Acts of (Selfish) Kindness
By Michael D., Hawthorne, NY
I wholeheartedly agree with Daniel R.’s article, “Acts of (Selfish) Kindness.” I, too, have noticed the dissolute road that “volunteering” is now traveling.
According to the dictionary, to volunteer is to “do charitable or helpful work without receiving pay for it.” In many schools (including mine), “volunteer” work is either rewarded with credit toward graduation or is necessary for graduation. Also, many churches require volunteer service before members can be confirmed. Although this work is indisputably helpful, extra credit is, without a doubt, a form of payment and, obviously, forced volunteer work is not done of one’s own free will.
There are pros to this system, though. For one, a lot of work for the community is accomplished at virtually no cost. I believe that parts of this system could work, as long as it’s made clear that community service is by no means synonymous with volunteering. Finally, even though I don’t agree with forcing people to volunteer or bribing them, a little more encouragement to volunteer for the sake of helping others wouldn’t hurt.
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