The power of media to create action

We’ve all been jealous of our next door neighbor who just got a new car, or a friend who just flew off to Hawaii. Many times, I find myself thinking (like a total ass) I wish I had as much money as so and so…

Every year we gaze enviously at the lists of the richest people in world. Wondering what it would be like to have that sort of cash. But where would you sit on one of those lists? Here’s your chance to find out:

Click Here To Find Out How Rich You Are

Now that you feel so rich up, read this:

Family has to give up son for adoption because they can’t afford to keep him

After reading this article, I wrote to the author, Arwa Damon, and told him that I wanted to directly support this family. We had a few e-mail exchanges:

Me: “When I read a story like this, I want to see an immediate impact on that family. Economic inequity should not exist, but it does – and it’s very wrong. If I want to, I can go online and buy a $500 cell phone because it will make me look fashionable. The fact that I can do this (which by the way, has long term effects on our environment), while this family gives away a child they can’t afford to raise is horrible. Screw the $500 cell phone and everyone that makes that choice – I’ve had enough. You have a reader here who can instantly eliminate this problem for this family. I want to see a story next week about that family being back together again.”

Arwa: “I am smiling because I understand exactly where you are coming from.  Needless to say, I feel the same way which is why i do what i do. We have the same concerns as you do about the “middle man” and we’ve been looking into options that would bring donations closer to the issue.  We’re about to send out an email to all those who have responded to this story.  Thankfully, it seems that little Ahri is going to be taken care of…there are 100’s of thousands like him, and that’s just in Indonesia…”

My point with this post? Even a single person can have a profound effect if they just take action. Hundreds of individual people e-mailed Arwa – people just like me – but it has accumulated into substantial action that CNN will be taking. For me, it is not enough anymore to read stories like this and “feel” compassion. Compassion without action is putting flint to a stone but not striking the stone. If the only result I get from taking action is to know that what I did was right, then that’s enough for me.

I’ll get off of my high horse now – but only if you get up on yours.