The Modern Do-Gooder

On this earth, there are many who do good, doctors, nurses, teachers, ministers, and countless other warm-hearted people. Their helping sustains nations, making life livable, making life a joy while taking joy in selflessness, making honesty a constant virtue.

Another class of citizens are the do-gooders, mostly with their goal to do good for themselves by doing something for others. They gossip, cheat, preach, rumor, condemn, include, exclude, and depress all for their good.

For do-gooders, the “for me” dominates the “for you.”

These do-gooders are here forever. Diving a little deeper…

If your goal is to do good, and you have no basis for what good is, you may execute simplistic acts for which there is little reason and particularly pragmatism. You could be seduced by a facet or two of a logical, social, or political complex of great depth.

Only when the need to do good is tempered on the anvil of contemplation can the result have lasting consequence and to be good. Important to note is: Not all good has a material nature. Not all good comes from restructuring. Not all good comes from the destruction of history.

Consider a short list of Mindless Goodness, where the appearance of “doing good” is likely in error. You know you are a modern day do-gooder if you believe in…

Spreading money randomly
Lavish distributions without validated merit.
Deciding what should be learned and what should not.
Changing lives of others in accordance with yours.
Changing a culture substantially because you think it’s wrong.

The greatest danger from do-gooders is their promoting personally preferred ideas disguised as ultimate good.

The conqueror merely wants to occupy your lands. The do-gooder wants to conquer your life, even those of the troglodyte.

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Be wary of modern do-gooders who insist there is free will, but equally insist on taking it from you.

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