Today was interesting. I have learned a lot about running a nonprofit organization since I founded Kidsearch.
One of the most frustrating things I have learned is that people in general have no concept of someone wanting to do something good just for the sake of doing it. Because THEY always have an angle or THEY only do things they get paid to do, they imagine that you also must have an angle or must be profiting from what you are doing. They are suspicious of anyone who does not do things for the same reasons they do them for.
Everytime I ask a company to help us with some item or financial contribution I have to come up with an answer to the question “What’s in it for them?”
What has happened to a society where doing something for a good cause is enough reason to do it without having to profit from it or get something out of it other than knowing you did the right thing?
The same society that gives more jail time to someone who steals your stereo than they do to someone who molests your child. Our priorities are very screwed up in this country. Material possessions and money have become the most important thing to almost everyone.
Then there is the perception of value placed upon certain people. We raise them to celebrity status and worship them. Why? Because they landed an acting job and made a hit movie? Because they sing really well? Because like Bill Gates they made lots of money? Are those the things that make you valuable? Is that what makes you better than someone else? Why do we hold celebrities in such high regard?
Bill Gates is a good example, Donald Trump is another. We applaud them all because they amassed a great fortune. Look how smart and wonderful they are.
The the news prints that someone who runs a nonprofit organization makes an obscene salary of say $100,000 per year. A mere pittance com pared to Trump and Gates annual salaries or profit, but we chastise the person for making a good salary running a nonprofit like they are stealing money or something.
We accept and even worship those who make a lot of money when they are solely interested in lining their pockets, but chastise those who do good for their communities for making a decent living. Again I ask, where are our priorities?
I’ll stop my rant here and see if anyone would like to comment. I’ll add more as I get time.