Considering Friedman and Obama

I see myself responding to President Obama’s call to make a difference outside of our borders by first attempting to make a difference inside our borders and become coming less ignorant of the issues outside of them. I need to first develop the habit of helping others with the resources I do possess so that when the opportunity arrives to be of service to countries outside of my own I will assist readily. As I study about other countries and learn of their successes and problems I will become more enabled to not only be aware of opportunities to make a difference more readily but also to create them.

I think I will evaluate my resource consumption by keeping better track of my finances in a more detailed fashion. I don’t want to think about what kind of money I let fall through the cracks on simple and fickle things like soda or snacks. As I keep better track on my finances I will be better able to delegate funds to dedicate to humanitarian aid or other charities.

I agree that we need to encourage others to develop more positive imagination. I think that these days there are a lot of social pressures to succeed monetarily, almost to excess. The pressure in our country to move towards ease seems to put people on the quickest and most direct path to success with little deviation. We want to succeed and we want to do it quickly because the rewards are so desirable. Behaviorism says that people do things the way they do them because of cause and effect. It would be hard for me to do impact this problem a great deal because as I see it, it is a social issue. On that same note however, I can show great enthusiasm and support personally and politically for those who show positive imagination and direction.

In my opinion to export hope and not fear is to encounter the world not with elitism, victim mentalities, or bias but with openness, team playing, and possibility thinking. Again I think the best way to start exporting something is to grow it where you are. As an individual I could cultivate those positive qualities personally and then support those encouraging them civilly. Another way to export hope and not fear might be to become internationally with positive things. Whenever we participate in an organization we’re essentially voting for its agenda. It would be important to support positive and encouraging things.