Christmas brought me a bumper-crop of books. You will be reading about them in future columns. However, while family and friends certainly knew what to give me, I was at a loss for presents to give. Then my brother-in-law sent me and everyone else in the family an email. He had just sold his house and declared “no more stuff.” Apparently he had quite a job cleaning out his place. Another reason for me never to move!
So, there I was, three weeks before Christmas, and suddenly getting flooded with emails from family all taking up the “no more stuff” banner and running with it. Fortunately, I still got my books – but what was I supposed to do about “no more stuff” for them?
Fortunately, I read current events and recent reports of wide-spread wildfires in Israel had me concerned. When my father died, all of our Jewish friends had trees planted in his memory in Israel – and all I could think of as I read about the forest fires was that my dad’s trees were burning. My solution was to buy trees in Israel to re-plant for those that had burned. I donated money for replanting in the names of my family and I got certificates for each family member and most of my “no stuff” friends. That felt good, and I shared that feeling with several people.
A fellow church member took note of my donations and told me about Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s new book “A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity.” This duo has been conducting scrupulous research on how donating to causes improves us as people. By using stories collected from around the world, Kristof and WuDunn have identified the simple, yet amazingly effective, ways our few dollars can transform a life. This was the real deal.
They also recognize that all charities are not created equal. Scam artists abound and what may seem to be a wonderful cause can be nothing than a sleazy crook looking to make an easy buck. Thus, they have vetted the organizations they write about. These two, themselves, have quite a history in investigative journalism and publishing. They were the first married couple to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism, and Kristof won a second Pulitzer for his op-ed columns in the New York Times. I could go on.
Their message is clear: Every time you give, you get back far more and your life improves immensely. I have to also note that neurologically (you knew I would bring it up eventually – it is my field after all), according to research, we get a natural high (endorphins) from giving. And for those on fixed incomes – it can be time instead of money! When you give you feel the good rush and you want to do more. That keeps the momentum going and the ripple effect continues on. This is very cool stuff.
I got so caught up in ways to give that I decided to find ways to save, so I could give more. “Shift Your Habit” by Elizabeth Rogers came to my rescue. As I read, I found the most interesting part of this book to be a reaffirmation on the way I was raised. My parents were of “the great generation,” that World War II-era cohort that rationed, recycled, saved, and monitored resources. This book details modern ways to do the same. Not only can we save money to help survive in an ever-more financially demanding world, we can also feel good while doing so. You see, all the wasteful “junk” we use during holidays, for example, can be eliminated. The green plastic that fills the Easter baskets and be replaced with shredded paper, which can be recycled in a fire place. The elaborate costumes we buy at Halloween can be traded with neighborhood swap group to be reused many times, and the things – “stuff” – we give at Christmas can be replaced with gift certificates, movie tickets, museum memberships, and, yes, donations to charities.
I like the format for this book. Rogers has identified hundreds of ways to save, gives specifics on how to shift our thinking, how much we save per year doing this shift, what it saves the planet, and how it is good for you as an individual. One savings leads to another, and eventually we become the “great generation” who helped save the environment and the country. All this actually brings on a sense of accomplishment and good feelings. We are doing positive things for the planet, for people around the world, and ultimately for ourselves.
Yet, can we go back to that World War II era and a simpler and stable way of life? As we think of ourselves and our place in the universe, or at least on the planet, perhaps just in the country or county, or even the community – OK, the neighborhood – we have to consider what all of our kindness and altruistic behavior does in the face of constant encroachment of technology. Rogers asks us to moderate our use of various forms of technology, and Kristof and WuDunn ask us to create opportunities for those who are impoverished, using our creativity and volunteer spirit. Are we so different that we cannot do this? Technology may actually be messing with this effort.
As a university professor I feel annoyed when a graduate student I am directly speaking to turns her attention to her cell phone’s new text message. As a church member I feel sad when a cell phone beeps during service. As an individual who values her free time I feel overwhelmed by the number of emails I receive that have little or no worth – and yet the senders want an immediate response. Michael Harris, author of “The End of Absence: Reclaiming What We’ve Lost in a World of Constant Connection,” feels the same way.
Harris, a reporter for a Canadian journal, found himself unable to write anything of worth because he was answering tweets, following Facebook threads, overloaded with hashtag conversations, and stuck chronicling online avatars. Gasp! This was not life! Yet, if you were born after 1985 – this is your life. If you, like me, were born before this pivotal year you are a digital immigrant who has a foot in both worlds – pre and post internet.
The pre-internet era has a lot to say for itself and Harris is eloquent in his chronicle of this time. The constant connection via the Internet has taken away our solitude and our opportunities for silence. Silences when we can daydream, gaze at the sky and push the clouds along, or just sit and absorb the wonders of being alive and feeling good. It is good to step back and take a philosophical look at our rapidly-changing world.
Harris has detailed both the good and the bad of modern technology, but most impressively he takes on “hooking up.” Yes, there are websites for pretty much every conceivable topic, and many of them are devoted to finding individuals interested in extramarital affairs, trophy wives, rich older men looking for trophy wives, and the list goes on. The questions Harris raises are excellent and the points he makes regarding this continued use of technology are very thought provoking. I suggest you read without judgment and then make a decision as to who you want to be in the future we are all building. Personally, I am opening up one of the mystery books my cousin Susan sent and dropping out for a few hours. Happy trails to you……