John Woods wrote (as quoted by Willard):
>"We may, then, eliminate such terms as volunteerism and charity, which
>suggest sacrifice. It is no sacrifice to be good to others, it is simply
>intelligent, logical, self-aware behavior."
Willard replied:
>John, when I first read your words above I thought that we had a different
>set of assumptions around the words "volunteerism and charity" than I do.
>On re-reading your words, I see that we have similar assumptions.
>
>I don't see "volunteerism and charity" as necessarily involving sacrifice.
>Giving of what we have available as resources to another person doesn't
>seem to involve any element of sacrifice. It certainly does seem to be
>self-serving as you suggest because we are all connected.
[big snip here]
>In any case, recognizing that we are all volunteers and we are responsible
>for those results we get in our adult lives enables us to get more of the
>results we want and in a way that adds value for all (practically
>speaking, many) of those people affected by us (and the environment).
I'd only like to add here that what we're really talking about is love, as
defined by Scott Peck in THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: The will to extend
oneself for the development of another. Peck qualified his terms as
follows:
Will = Intention carried out in some form of action
Extend = To go beyond one's normal boundaries, resulting in their expansion
Development = Any form of growth, whether spiritual, physical, emotional, etc.
Another = Another person, oneself, an organization, etc.
Peck summarizes this very simply: Love is as love does.
So I'd say volunteerism is the expression of love. Charity likewise. I'd
also suggest that the desire to extend ourselves to others involves a
recognition that we will benefit as a result, whether through
reinforcement of our own values, or through the expansion of our
boundaries (which is itself a form of reinforcing values - the value of
growth and learning). This involves an underlying learning attitude, a
sense that self-growth is important, and that the extension of self that
love entails is a way to accomplish it.
In this way I am able to resolve the dichotomy between love and
self-interest, and it sounds like Willard has done the same thing. I feel
that ultimately, the life of a self-renewing person is love, and nothing
else, whatever he or she might be doing or being at any moment. This is
the context for my latest tag line, "Our future is to be food - Wisdom's
gift - for what comes after us." In our interconnectedness, we are
nourished as we nourish others.
Willard closed his message with a wish that I can't improve on, so I will
quote it here as though I thought of it myself:
>Well, Happy Holidays (and of course happy every other day for the rest of
>your life) to everyone out there.
Dave
-- David E. Birren Phone: (608)267-2442 Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources Fax: (608)267-3579 Bureau of Management & Budget E-mail: birred@dnr.state.wi.us"Our future is to be food - Wisdom's gift - for what comes after us." -- Saadi (Neil Douglas-Klotz)