“The man who invokes a storm on his people cannot prevent his house from destruction.” – African Proverb
Do you not care that our society is perishing? That is the cry in the hearts of many as times toughen up. If you are not moved with pity for the suffering of those burdened by the harshness around us, then you are one of those with mechanical hearts. When you witness or hear about people being harassed and suppressed, how do you react? Do you understand the reach of your decisions, or do you know how deep your actions cut into the dignity of others? It is no secret that many in the world are troubled, yet those of us who can help also turn our backs on them.
Many of us do not realise how unfeeling we are. We are not even aware that we are distant and passive toward the challenges of the world. We are so engrossed in our individual visions we are blinded on all sides. As the philosopher would say, “We have eyes, but we cannot see”. Is it surprising many of us cannot understand why some people are disadvantaged? We begin our days and decisions from a merciless viewpoint, because we have been conditoned to believe that life is competitive and good living should be accomplished at the expense of others. It is a cake that we should strive to get a bigger piece of, if not the biggest. Thus, if we can deny others their share, why not?
It is true that some of us have cultivated our unfeeling attitude because of the numerous challenges we encountered in the past. Many of us in that situation felt overwhelmed by the constant pressures and difficulties we faced without any help on the horizon. This led to our emotional exhaustion and a sense of resignation. Some of us may have even vowed not to help anyone when we also make it to the top. But it is precisely because of your experiences that you should be more compassionate. Your understanding of suffering should be the inspiration to eradicate that blemish on our humanity.
Sadly, many of us prefer to propagate the evil of suffering. We do not want to end it, so we have hardened our hearts. And instead of reaching out and helping others, we are consciously eradicating opportunities which exist for others to rise. We are not there for anyone, and likewise we do not expect others to be there for us. Maybe that’s why the adage “Each one for him/herself, God for us all” is so popular in our society. Even those who perceive themselves as religious quote it.
The unfeeling attitudes we display speak volumes about us. They tells others that our humanity is meaningless to you, and we might as well do away with many of the responsibility-demands being placed on individuals and organisations. But all of us have seen the difference compassion has made in the lives of the masses in developed societies. We often want to copy their developmental strategy, but their secret has to do with them nurturing many of their people to be compassionate, and they in turn man organisations and positions – from where their very caring feeling has ennobled them to create a society that is fairer than ours, and one that helps their people to make their world a fair place for everyone.
In the developed societies some people have understood the power of being very kind, and thus worked really hard to fight against unfairness and make things equal for everyone. They have fought against corruption, and poor attitudes like looking down on others because of their educational backgrounds or how much money they have. These are individuals who care a lot about others and want to make sure everyone is treated with respect, and that everyone has about the same opportunities to live with dignity. They have made a lot of good changes and helped create a world wherein everyone is included and treated fairly. Is that your attitude?
If you are being driven by empathy and a desire to alleviate suffering, provide care and treatment to those in need, then it is time to rethink. Compassion has been key to the secrets of goodness in this life. Compassionate people not only attend to the physical needs of others, but they also offer emotional support, empathy and understanding. Compassion is a human-centred approach to living. It has energised many to stand in solidarity with those who suffer, and has been the inspiration for those who work toward rebuilding communities and restoring hope in others. That is why you cannot afford not to care. That is the nature of non-living entities. Humans care because that is our nature…
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Kodwo Brumpon is a partner at Brumpon & Kobla Ltd., a forward-thinking Pan African management consultancy and social impact firm driven by data analytics – with a focus on understanding the extraordinary potential and needs of organisations and businesses to help cultivate synergies which catapult them into their strategic growth and certify their sustainability.
Comments, suggestions and requests for talks and training should be sent to him at kodwo@brumponand kobla.com
