to sit back and watch these kids fail because I know how it feels.

 

Here's the thing; poets, philosophers, artists, musicians, writers, politicians, etc. have been trying to make the world a better place for the last 3000 years at least, that we know of. And yet it continues to get worse and worse, more crime, more vilolence, more greed, etc. Face it, the world is shit for the most part. Why? Because people don't care. You would like the world to be a better place so your mind will be at ease for you to have children. What about the person who wants the world to be a better place for drug use, theft, etc. To them, less laws mean a better place. So you see, It can never be a good place for everyone.

The only power you have is to make yourself a "better" person, the person you want to be. When you do this your immediate world will change. You cannot force anyone to want to change or help you save the world. But some may see the way you are and they may want that for themselves too. If you'd like a realistic approach to changing your community, start being the person you want to be and doing the things you want to see get done. Hopefully others will want to help you, that's all you can ever hope for. The world will always be what it is, but yours doesn't have to be.

 

I know it's a little late in the season, but one thing that I found really works well for kids is getting them to work in a community garden. There is nothing more satisfying, [at least in my opinion] than planting a seed, working hard at making it grow, then harvesting it and then sitting down and eating it at supper. And if the harvest is really good- you can share with people in the neighbourhood who cannot physically participate or financially afford such food. If not gardening, get kids together and teach them something that you know how to do: be it sewing, cooking, or a skill you possess. If you have any questions, I would be more than glad to try and answer them for you.

PAX

ps

how's this for a rainy day project....arrange for the kids to go down to your local senior citizen residence. Have the kids read stories to the folks and before you know it one of them will be giving the group of kids an oral history lesson.

 

Those are some great ideas. Thank you. I'll have to try the garden next year but as for going to the local senior citizen residence that I can do anyday!! I volunteer at a nursing home and the residents love it when they get to see lil smiling faces!!

 

Your right, but for me just helping make the tiniest difference in my community is a way I am making myself a better person. Its kind of like giving back all that I took. Even if it's just making someone who is having a bad day smile, that makes me feel like i'm being a better person.

 

Start there then. All I'm saying is don't expect a lot of involvement, people may not want what you want. Also, don't expect to change people, or their minds. People can only ever change their own minds.

I'm sure your local library has hand-outs on what's going on in your community, most do. There are probably people out there already trying to do what you're wanting to do. Do some research and see if you can get in touch with them.

 

I actually am in the process of starting a Peace Alliance club at the community college I attend. I am also member of Peace Action Cleveland so we get to do things to help out people through that program. The thing with that is the focus a lot on the inner city because that's where the biggest problems are. If my Peace Alliance club actually works out at school we can do things in our suburbs. The reason I started this thread was because if our club is started well need lots of ideas for activities we can do with the kids. some how it got way off the subject of ideas and turned into whether i wanted to make a difference for publicity. Another thing is we are going to have to come up with our own funding so we have to find ways to raise money but involve the kids as well. After we raise so much money it will be easier to come up with ideas for activites because well be able to get supplies for crafts or maybe be able to take them on a field trip or something.

 

Show kids love, that seems to be something most don't get enough of these days.

 

And therein lies the problem.
You want to make a change in the world by cutting yourself off from it, and caring only for those of immediate relation?
Seems like that's a significant part of what's wrong with the world does it not?

 

I did not say that I completely cut myself off from the world. And where did I say that I only care for those of immediate relation? Do you think I know all the kids who live my neighborhood? I think not, so how is wanting to help them only caring for those with immediate relation? Yes I did say that all I need is my family, but that means all I need is my family to get by. I do not need friends to make me happy, but helping others does make me happy. Just because I'm not friends with them does not mean I am cutting myself off from the world.

 

We live in a world where we all speak and say that what the world needs is for people to stop and start to care again. Yet, when someone says that is what they wish to do, we are conditioned to then question their motivation. Instead we should perhaps question our motivation in questioning theirs.

If you wish to make a difference, then you shall. Do something, anything as that is better than not doing and instead allowing others to doubt what you are saying is your motivation.

Anyone who says that they get nothing from doing good as in no feeling or joy is not being truthful. It does not make it selfish it is human nature. If you do something nice, kind, thoughtful, helpful, you should feel good doing that.

Do something and good luck to you.

 

Thank you.

 

I kind of agree with you on the ultimate goal, but then I didn't go out in search of a way to have an impact. Granted, I'm a guy therefore I see things different.

When I was a kid I learned that if you see a problem and you don't like it, you have two choices- put up with it or change it. If you put up with it, not only do you not have the right to complain about it, but you also are contributing to the problem by not doing anything about it.

First things first I suppose, is it a serious enough problem to care about? In your case, perhaps. But, does it affect you?

I agree that the problem you mention IS a serious one, but I must say that if your kids are not involved, it's out of your hands. You cannot involve yourself in a crisis like that without it biting you in the ass. Benjamin Franklin spoke about such issues. He commented once about involving oneself in a fight which affects them in no way, being akin to grasping an angry dog by the ears. And it's true. I learned that first hand, as I am sure sure others here have as well.

 

Sorry it took me a minute. I have grown to be a bit cynical. Usually when someone asks "How can I have an impact on my community as a whole?" There is some ego gratification that goes with it. Almost a how can I get a pat on my back from the largest group of people possible. I work at an inner city youth program. I also dress and transfer quadrapalegics. They both have their rewards but low pay and no medal.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

I understand why you would make assumtions. Most people are trying to be like the "stars." Helping people is my destiny in life. I am going to school to be a Physical Therapist Assistant hopefully get to be able to work in geriatrics. I volunteer at the nursing home where my aunt is a PTA. I've been volunteering there since I was about 10. Just being able to see someone smile as a result of what you did for them is enough of a reward for me.