Is the world a great place?
Asked by
Cruiser (
40449
)
April 10th, 2014
I was inspired to ask this question along with a few side questions. This story about…
“Miami Senior High School student Cristhian Reyes had his lost wallet returned by a total stranger with conditions attached, but not the kind of conditions Reyes was expecting.”
“Instead of asking for money in exchange for the wallet, the anonymous finder filled Reyes’ wallet with $20 apparently added and a note that read, in part: “I added $20 to it so you know the world is a great place. Do me a favor and when you get the chance, do something nice for someone else.”
Stories like these do make the world a better place. Have you ever found a purse or wallet and returned it? Did you keep the money or get a reward?
Have had anything like this happen to you? Have you done anything similar for a stranger? What have you done to make the world a great place?
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10 Answers
At times it can be , but for the most part it’s a dog eat dog, me first me first, screw everyone before they screw you type world , but once in a while it can be a great place yes.
I’m not sure if the question title matches the details of your question. I’m not sure how we could answer “Is the world a great place?” unless we were to elaborate on the criteria. Are we talking about the size of the earth? Are we asking about the experience of conscious creatures in the world? If so, are we attempting to find the average level of suffering and happiness and determining if experience is > 50% not suffering? I just don’t know how to answer that, and would be tempted to describe it in terms that do not include “great”.
However, the details of your question are specific enough. It deals with the question of generosity and helping people. I have had the opportunity to return a wallet and a purse, and in both cases, the people were in near tears they were so happy. I didn’t accept a reward.
The interesting thing about doing something for someone is that it feels good. It can really change your attitude and perspective to do things for others. The beneficial side-effect of this behavior, of course, is that it often creates these same good feelings in those that have been the recipient of generosity.
Yes, the world is a mahvelous place.
It is exactly what you make of it.
I found and returned to it’s owner a $20,000 bracelet.
Stupid 7th grader I was. Should have sold the damn thing.
As for the world. No, I do not find it to be a great place. Sure there are individuals who performs random acts of selfless kindness, and while they are plenty of them, saying that their actions alone make this place worthwhile, great, or that it inspires hope or faith in humanity sounds naive to me.
I refuse to believe it isn’t. I’m not saying our planet is perfect, but great as in “awe-inspiring”? Definitely.
@longgone I completely agree, and reading stories like these are indeed inspiring and welcome reminders the world is not all blood, guts, taxes and war.
The world, yes. People, no.
About ten years ago, I dashed home at lunch, because I forgot something. On the way up the road leading to my house, I encountered money, blowing around on the road. I thought it was leaves at first. I pulled over and got out, and chased the bills down, gathering over $600 in twenties. I spent the next thirty minutes slowly driving up and down the road, looking for someone who was looking for something, until I found a young mom with a kid in a carseat who was desperate. “Did you lose something?” “YES. The rent money. My husband is going to kill me.”
I returned her money to her, and she was extremely grateful. When I got back to work, and was ten minutes late, I explained why and __still__ got my ass chewed. So worth it.
(The world is neither good nor bad. It’s indifferent.)
The world is a good place (parts of it) the problem is the “worst people” get all the attention.
Good people do a good deed and no one knows about it. “never let the right hand know what the left hand is doing”.
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