do away with the do-gooders

"If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life...There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root, and it may be that he who bestows the largest amount of time and money on the needy is doing the most by his mode of life to produce that misery which he strives in vain to relieve. ... Do not be an overseer of the poor, but endeavor to become one of the worthies of the world." -Henry David Thoreau (Walden)

I am infatuated with Thoreau's thoughts on "do-gooders" because I, myself, have somewhat of the same hesitance. I often feel guilty for having this mindset because who rejects someone who appears to be doing good? I do... well, let me rephrase that: more-so I try to stay conscious of it. I mean, it must be true to some extent that a sense of moral superiority leads to unethical acts- ulterior motives . I see it everyday: globally and personally. People are shit on, demeaned and humiliated constantly by others who are in powerful or trustworthy positions. Often times those same people are praised and promoted for the hurt they bring. I guess I've found situations to be much happier when you just accept these things as human nature though I've not lived long enough to say that with certainty. Please change my mind.



I often wonder
how is it even possible to know what the right solution to a problem is when the variables are constantly changing?

You are constantly changing.