The reality is, we as a culture and society are pretty confused right now. Because it certainly seems like we place a high value on selflessness. Our heroes are firefighters, soldiers, and others who put their lives in the line. Or they are the people in our communities that step up to help those in need. And yet, in our money driven society, we are also told that those people are “suckers!” You don’t get ahead by looking out for anybody except #1. Altruism doesn’t pay the bills. 

This is our conflict in a nutshell - what do WE value? The people around us? Or the all-mighty buck and looking out for ourselves? But this is a FALSE conflict. There is a small group of people who are profiting when we view the world as a selfish place where individuals have to take care of themselves. They want us to believe we are in a state of anarchy. They want us to believe we are living in a place and a time when everyone is out to get us. Where we can’t trust our neighbors, and certainly can’t trust THOSE PEOPLE. (whoever they may be this week). 

But this isn’t the experience of most of us is it? Are you a selfish, lying, stealing cheater? Is anyone you know? Or anyone they know? It’s interesting that most of us seem to be decent human beings. 

Here’s a thought: maybe instead of treating everyone else as a selfish, lying, stealing, cheating threat, we should assume that other people are decent human beings - at least until they prove otherwise. Perhaps we can get a new perspective - really go back to an OLD perspective - and view our society as a place where people can and do help each other. Where we should EXPECT people to look out for others and do the right things. We need to move away from the expectation that EVERYONE will act selfishly and cheat. 

Communal behavior is what leads to order in our society, and order is good for all of us – in the best societies, people do this because it is a norm and doesn’t have to be imposed – we need to work to get there. Now if we CHOOSE to look at ourselves as part of a community - even a community as big as the United States, - then we will find that life is better, not just for you, but for everyone around you. 

RIght now, the economy that they are selling us is showing the worst side of selfishness. Do you really want to live in a win-lose society, where it’s everyone for themselves? Does this help you improve your life? Because, by the way, it is absolutely helping the big guys. The wealthiest and most powerful are VERY selfish, and they want it all. And while the rest of us fight for scraps, they are getting it all. We need to come together as a community again and fight back against the elites that would have us distrust each other. They know that if we work together it means an end to the power and privilege they enjoy. So, let’s come together and bring some fairness back to our society.