community

you can't help a community when you think you're above it.

in fact. you can't help a community at all. you can only give back to a community.

by thinking you're "helping" already means that you think you're above the community. you start to think that without your help the community can't thrive. without you, the community is just doomed for failure. without you, the community is worthless, it can't help itself. without you, the community is nothing.

but it's quite the opposite isn't it? no matter how or where you grow up, your community affects you, but it is up to you whether to let the community affect you negatively or positively. if it affects you negatively, you give negative energy back to the community, but if it affects you positively, shouldn't you return the favor?

which is why we should all build a community that gives positive energy, so that we can give it back. it's the golden rule "treat others as you would treat yourself" (yeah, we've been talking about the golden rule a lot, i know, but i think it deserves discussion, it IS the golden rule after all =])

if you set up an environment where nothing can grow, then it doesn't grow, it dies and decays. however, it's amazing what can become from nothing. (OMFG this just made me think of another topic, but i'll get to it another day: i shall stay focused >[)

so.

i completely lost my train of thought. wow. um. wow.

ok.

even if you come from a shitty community, if you're able to make something for yourself, it is your duty to go back to your origins and GIVE BACK to your community. because most of the time, it doesn't need your help, it just needs the extra boost to help itself.

see, i think that's the fact that some people think they're so above their origins that some communities do end up essentially dying. i don't think people realize that you aren't on your own when you "pull yourself from nothing," you're never alone even when you feel like you are. if you would just take a step back and stop looking at only yourself then maybe you will realize how much that "nothing" has really helped you, even if it is just showing you what you DON'T want to be.

you OWE it to your community for shaping who you are as a person. even though it may seem like your community has not helped you, it really has. it's nothing to be ashamed of, if you really accept yourself as a human being, then you would go back to give back.

also you are never above your community because you are never above another human being. no matter how much someone has fallen, it is not your place to hover above them, but to reach down to help them back up.