What should I do as an American?

Question

I have become very aware of the evils that go on in our country, and the very soon economic, environmental, and emotional crisis that is about to hit the world. Now I could very well just ignore this and go about my life, but I can't for I would be drowning in guilt. I feel a huge responsibility to do what I can to keep our planet beautiful and healthy. Better to say, I want to help the human race not only survive, but to evolve our consciousness from a borderline primitive level to something greater that would secure our survival. In ideas guys?

I don't think I'm being understood here. I can't do that because I would feel way too guilty.

Answer 1

I think that is beautiful, we are still cleaning messes left from the second world war and after when the great technilogical revolution began.

Only we had no idea or even consciousness or the threat of using these new chemicals produced to
"better our lives", I'm sure Mr. Ford didn't know that the emisions of his marvelous invension the automobile would be part of the cause of the thinning of the ozone. I don't even think they knew there was an ozone layer around the planet, not the common every day people like today.

We must and the younger generations are realizing more and more how important the environment is, and what is required is diligence in the use of motorized machines such as, gas powered lawn mowers and edge trimers and so forth, the four wheelers the ski-doos they are all high in creating harmful emissons.

I agree we must all evolve to a greater sense of awareness, there should be no world hunger, no wars, only work from everyone on earth to achieve peace and harmony and working together to better this world. It is the only way for survival, money should be destroyed, everyone should be able to have a house or housing. Food there is plenty to go around the world, people just need to be educated that all the money in the world won't save this planet.

Answer 2

I will do the following things as an American:

1. Act responsibly in the world arena, so that America is respected everywhere in the world like it had respect in cold war time.

2. Support legal immigration bills so that America is always an important place to world's most talented people.

3. Learn second language that is not a primary language in America. I mean other than Spanish.

4. Travel Europe or Australia, Asia (East and South Asia), and Africa at least once in a life, and feel how important is being an American, and feel how much respect an INDIVIDUAL American gets, even if the foreign policy is sometime not working.

5. Donate some money to UN, and make UN working. The success of UN solely depends on American tax payer's money directly or indirectly. UN without USA is useless.

6. Support the idea of spreading democracy around world, and it is not via war but via education. Education is the most effective tool that US can enforce around the world, not the war. Peace Corps Volunteer was an excellent idea, and it was working in both the interest of local people and also to the US as a country. They are US people's ambassador to these countries.

Let the other points be added by other people.

Answer 3

I think I had a revelation at about the same age, and it was quite difficult to deal with, and it sounds very much like what you're going through. I'd be happy to talk more about it if you like.

Meanwhile, just remember that you're not responsible for the whole world. You're not meant to do everything...no human could. Your place in saving the world is actually just one piece of it all. You're only responsible to fulfill your own calling. So, figure out what skills you have, and how those can fit into the big picture and do that. If others fulfill their roles too, it will all come together.

But there's nothing to be gained from despondency and guilt. Just remember, you're not God. You're not responsible for the entire planet. You're only responsible for what you've been given, and to do right with your own talents.

You also don't have to do everything today. The world is not actually going to collapse next week. There's more time than you realize. So, just commit to doing good, and recognize that you can't do it alone. And you're not meant to do it alone.

I think sometimes, we're given problems that are too big to be solved by one person, just so that we are forced to engage with other people. :)

Answer 4

Make better environmental choices (reduce, reuse, recycle...carpool if/when you can, walk or bike for short errands, switch to lower energy bulbs, plant a tree, etc). Elect officials you believe share your views and concerns for the planet and environment. Do not support businesses or groups you feel are being irresponsible in these same areas. Try to be the kind of person you wish more people would be...some may follow your example, especially if you have children. Try to explain to others how you feel and show them where small (often effortless) changes can make an impact, once they see that they may be more willing to take the next step. Your example and actions will impact more people than you probably realize.

Answer 5

There's not a lot we can do. The amount of stupid, ignorant people greatly outnumbers the educated and concerned people trying to save out planet. This crisis isn't ABOUT to hit the world, it already has! Just try to be a good person, do charity work, donate money to the needy, and stop being wasteful by going green. I'm afraid our planet is broken beyond repair, and not enough people are willing to stand up and try to change it all. Because people are greedy and don't like to donate, selfish because they put themselves before others, and ignorant because majority doesn't even believe that global warming exists. We can't survive and we WON'T survive. And besides, America is about to fall anyway, due to environmental recklessness and religious fanaticism that were both present at the fall of Rome and various other ancient societies. I myself live in America, but I have accepted that we are doomed, as we have been since the beginning. Just try to be a good person and accept life as it is, flawed but beautiful. Isn't that what the root of happiness is? Not trying to change yourself or the environment you live in to be perfect, but becoming content with who you are and what everything is? I apologize, I seem to have answered your question with another set of questions :]

Answer 6

Well, raise awareness. Vote for the best candidates. Did you know most pro-choice people are not for the killing of human life? Yet, most embryologists say abortion is exactly that. Environment-take care of that. We dont have to shut down our factories, but we can stop littering and invest in scientists researching alternative and efficient energies. Economy-take care of illegal immigration, raise the levels of legal immigration and take the people who do not need to be on welfare off of welfare. Keep it simple-do what is right and fight what is wrong. If everybody did that, there would be no war, no murder and no rape.

Answer 7

Get involved with organizations such as A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop the War and End Racism.) They can help you to work productively in a number of areas, including the environment.

Go to: http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_homepage

Answer 8

"The evils of our country"??? Take a look at the rest of the world and that might clue you in a bit. Most nations are insane polluters, racist regimes, hateful authoritarians, vile hypocrites--compared to most nations in the world we are saints. So get off your butt, walk out of your self made pity party and eat a peach.

Answer 9

Find causes or people you can support, and do so with time and/or money.
Talk to people you know about your concerns, and organise your own grass-roots effort.
Let elected officials know how you feel about critical issues (which means you have to identify those issues that are critical).
Do not succumb to apathy and indifference as some of the previous answerers suggest.
I hope you do well. I have grandkids depending on it.

Answer 10

grow up and get a life for starters. what evils? what economic,environmental, and emotional crisis are you talking about? none of these things are happening other than in the mind of close minded people trying to foment fear in the world. see how well it is working on you?