Why should I care?
This is going to be one of those blog posts where I would really appreciate some response or feedback. This has been something I’ve wrestled with my entire life, really.
I’m sure at some point everyone struggles with this, they’re asking themselves constantly, “why should I care?” I read all these books, and listen to all these things—and what I get from these motivational speakers is that we shouldn’t care what other people think. Well, I don’t agree. We SHOULD care what others think. Our perceptions shape reality. For me, I start struggling if we lose an order or if something gets messed up, I take that personally. We care because it’s personal and important. We don’t want others to feel that we’re a jerk, or we’re pompous, because after a certain point, self-image does become relevant. I’ll be honest with you, I can’t figure this out, and I wonder if other people share in this problem. In my world, I care—if I walk in and if I don’t hold the door open for the person in front of me, it’ll bother me for a while. I feel bad if I don’t let someone over when I’m driving down the street. Things like this, where I’m not making a conscious enough effort or maybe I’m having a bad day—things like this weigh on me.
Look around at all this stuff, if someone doesn’t care; it shows a lack of engagement with their struggles or their peers. Where are their thoughts or ambitions? Should we care more? Rather than a brusque or discourteous dismissal, imagine if we took the time to pay attention to what’s going on around us and engage with our peers or strangers. Imagine what we might learn or experience.
Many of us wonder, in the minds of those who give the appearance or genuinely don’t care, does it stem a sense of entitlement or a jaded perspective of the world at large? If we all took the time to exercise patience and understanding, that care goes a long way in making the difference to someone else’s life and your own. Actions speak louder than words, when you go through life trying to build your character, it’s important to consider what others think about you—it’s an effective gauge on what kind of person you are, in the impressions you give others. But when should we care? When is it acceptable to care, for you, for anyone? Please let us know.
