Consider if you could afford to provide financial support in the following areas, would you:
- Contribute to climate change?
- Assist with reducing human trafficking?
- Promote equality amongst transgender, cultures, and races?
- Reduce violence against anyone?
- Help ensure little Suzy has a healthy start to her school day with breakfast?
by Suzanne F. Stevens, Conscious-Contribution™ Cultivator, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), YouMeWe.ca
How many, if any, would you contribute to financially?
One more question, do you try to pay the least amount of taxes as possible?
Is it fair to say many, if not most, of us do?
A portion of our taxes supports those above listed life-altering issues.
Why then is there a discrepancy between what we want to support and our desire to pay the least amount of taxes?
We have a paradigm that taxes taketh away, rather than giveth.
What if we saw taxes differently?
The reality is contribution opportunities are endless. That’s not the issue.
Do you think many citizens perceive their responsibility to society as quite minimal?
Westerners’ values are embedded by the 18th century, pioneer of the political economy, Adam Smith’s notion of the ‘hidden hand,’ where he argued that large numbers of individuals, each pursuing their own narrow profit-seeking, would unintentionally maximize the wealth of all. In many cases, he was right.
With this pursuit, however,
- There is no responsibility to the greater good.
- There is a limited responsibility to our fellow citizens
- And no responsibility or accountability for citizens’ progression.
As a citizen, do you think we tend to associate with me mentality rather than we society? What can I get, rather than what would benefit the welfare of all?
We are not completely void of our civic duty.
- We vote
- Some serve in the military
- We abide by laws – some of us more than others.
- We pay taxes – grudgingly.
Beyond those discretionary civic duties, many people contribute to society through volunteering their time, this is optional, not a requirement of citizenship. In our culture, these people are occasionally celebrated.
What we don’t have is a collective belief that with citizenship comes a responsibility to serve society.
What we need is a collective belief that with citizenship comes a responsibility to serve society. #MyContributionCounts #YouMeWeMovement Share on XI’m not suggesting out with democracy, but rather a thought of when you look at our social norms, of me vs we, one may think about what makes the most successful …
- Societies?
- Companies?
- Military?
- Sporting teams?
They are all for one and one for all.
In the West, we talk about leaving a legacy as if is something to do at a point later in our life, rather than a way to live our life, and yet so many of us crave to live a life of meaning.
So, me in the YouMeWe refers to the belief as a global citizen each one of us has an opportunity and responsibility to contribute to uplift the life of another.
Each of us has a life purpose, unique gifts, and personal values when harnessed each one of us can contribute in line with our authentic selves. Our most meaningful life emanates from me.
Is there a social or environmental gap that your talents can assist in filling?
Over time perhaps we may realize a social shift where citizens don’t rely on taxes or government to uplifting the lives of others, but part of our common culture is to seek social gaps and create innovative, profitable, & sustainable ways to reduce them.
In effect, lead tomorrow’s legacy today.
Until next time, make your contributions count.
#YouMeWeMovement #MyContributionCounts
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