primitives discuss what they do

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025201598

Oh my.

Puzzledtraveller (4,470 posts)    Sun Jul 6, 2014, 01:45 AM

What do you do to make the lives of others a little better?

I started working as a SNAP and Medicaid caseworker in 2009 after about a year on unemployment. I began in the summer at the height of the recession as it was beginning to impact families and individuals. I received full training by the cabinet that also counted as college credits when applied to associated degree fields. The experience has made me richer and truly more appreciative and thankful for what I have.
 
I had my 5 year anniversary last month and I can say the greatest lesson I learned from my time aiding, and assisting my neighbors is that you never know what others are going through. You know that people are people and that we all have flaws. You know that we are diverse but also same. I do not aid people based on their ideology, beliefs, affiliations, vocations, I aid people based on their most basic needs. I listen to their stories, they share their problems, their past, hopes and fears. Often during the course of the application interviews we have great conversations, and there is always something we agree on.
 
I also learned that you never know what someone thinks, what their views are, my own prejudice has had me surprised numerous times as if I always fail to learn that lesson. I care about the people I connect with, I have seen the relief wash across their face when I am able to tell them they have been approved for the services they need.
 
I have had the people I connect with cry tears of joy, and sometimes unfortunately tears of great sadness when sharing a grave loss with me. Some of the people I connect with offer to pray for me in gratitude, telling me that they will ask God to bless me, I have received this gift in numerous languages, some of the languages I have never heard of before. I suppose I could go on. Many times I think that the people I help, help me more than I help them. They help me to understand, to listen, and to love.

<<<puzzled.

What did the primitive do?

<<<all that can see is that "other people's money" did it, not the primitive personally.

The primitive merely did a job the primitive was hired to do, no more than that.

ChazII (3,590 posts)    Sun Jul 6, 2014, 01:54 AM

2. Volunteering at two different

church run food/clothing banks where our the items are free is how I help others. Most everything you said describes what I have observed.

hfojvt (34,570 posts)    Sun Jul 6, 2014, 02:34 AM

5. not sure if that is fair

I mean, you get paid to help people. Whereas others have to do a job and then help people on their own time.
 
Just yesterday, for example, I was in a parade, trying to help Democratic candidates. Actually our Congressional candidate was there for some reason, so I put on one of her t-shirts. Played my trumpet a little bit. Presumably provided a little bit of entertainment for the people watching the parade.
 
Last week I went to the fundraiser for Meals on Wheels. Paid $10 for a chicken dinner, and bid on some silent auction items. Made several bids and won a haircut for a mere $4. Because I was there making bids, they raised a little bit more money.
 
On Tuesday I visited three people about Kiwanis. Kiwanis gives money to a number of service groups in town. I have volunteered (and sort of been drafted) for leadership positions in that club. So I give some of my time and energy trying to make the club stronger, so we can do more.
 
Not sure how much I am helping, but nobody else wanted to do it, and I am trying.
 
Today I took a load of brush to the compost pile. It is free on the first Saturday of the month. Back when my SUV was working I used to pick up some brush around the neighborhood that other people were not taking care of. I figured, I am going anyway and I have room. With my little car though, I don't have the room. But normally I am not seeing the people I help. They probably think the city removed their brush or something, or that their landlord did (so heck, some times I am probably just helping a lazy landlord).

Puzzledtraveller (4,470 posts)    Sun Jul 6, 2014, 02:41 AM

7. I get paid for what I am "required" to do.

I do much more than what I am "required" to do.

Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.

When in the whole entire history of the world, has a desk-sitting governmental employee done more than what's required?

[BattleHymn]

When in the whole entire history of the world, has a desk-sitting governmental employee done more than what's required?

Even this primitive has figured out they don't do shit:

Sun Jul 6, 2014, 01:48 AM
Star Member thecrow (4,592 posts)
1. How do you get a job like that?

 

[Delmar]

Sun Jul 6, 2014, 01:45 AM
Puzzledtraveller (4,470 posts)

What do you do to make the lives of others a little better?

DUmmies are the type of a-holes that go to Chick-fil-A and harangue the kid at the drive through window or call customer service at Hobby Lobby and babble stupid BS at whoever answers the phone.  They alienate the people in their own families at holiday get-togethers.  The kind of people who won't stop to show a receipt when asked to when they are wheeling a TV set out of Walmart.  The kind of people who never do anything to make the lives of others a little better.

[RobJohnson]

DUmmies are the type of a-holes that go to Chick-fil-A and harangue the kid at the drive through window or call customer service at Hobby Lobby and babble stupid BS at whoever answers the phone.  They alienate the people in their own families at holiday get-togethers.  The kind of people who won't stop to show a receipt when asked to when they are wheeling a TV set out of Walmart.  The kind of people who never do anything to make the lives of others a little better.

Exactly, no rules apply to them and they have zero manners.

[fatboy]

Hummm.
fatboy is a volunteer Firefighter/EMT but as a conservative I'm just a simple fu** according to the DUmmies. On Saturday I performed CPR on a patient at the local swimming beach while 100s of people stood watched and today, (Sunday) did a technical rope rescue for a patient that fell about 30 feet down an embankment. Was just getting ready to leave the house for a pistol match when the rope rescue call came in. Obviously I didn't go to the match.

But to the DUmmies who sit at their computers all day posting non-sense on a stupid internet forum with other stupid people all the while eating cheetos, I'm just a puke shit prick bastard terrorist gun-humper hater.

[tanstaafl]

Hummm.
fatboy is a volunteer Firefighter/EMT but as a conservative I'm just a simple fu** according to the DUmmies. On Saturday I performed CPR on a patient at the local swimming beach while 100s of people stood watched and today, (Sunday) did a technical rope rescue for a patient that fell about 30 feet down an embankment. Was just getting ready to leave the house for a pistol match when the rope rescue call came in. Obviously I didn't go to the match.

But to the DUmmies who sit at their computers all day posting non-sense on a stupid internet forum with other stupid people all the while eating cheetos, I'm just a puke shit prick bastard terrorist gun-humper hater.

Kudos to you, Fat. My hat is off to your selfless service.

Unlike the puzzlingtaverner, who spends his days pushing paper like any other brain dead, lame ass leech sucking up tax dollars when he's not on his hourly two cups of coffee break, your volunteerism saves lives and property. If puzzled wanted to really help, he would have volunteered to do the job he has.

And he probably got the job through a relative that owed puzzlegeek's mom a favor.

[thundley4]

My job keeps businesses running and people working.

[RobJohnson]

My job keeps businesses running and people working.

You work for President Obama?

[fatboy]

You work for President Obama?

I do believe he said running. Not running away.

[thundley4]

You work for President Obama?

No, but like most others here, I'm supporting his voter base.