Saving The World?

I often wonder if being too caring leads to controlling. Maybe that's why we get into wars, because we may be seen as interfering instead of helping. I don't mean never help; there are times of crisis and we should do all we can, and we have. I mean this attitude that many have that they need to save the world, yet it's crippling some because of it. 

Now and then, I think about this African woman, I watched on a video, who was yelling for America to stop helping Africa so much as it was making them weak. That they needed to learn to be more self sufficient. There are people who have research financial aid given to countries and say this is true. It has often crippled their economy. 

And then, there are commercials, which are created to tug at our heart strings, telling us to help those less fortunate. But are they? Do they want our help? Do they think they need help? Or is it to feed into another's fantasy instead? Possibly a money making scheme? Because we all know there's good and bad in everything.

Sometimes, I feel it's the haves projecting way too much onto the have nots. The philanthropists needing to save people. But, and I mean this seriously, do we have that right? Unless someone asks for help, do we have a right to change their way of life? Especially if their way of life isn't looked on by them as poor or deprived? It's just their way of life. They don't know any better. We implant that feeling onto them that it's bad. 

You see, I learned that as a child. I was happy with what I had. I didn't know it was supposed to be better. We didn't have a lot of money, but we were rich in things money couldn't buy. I was able to smile and appreciate my life until I grew older and saw myself in other's eyes. It was then that I felt like I was less because of their "poor you" attitude. I felt uncomfortable. I didn't like the, occasional, patronizing feeling I sensed. But, was it just me or did others feel the same? If they did, I could understand how this could, among other things, cause discord and resentment in some people being "saved."

Being a people watcher, most of my life, taught me never to assume. There are those who really need help and were gracious, but they had lines we shouldn't cross. It taught me that some people were perpetual users, abusing the kindest of others, and got angry when they were deprived of their freebies. And yes, as in my case, it taught me that some people don't think they're poor and need saving. They're often more happy and content in their simplicity then most of us are in our materialistic world. They may even think we're the ones that need saving.