“You don't pay back a favor, you pay it forward.”It starts with a schoolteacher setting an assignment for 11 year old children. “Think of an idea that could change our world and put it into action”. This assignment inspires a child to create the idea of pay it forward. The idea is that when someone is doing something important for you instead of returning the favor back to the person that helped you; you help three other people that are in need. This can be a small act but surely its an act of consideration for others and it can evoke kindness to other strangers. This was portrayed as a boy’s idea to change the world. The movie is actually really good as apart from the brilliant actors there is portrayed an accurate psychodrama of people that face difficulties. The movie was inspired by the book of Catherine Ryan Hyde and actually I was amazed to discover that it inspired the emergence of non-profit foundations and classroom material.
Kevin Spacey was setting a really hard question not only to children but to mankind in general. What each and everyone can contribute to make the world just a tiny bit better. And don’t forget the world is not an abstract big place; it is your family, friends, neighbors, fellow human and environment. Many social, and political movements have theorized throughout history on ideas that could improve the world and not much has happened. If complex theories have not succeeded in improving the world can a simple act of kindness succeed? Then I started thinking what I have ever done to improve this world.
(art by pesare)
11 comments:
Well, haven't caught that film or book yet, what's it called? Sounds interesting.
But you know, concerning making the world a better place. I think trying to evaluate different kinds of positive action, people get confused with the logistics. Let me throw an example here.
Say you had an annual income of 20 million euros and you donate 100 thousand euros to a foundation of your choice. Is your contribution substantial? Of course, that kind of money can help sustain the function of foundation for a significant period of time. But when compared to your overall income, is it still a substantial contribution? It is, but still, the weight of the contribution begins to diminish as we raise the financial potential of the contributor. But then again, if a person that earns 12 thousand euros per year donates half of it, is this contribution more significant? Perhaps one could say that the lower income person has performed a more honorable and generous and what have you contribution. But then again, making the world a better place is not a competition of generocity or honor, is it?
And I'm not just talking money here, I'm just using them as an example.
Here's what I think about making the world a better place. I acknowledge the fact that the more direct a positive action is the greater the benefit. For instance, actually having homosexual friends and actually standing up for those very real people that are part of your life is completely different and vastly more beneficial on a day to day basis than simply donating to a foundation that raises awareness on fighting homophobia.
Now, I don't discourage or degrade the work done by foundations or collectives around the globe even though I do believe that in capitalism, for instance, supporting charity is like peeing at the fire to put it out.
I just believe in the responsibility of the individual to struggle for a better world, not because this is the honorable thing to do, not because one will magically be granted entry to a heaven of maidens and rice, but simply because it is the sensible, practical thing to do.
So, I say, any form of significant positive change will have to come from within the individual and from the realization of why and how there needs to be a better world on which a better version of ourselves can and will eventually be able to develop and expand it's boundaries and possibilities.
Lastly, I really, honestly do not believe that positive change is simply and only about being kind or polite or compassionate. Instead I also strongly believe in anger and frustration and all sorts of so called negative feelings, as long as they're being utilized to fuel progress.
Is it on cinemas now?
@Khayman
I have my doubts concerning foundations too.So what you think is also similar to the pay it forward idea that change lies on the every day responsibility of the individual and don't mistake it with charity.I don't know what work foundations do I just said that it inspired people to create foundations that mainly fund educational programmes.Anger and frustration you believe that they can fuel progress.Do you mean then that the change lies in the anarchist/liberal movements etc If so, have they contributed in making the world a better place?
@ggk
No, it was out on 2000.But I just show it.Check this link
http://payitforward.warnerbros.com/Pay_It_Forward/
Don't get me wrong here. Noone should be foolish or arrogant enough to actually believe he/she can singlehandedly change the way we've been fucking with the environment by, say, being vegan or not using an air conditioner when it's 45 degrees outside. But before we get to care for the environment we need to learn to care for ourselves, that's all I'm saying.
Now, I don't think the anarchist/liberal movements are the only proprietors of anger and frustration, these are traits you will find on anyone. I do however believe that those movements tend to be angry for all the right reasons, more so than any other movement, and to me that means they have the potential to make a difference.
I do believe they have contributed in making the world a better place in two distinct ways. By being a persistent force constantly pushing for progress and by establishing environments that encourage the development of critical thinking and creativity, allowing the people that participate to expand their boundaries.
I truely believe that any group of people who can produce one of the above two is a definite positive force for our world.
And this is exactly how you can tell that your collective/community/squat/party or whatever has failed. If you do not produce free thinking people, you have failed.
And of course there are points where branches of both the anarchist and the liberal movement in general have failed at exactly that. Anarchist that manage to be sexist idiots pops to mind. Or elitist anarchists. Or really stupid ones that just think that violence is the alpha and the omega of social struggle. The Communist Party. The Soviet Union. The fact that many leftists have come to a point where their ideals are not so different than those of the extreme right. Countless points of failure really.
So, no, I don't think that by being an anarchist/liberal you automatically make a difference.
I do believe you're at the right place though.
Sorry for the walls of text, I just find it extremely difficult to write any other way.
That reminded me a story about carrying forward a smile, then creating a chain of happy people. The last of the smilers helped a dog which will eventually save the life of a child.
Even with the new communication technologies the world is still a very big place. The only things we can send thousands of miles away are now our voice and image. Changing the world is a hard thing and it needs sympathy and empathy.
In this case, "pay it forward" sounds like the right way. Because as the whole world is big, we must start from our own little one. But still, people are not honest enough to make this work. Moreover, most people just want the good of their own "tiny" world which contains only themselves.
Then, is that changeable? Can a mass turn into a better one by just goodness? Maybe so, but still there are other factors (like, welfare) blocking the way.
But for me, nevermind, lets just give it a try and help others (but without losing our guard).
the reason why that theory doesn't work in real life is simply because each person has his own personal theory about what is right and wrong. Take the extreme example of a religious fundamentalist who blows up a train station and at the same time he thinks he is making the world a better place.
I believe that the capability of doing "good" is inherited to every single individual and does not need special theories to support it.
Anyway, I love the movie and its concept.
@khayman
You are right when you say that free thinking people can produce change.I think people can produce change and that first the change comes from within. I completely agree about what you say concerning the liberal movements as long as we don't forget that sadly within those movements there are some really close minded people that are angry for the wrong reasons.
@gorgi
I think that empathy is a very important issue and I am glad that you mentioned it.I like your position, lets give it a try, nobody lost anything by being nice or helping someone.Quite the opposite.
@storm
This is a scary example actually and you are so right by saying that a person might to something extreme in the name of god, or because he believes its right.At least pay it forward is about just doing an act of kindness to someone.
Ακόμα κι αν ο καθένας σκούπιζε μοναχά την αυλή του, όλη η γειτονιά θα ήταν καθαρή... Ένα σημαντικό βήμα θα ήταν να κάνουμε απλώς αυτά που μας αναλογούν· να μην επιβαρύνουμε το σύνολο.
@syna
Σωστή!Να κάνουμε αυτά που μας αναλογούν είναι μια λύση προς το καλύτερο.Μόνο που εδώ περιμένουμε τους άλλους πάντα να κοπιάσουν για εμάς...δυσκολα αναλαμβάνουμε ευθύνες!
Hello, pixi! Thanks for posting.
Thelw na synodeysw ston pono elliniko ston koinotiko ola gia tin adifago kai anekselegkti pyrkagia aftis tis teleftaias Paraskevis sta ypostirigmata tis Peloponnisou, sto notiodytiko simeio tis Athinas, pou stoixisan tin zwi se 63 synanthrwpous sas.
David Santos
Μα ποιος είναι αυτος ο santos τελοσπάντων;
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