This is the biggest problem we face as a human race, and it needs to be fixed NOW
I want to introduce you to one of my most honorable role models. I don’t know him personally, but I really hope to one day.
His name is Blake Mycoskie and he is the founder and Chief Shoe Giver (a corny pseudonym for CEO) of TOMS Shoes. If you don’t know Blake and you don’t know TOMS, I’d be happy to fill you in.
Here’s Blake:
He was born an entrepreneur. At age 10, he began selling his mom’s cookies to hungry golfers at the country club by his house. He went on a short while later to build a couple multi-million dollar companies and even starred on the the CBS hit reality TV show, The Amazing Race, before taking a vacation to Argentina to get away for a little while and immerse himself in the culture.
Here, he discovered the great lack of footwear in the third world and how it so negatively impacted lives. Without shoes, children were stuck at home, unable to make the miles-long journey to school. The chance to make a better life for themselves was severely stifled. Blake had to help.
In 2006 he founded TOMS, a one-for-one shoe company that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair bought. Since its birth, the company has given away over 60 million pairs of shoes. It is truly breathtaking to think that one man and his simple solution can impact the lives of so many people.
Hearing Blake’s story for the first time, I couldn’t help but think about the current state of humanity’s outlook on giving. We reside in a world of almost 8 billion people and nearly half of us struggle on less than $2.50 a day. BILLIONS have no idea where their next meal is coming from. Fresh water is miles away. Stricken by disease, there is no doctor or medicine to cure them.
It absolutely blows my mind that we as citizens of the first world (AKA anybody reading this story right now) can go about our lives thoughtlessly tossing extra food in the garbage, dumping fresh water down the drain, and wasting money on useless items like gold chains, Gucci belts and $500 Jordan sneakers, and all the while there are billions of people literally DYING every second at the hands of malnutrition.
This is hands-down the largest, most asinine disparity to exist amongst the human species. I don’t think about it every second of everyday, but every time I am reminded, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming frustration. It’s 2018 and this problem still hasn’t been fixed.
What the f*ck are we doing?
We need to alter the paradigm. We simply don’t see giving to be an integral aspect of our lives. In fact, most people try to avoid it. They have their own responsibilities to tend to, their own bills to pay, stocks to trade, and jewelry to buy. So they turn their heads, ignore the beggars, and go about their lives hoping no one harasses them about donations for at least the rest of the day.
They expect people like Blake to take care of it all for them. They tell themselves that people like him have some special giving bone and were born to help others. Meanwhile, Blake is just living out his responsibility as a fellow human being.
I want to you imagine for a second a world where people acted a little bit less for themselves and a little bit more for others.
I know I know, it’s against our nature. We were born selfish beings and it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. If we don’t look out for ourselves, who is going to? I got news for you, your excuse may have worked millions of years ago. But these days, you are full of sh*t.
If you have been blessed enough to be reading this article, it’s no longer about survival of the fittest for you. Yes, the “fittest” typically experience the greatest success and accrue the most wealth. But nobody has to worry about being eaten alive by predators anymore. We are all protected from the elements. It’s time for us to adapt.
So what should we call this strange new world?
Welcome to Philanthropia
You are a new resident of this beautiful and thriving place. It sounds so exotic, doesn’t it? But, just like you always did back on planet Earth, you wake up in the morning and get ready for your day. You take a shower, pick out an outfit, whip up some breakfast and make your way out the door. On the way to work, you stop by the gas station to fill up your tank. You get to work, sit yourself down at your desk, and have a productive day of task-crushing. You come home, eat a hot plate of dinner, watch some TV and go to sleep.
At this point, you’re thinking to yourself, “hmmm that sounds pretty similar to the place I used to live. Why did I even decide to move?” Philanthropia is actually the exact same as planet Earth. In all ways except one:
Everyday, one single dollar gets taken out of your bank account. Just one single dollar.
Your first instinct may be one of defense. But think about this: if a stranger bumped into you on the street, snagged a dollar from your hand, and ran off, would you waste your time chasing them?
Maybe you would just out of principle. But the truth is, losing a dollar wouldn’t impact your life all that much. Meanwhile that very same dollar can save another life.
If each person in the United States alone were to donate one dollar everyday, there would be a massive $120 billion pot at the end of the year that could be used to not only save lives, but also greatly improve the lives of countless people.
I want to take it a step further. What if we all gave $2 a day? Or $5? Or, for those that could afford it, $10? How much money could you donate everyday and still live a comfortable life?
I am going to take it one more step. What if you took a couple hours a month to donate your time at a local homeless shelter? Just a couple hours. Would your life fall apart?
And one more. What if instead of taking a 2-week vacation to the Caribbean, you sacrificed a couple days and stopped in Argentina to help build a school or drop off some clothes (or some TOMS shoes)? Would you really be missing out if you lost a few hours of loafing on the beach and sipping piña coladas?
I want to get something off my chest, as it is not in my nature to be a hypocrite. Here goes:
I do not sacrifice nearly enough of my time and effort to giving.
In fact, it scares me a little bit. There are so many options for charities to donate to or organizations to get involved in. I have spent ample time thinking, researching, and reaching out to philanthropies, but I haven’t taken any action.
This really bothers me. I need to start doing. I hope one day to do something as grand as building a philanthropic powerhouse like TOMS shoes. But, I have to start somewhere.
Right now, at the very moments of writing this story, I have decided to begin putting my money where my mouth is. To become the change I want to see in the world. To start with the man in the mirror. I have told myself I don’t have to start off by saving the world. Just a little bit of research into how I can help out and a few dollars taken out of my pocket everyday, and all the sudden giving becomes a habit. Because that’s what it should be for all of us.
Who knows, maybe I’ll get an itch. An addiction to giving back that will turn into something as impactful as TOMS. I hope so. But, you can’t get to the finish line with starting the race.
It’s time to start today.
I love to talk with new and interesting people. If you’d be interested in chatting about the ideas mentioned above or any other ideas, shoot me an email at jlord5397@gmail.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
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