Consideration

I’m not sure there’s much of it about these days. All of us are pretty much self-obsessed. We just have no space to consider others as much as we used to. I do remember a time when neighbours spoke to each other, looked out for each other and knocked on the door with a cup of sugar when you moved in next door.

Now we don’t even say hello when we pass a neighbour, someone in the community and we glance away when we see a homeless person sitting or standing on the street, begging for pennies or selling the ‘Big Issue’.

Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash

I know there are many caring people around and I do know there are many that are selfless, but just think if just 1% of our community stepped up their consideration for others. Might we have a better environment to live in?

Consideration for others means sometimes putting ourselves last and that’s not about being a martyr it’s about considering someone else’s issues above our own. Sure we all have issues, money worries, health issues, work troubles, mental health constraints and so does your neighbour.

A homeless person has all of those issues and more. Maybe time to stop and ask someone if they’re okay.

Happy chatting!

Michael de Groot

Human Rights

I am not sure we all really know what’s contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I don’t remember being taught this at school, do you?

And as a human walking on this planet, I should know right? It should be part of my education to understand this declaration and know what my rights are, indeed the rights of my fellow human being too.

In fact I believe it is fundamentally the most important document we should all have in our possession and we don’t!

How can this be correct? Is it only the domain of lawyers, judges and maybe governments who should understand this?

I would suggest that governments do not. I never hear anyone speaking about it, our locally elected member of parliament doesn’t speak about it, surely anyone in government should take an oath to say that they will abide by it?

You can download it here.
http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

Read it, understand it, know your rights, after all you are human.

Here’s a shortened version by Amnesty International.

Know your rights!

Michael de Groot

Social

Social Media has managed to infiltrate every part of humanity, whether it be exposing our own personal lives or real time comments from the US President, it has become part of the fabric of society.

There are many good things that have been derived from Social Media and one of those has been the way that people from all over the world have connected to each other, families have become closer or have they?

Parents and grandparents are snooping on kids and grandchildren, or maybe they are just curious and feel closer to what they are doing in their lives?

There was a time when Social first came out that a lot of folks were saying things like ‘Why do I want to know what they’ve had for lunch?’ or ‘I have no interest in knowing every part of what they are doing in their lives!’.

Actually we’ve all become incredibly curious (nosey) about our connections and what they’re up to, to the point that we are thumbing through feeds with lightening speed, trying to catch a glimpse of news that may satisfy our curiosity and interest.

The truth is our curiosity will never ever be satisfied, we never say, oh good that post I just liked or commented on is enough for today, that will keep me going until tomorrow. We instantly look for the next post, image or video to satisfy or need.

Sad but true.

We are driving ourselves into Social Oblivion to a place where we eventually may need help to rid ourselves of our addiction to Social Media.

A few worrying statistics on Facebook. As of the third quarter of 2017, Facebook had 2.07 billion monthly active users. In the third quarter of 2012, the number of active Facebook users had surpassed 1 billion, making it the first social network ever to do so. Active users are those which have logged in to Facebook during the last 30 days.

You may wish to consider deleting the Facebook app from your smartphone, it will give you at least an extra hour per day, if not more. I’m not suggesting removing yourself as Social Media these days is now an essential part of your identity.

Happy posting!

Michael de Groot