There are a few basic theories on how to promote freedom and good for those suffering in the world (many of us). One theory is to do work to help ease the burden on, say, the tired and poor, by working alongside them and/or working to share earnings with them by way of charity. This is a great way to help the world wherever we are, at any time, even just by sharing positive energy with those around us. Another theory is to achieve freedom and a good life for yourself, showing others by example that there is a way to share more in God’s Kingdom here on earth. Thirdly, the middle way is to teach others the way to achieve a better life as you’ve done or are doing yourself.
We can categorize the first theory as selfless, the second as selfish, and the third as right in the middle. Since we should treat others as we would like to be treated, the middle way meets that idea, as we treat everyone, including ourselves, equally. The theory to put your mask on first in an emergency would hint to focus on ourselves first, and being more able to help others after. Its important to realize, however, that, going too far in either direction should lead to unfortunate outcomes. Our cup could empty filling others needs, or we could do overly well for ourselves at the expense of others.
As we work on ourselves, it’s helpful to take note on who our success may comes as an expense to; to analyze the impact of our actions on the world. Some of the work we do creates from nothing, or from God we could say, and has no negative impact on others. But some falls into the concept of the zero sum game, where the success we have comes at the expense of others; or, it would have been exactly the success of others, if we were not to have taken it first. In this case, we should be conscious of and direct the impact of our success at those who are more successful then us, in order to support those tired, poor, or suffering more than us. Then, as we do more good for ourselves, we are more able to allow those less fortunate and following the same principle to do well at our expense. In a sense it is trickle down charity, not by means of government legislature or policies but of our own conscious actions. While we have no control over where the wealth starts, we have complete control over the direction it flows in our vicinity.
The story of Robin Hood is of a man who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. It is often kept at bay as folklore and not practiced, since it is a fairly radical method to implement, involving theft and possible violence. However, when we look at it in perspective to the more nuanced natural giving and taking described above, we see that in our lives we are constantly giving and taking, without ever breaking the law. In this way, we can incorporate the beautiful and symbolic story of Robin Hood into our lives.
There’s no end to the ways in which we can implement the story, and each person might have their own unique method, as dictated by their Being. Of course, one might even not be called to work on this story to begin with. Only we can hear and follow our personal longings.
With that said, here are a few modern ways I see to implement the story of Robin Hood. The first is to vote with our dollar. What we spend money on supports those entities, and our use of the product encourages those around us to do so as well. The idea of shopping local helps this cause. To take it a step further, shopping from those without a storefront removes support for commercial real estate investors and forwards it to people who could benefit from more abundant residential housing. To take it even further, we could shop less or try not to at all, to simply reduce the workload of the world as well as of ourselves, where the money can go towards giving everyone a well deserved break. You could give money without receiving product, like in the form of tips, or pay your friends’ way on something to give them the gift of economic energy. The taboo view on gifting money is in one respect a promotion of consumerism.
Voting with our dollar can apply to investing as well as shopping. We can invest in companies that align with our beliefs. However, large corporations seem to be the only options available on the stock market. Its unfeasible for small businesses to register on a stock exchange, due to the requirements. Thankfully, the advent of blockchain is making stock issuance possible for small businesses. Investing in cryptocurrencies themselves empowers the have-nots at the expense of the haves, by fostering more equitable decentralized money systems, while moving away from existing currencies which lie in control of very few. Finally, on a less technological front, investing in commodities themselves can have a profound impact on leveling the financial playing field, as well as great benefits for our environment. Stay tuned for an upcoming article on industrial metals, which will outline the details of this altruistic investment strategy.
Photo by Steve Kuzma
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