2.20.2009

Shopping for the Pampers

It flashed across the TV screen while I was working out at the gym: a Pampers’ commercial. Of course, ordinarily a diapers commercial wouldn’t interest me – why should it? Seriously, it’s one of the last things on my mind. But it still caught my attention, and I looked up at it.

A woman gently sang “Happy Birthday” while a mother was shown cradling her small cooing baby. At the end, the commercial announced that every time a package of Pampers was bought, a vaccine/shot would be given to save one baby’s life somewhere around the world.

Okay, so what’s extraordinary about that? Pampers is trying to help – to support a good cause – while promoting themselves. But, what if not enough Pampers were bought to save some of the babies? What if there wasn’t enough money to go around (from different organizations as well) to save all of them? Would Pampers refuse to help? Could they refuse to help? In the extreme sense, would they let a child die because not enough Pampers were sold? I understand they’re helping to raise money for this, but do they ever refuse to save life because of money – money they have, but not particularly set aside for this cause?

Because I don’t think I could ever refuse someone who pleaded for a vaccine to help save their baby’s life. I just couldn’t – I think life, I think a person, is so much more important than money. I know that I’d probably be bankrupt with that attitude if I lived in poorer country – but wouldn’t it almost be worth it? How can someone see a mother watch her baby die, while knowing she couldn’t save what was most important to her?

And it’s amazing – the money needed for something like a vaccine must be so small. How else could a company say that purchasing diapers is also purchasing a vaccine? So how come there isn’t enough money for something so cheap? Usually people feel for people, usually people want to help & give. So why isn’t there enough? And I think it’s because people can become numb.

We see people die on the other side of the world – so what? We can’t fix that, it isn’t necessarily our problem. We see people begging for money on the city streets, but that really isn’t our problem – what if they use the money for drugs? What if we gave away all our money – we couldn’t, could we? So what’s the point to give, and just be asked for more and more? We might hear friends wanting to borrow money because they say they need food, but they never pay you back. Do you really want to keep going on like that?

And that – that is becoming numb. It’s not feeling for others, because they’re just someone we’ve already seen before. It's not fixing a problem, because we know we can't fix the whole of it. But we can help fix things – we can help others. And we know we can’t save everyone, but we know we can save some. We may not succeed, but we can always try.

As for me, sometimes I just want to give someone everything I have freely – my heart to someone - when they haven’t even asked for it. I just feel for people, I don’t want them to not have enough money for basic needs, because money is really nothing compared to life, nothing compared to family & friends, nothing compared to love. And sometimes I feel like I die in a way when I can’t help someone who really needs it. Maybe someday that attitude will get me into trouble – but wouldn’t it almost worth it? To be poor in money, but rich in happiness.

{feel free to comment!}

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw that commercial for the first time a few days ago. It's very touching, and it makes me want to go and buy diapers even if I have no use for them!

milai said...

Another great post. ;)

"Maybe someday that attitude will get me into trouble – but wouldn’t it almost worth it?"

Many people who feel the same way have already been in trouble for it. And yes, it is worth it - to love freely and completely even if the person has not asked for it. Sometimes it hurts but love has enough power and grace to sustain s/he who bathes herself in it.

How are your preparations for your test? Hopefully you're doing great. Take care.

Blanca Seyer said...

Wow great post
I have seen that commercial my self.
Its quite different.
Yerika Reyes

Unknown said...

beautifully said and it would be wonderful just to be able to distribute money in the way it should be, but I think

a) that's not how the world has designed itself

and

b) people aren't willing to do anything, they're satisfied with what the have, and what they don't have. People can be content and hard hearted and it doesn't effect them in any way.

It's simply a lack of motivation.

Why should we help anyone else when we need help ourselves?

It's a vicious cycle.

Vivian aka Deborah said...

Wow...you were born to write! I haven't been over here in a while, but when ever I stop by here to read, I am never bored. you have a wonderful way of making anything you write about....interesting!

This post today shows your readers your enormous heart! Yes, I too would love to help as many people, children as I can. Funny thing, the thing I've been hearing about vaccinations now, is that supposedly, they have mercury in them and they are doing studies to see it there is a link to autism and mercury....scary, eh?

As our country is effected more and more by the recession and more people are loosing their jobs everyday, people are getting desperate. They are shoplifting more. So sad that they have to resort to this. I for one, want to help out by bringing food and other supplies ti near by soup kitchens. They are running low in supplies.

Another good thing to do is bartering. Being that we most people have less money but still need things, they can barter their stuff or talent with other people.

You raise some really good points here and get us to think...annnnd, you write it all well!

Romans 12:2 said...

That is very intersesting. I've thought about the same concept.

Thanks a lot for reading and commenting on my post. I'm glad it learned you something. I guess that I'll need to start writing shorter posts so that more people will read them :) - Bob

PhilO♥ said...

Hey!
It's been a while!
Nice post.
Over here there are these classmate notebooks and half of money we pay for those books go for charity! it's really nice! more of these things should come up! I agree with Vivian. Looks like you were born to write :) Take Care!

Hanna said...

Random things, I would normaly never pay attention too, always catch my attention when I'm at the gym too.

Mac said...

Very interesting. I must say that I have the same problem. Take care of others before you take care of yourself. Personally, I think instead of just buying the diapers focus your money on the cause itself. Or your time. Take care of yourself before you help those. Because if you are gone, then you can't help those around you. Easier said than done, I know. But still. At least try. There is nothing wrong with helping yourself, but help the person who will be able to help those who can.

Jill said...

I've seen the commercial, and have to agree. It does make you wonder how many people they have helped and if it's been enough.

jEeRo said...

i suppose human beings are selfish by nature?..i duno..i do agreed with you that people are more important to money..living in this fast paced life make most forget or dont bother about this anymore..everyone wants a better life..wants better anything..but honestly are we truly happy when we do get those things-bigger house bigger car more money?..i doupt..
most of the times we do wana help and we dont know how..and as time goes by we simply cant be bother about it..human being is as such..

Anonymous said...

This is so interesting to find out about. I had no idea that there was such a need, but there definitely is.

Savy said...

I agree.

If everyone went around thinking "You can't give what you don't have" or "I wish I could help but I'm in trouble myself" then the world would go down in unforgiving apathy. Giving is getting and everyone needs someone to help them. People sit around waiting around for someone to help them, but why can't it start with them?

I know I do that. Living in NYC I'm a perfect target for numbing indifference.

Thanks for the post! <3

Glass Mannequin said...

There's just too much to argue about on the issue of helping someone versus allowing them to solve some of their own problems. On several occasions, I've given a total stranger a handful of cash knowing full well that I'll never get that money back. There's also no guarantee that he won't immediately spend the money on narcotics. But I do it.

If someone asked me for fifty dollars to donate for a third world countries hygiene kit, or vaccines, or whatever the issue, I'd do it.

But for some reason, I find it harder to help the people I'm closest to. If my best friend is having money problems, the last thing I'd do is give him money. I would, however, supply him with the means to support himself. I'd find him a job.

Because if a person knows that someone can take away their pain and suffering without any work on their part, it kills their will to work for their own succor. The same principle applied to infants would sound like this: Do you reward misbehavior? If your child shouts and screams in his crib, do you immediately rush to coddle and calm the child? You should not. Because you are teaching the child that crying and screaming is rewarded with comfort and special treatment.

It's srange. The balance is difficult to find... I don't know that I've found it yet...

Glass

Edward Jesse said...

I love the way that you think! It makes me think of myself. I know that people laugh me off a lot, or roll their eyes over me thinking about some new concept. You don't know how much it means to me to read something like this: to know that there are people out there thinking. That's important. and that's what you're doing.

deko and posh said...

This is a great campaign and we take so many things for granted, something so small yet so big...we can help!

Helen said...

I don't think it's necessarily that people become numb. I think it's more that people like the world they live in. They ignore what goes on in the big world so that their world is happy.
To those people who don't care for anybody's life but their friends and family, Ignorance is Bliss.
It's not until one of the people they know is affected by one of the many things that hurt the world today, that they will realize life is not what it's cracked up to be. That the bigger world is there, and it's done being ignored.

Very intriguing post.