Our Sense of Community

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:26 am

Halfway posted "More giving and less "expecting" would do our society some good."

http://www.forumgarden.com/forums/gener ... ost1414233

When I read Halfway's post I thought of this documentary I just watched, called "Craigslist Joe." It's a really uplifting movie that shows that, maybe despite our jaundiced view of people generally, people as individuals are still friendly and giving.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:45 am

Maybe I'll watch sometime when I'm in the mood. Thanks!

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:53 am

So basically the guy's a hobo.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:14 am

SnoozeAgain;1414243 wrote: So basically the guy's a hobo.

Basically, hobo by choice. That's the one part that raised my antennae - how giving would they have been without that camera hovering just there? But a lot of it was clearly genuine.

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:39 am

That "community" has always been there for those of us willing to stop and look for it.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:28 pm

In a few towns in Australia they have begun a "volunteer bank" (trialing it a the moment. ) Basically you register your skill or what you'd like to give in the way of services and they call you up and use you for an hour. That hour is registered and you are entitled to an hour of someone elses time for a job you are unable to do or need help with . The more hours you build up the more hours you are entitled to yourself.

eg. Woman with four kids of her own works five days a week and volunteers as a lifesaver instructing kids on the weekends during summer. Obviously her volunteering is registered. She's starved of time to do the ironing so a lady volunteers her hour to do a load of ironing for her . Inturn that lady who isn't very agile recieves the services of a young teen to put up all her outdoor chrissy lights ....and on it goes . Some people take kids out for driving lessons for an hour from welfare and job agencies. That's a brilliant idea.

Altruism isn't always a matter of "it makes me feels good" The whole concept of volunteering your time and in turn having your needs met in same is also altruism . it is the concept itself that is altruistic.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:11 am

I think that's a fantastic idea. I saw a story of a Spanish town that does this.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:14 am

Isn't that called a barter system? I don't really see that as altruistic, it just replaces money with services.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:31 am

SnoozeAgain;1414322 wrote: Isn't that called a barter system? I don't really see that as altruistic, it just replaces money with services.
It can be altruistic, such as when somebody that could charge an arm & a leg for their service, instead trades it for something the recipient can afford to give.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:33 am

SnoozeAgain;1414243 wrote: So basically the guy's a hobo.

I once wanted to be a hobo.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:46 am

fuzzywuzzy;1414299 wrote: In a few towns in Australia they have begun a "volunteer bank" (trialing it a the moment. ) Basically you register your skill or what you'd like to give in the way of services and they call you up and use you for an hour. That hour is registered and you are entitled to an hour of someone elses time for a job you are unable to do or need help with . The more hours you build up the more hours you are entitled to yourself.

eg. Woman with four kids of her own works five days a week and volunteers as a lifesaver instructing kids on the weekends during summer. Obviously her volunteering is registered. She's starved of time to do the ironing so a lady volunteers her hour to do a load of ironing for her . Inturn that lady who isn't very agile recieves the services of a young teen to put up all her outdoor chrissy lights ....and on it goes . Some people take kids out for driving lessons for an hour from welfare and job agencies. That's a brilliant idea.

Altruism isn't always a matter of "it makes me feels good" The whole concept of volunteering your time and in turn having your needs met in same is also altruism . it is the concept itself that is altruistic.

Here it is known as LETS (Local Exchange Trading System) and has been running for a fair number of years.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:50 am

But does an altruist expect something in return? Or am I confusing that with a good Samaritan?

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:57 am

fuzzywuzzy;1414299 wrote: In a few towns in Australia they have begun a "volunteer bank" (trialing it a the moment. ) Basically you register your skill or what you'd like to give in the way of services and they call you up and use you for an hour. That hour is registered and you are entitled to an hour of someone elses time for a job you are unable to do or need help with . The more hours you build up the more hours you are entitled to yourself.

eg. Woman with four kids of her own works five days a week and volunteers as a lifesaver instructing kids on the weekends during summer. Obviously her volunteering is registered. She's starved of time to do the ironing so a lady volunteers her hour to do a load of ironing for her . Inturn that lady who isn't very agile recieves the services of a young teen to put up all her outdoor chrissy lights ....and on it goes . Some people take kids out for driving lessons for an hour from welfare and job agencies. That's a brilliant idea.

Altruism isn't always a matter of "it makes me feels good" The whole concept of volunteering your time and in turn having your needs met in same is also altruism . it is the concept itself that is altruistic.
We would probably go to jail for this. The government can't tax it.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:24 am

Altruism is a natural human instinct. Most people seeing someone in trouble will stop and help, that is their first thought - it's probably yours as well - experience might make them or you hesitate or walk on by. Ever stopped and helped someone change a tyre, do you give to foreign aid charities or any at all? I've always taken the point of the good samaritan story to be that religion teaches you only to care about those like you to be afraid of those that are different. A good samaritan is someone who helps a stranger because they can not because of who they are or because they expect a reward. Of course there's also the saying no good deed goes unpunished but that's a depressing take on things.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:40 am

This is interesting:

Although altruism means helping another person without expecting a reward, there is often an "internal" benefit for the subject, a good feeling, a sense of satisfaction, a fulfilment of duty. If one does something for another person, simply with the view of gaining something for oneself then it is not really altruistic.

Sydney's Philosophy in the Café - Philo Agora - Altruism and the Good Samaritan

By that definition, barter is NOT altruistic.

halfway · Post by **halfway** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:00 pm

"More giving and less expecting."

How can that be argued against?

Post by **LarsMac** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:07 pm

YZGI;1414329 wrote: I once wanted to be a hobo.

That was my ambition when I was in my senior year of high school.

My reply got some odd looks from my parents' friends when they asked what I wanted to be after I graduated.

When I first got out of the military I spent a few years testing my career choice.

It proved to be less than fulfilling.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:42 pm

SnoozeAgain;1414336 wrote: But does an altruist expect something in return? Or am I confusing that with a good Samaritan?
I've known people who would refuse a handout out of pride. If someone wanted to help them, the only way would be to make some sort of deal. So I could understand, say, a doctor offering his services at an even exchange for the patient doing a load of laundry or mowing his lawn. The medical exam has a market value far and away more than the laundry service, so the doctor can feel altruistic while the patient can feel good about being able to contribute to the exchange.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:58 pm

Would it be altruistic of me to say you're right even though I disagree? :sneaky:

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:31 pm

Only if you don't mean it but really want me to feel better. :yh_bigsmi

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:53 am

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/23/living/ge ... pt=hp_bn11

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:21 pm

SnoozeAgain;1414322 wrote: Isn't that called a barter system? I don't really see that as altruistic, it just replaces money with services.

It's altruism. It's just organised altruism . But the OP is titled 'sense of community' which in my thoughts that's where I'm heading.

I became a volunteer firefighter after a car accident where an SES volunteer stopped to help me . I have since payed my debt to society for that persons sense of community. That's not bartering ......that's............ I can help other people feel a sense of safety in a desperate situation. It's the old "what goes around comes around".