Ignorance or Selfessness?
Ignorance is bliss, so the saying goes.
When I first met my partner in 2019, she had very real plans to move to India in the following year. For months, she had been saving to volunteer at an orphanage based in Goa. It’s an insight into her giving nature and philanthropic desires, as well as a window into what drives her as a human being. Only the encroaching pandemic and her fondness for my company kept her here.
Now I feel that itch as well. A calling to act and leap into the experience of a new culture alongside the pleasure of serving a well-intentioned cause. Yet, all the same, I find myself asking, is there any shame in turning to a more self-serving disposition? Or is it crass or foolish to even suggest such an approach?
Consider those who escape to pastures new in search of a better quality of life. Such an act isn’t innovative or even destined to result in contentment. What it is, however, is brave, and the ability to act on one’s own will in such a manner should be heralded, not scorned. One can be forgiven for seeking escapism and the promise of personal fulfilment when that, in essence, is what most of us crave. As we navigate the disconcerting waters of modern society, we are confronted with an unrelenting insistence on the global issues faced by humanity, underpinning an often bleak future. Is it any wonder that some seek to turn a blind eye to this reality?
Yet, it is often through acts of self-sacrifice to a worthy cause that one can find great fulfilment. Helping others feels good; it’s known to induce a rich, bountiful energy and is, undeniably, the morally sound approach to life.
Ultimately, this is when a sense of great ambivalence ensues. So I pose a solution: choose something from both. Let go of elements that bring torment and be receptive to good, honest change. Make small steps that hinder unnecessary realities and dedicate time to worthy, achievable causes that can eventually set one’s soul on fire.
Ignorance is bliss, so the saying goes. Of course, it’s not all that simple, is it?
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