Kindness, Selflessness And Selfishness

Although I don't admire Lee Young Ae for her looks anymore, she still impresses me as someone who's a cut above others in limelight. Excluding the fact that not many Koreans or Japanese can speak fluent English and Lee Young Ae can speak fluent English, it is her kindness and honesty to self that I admire. Apparently, she's a UNICEF ambassador. In her autobiography <<最特别的爱>>, the photo of her washing a child who seemed to have not washed himself for months in this poor place she volunteered left a mark on me.

I've always believed that humans are born good. That the basest nature of humans is good, not evil. I used to be very kind. At least kinder than I am now. As the years went by, I changed. The harsh reality of life set in. I was still filled with idealism a couple of years back. Now, hearing Lee Young Ae volunteering in poverty-stricken places fill me with shame. It's rare to see prominent personalities volunteering. The other person I know of is Hillary Clinton who was truly concerned with women's rights. She also went to Third World places. Another was Princess Diana. Of course, all these volunteering or visits to worse off places could have been publicity stunts to market the celebrities. I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Today, Doris said that it's hard to find good doctors who are kind these days. In ancient times, Chinese physicians could tell poor patients "You don't have to pay a single cent" because the physicians plucked the herbs from the forests and used them as medicine. Now, even if the doctor tells you he'll waive the consultation charges, you still have to pay for the medicine. AD said that there are still good doctors who are kind and that it's a modern tragedy that everywhere you go, it's "dollars and cents".

Selfishness is a disease. For the entire 3 years of my Poly life, I despised Yusof. Although I believe that humans are inherently good, he must have been born on the wrong side of the bed. His selfishness is appalling. Although I lost to him in the end, I'm glad that I'm not like him. I still have certain morals and ethics. Selfishness is part of human nature. Or some bad habit we pick up along the way. Selfishness arises because of insecurity but I despise people who bring selfishness to extreme extent. I despised Yusof, still despised him and will continue to do so.

I think I admire very kind people because I know I'm not like them and maybe never will be. It is people like Mother Theresa that put me to shame.