E-Term 2021: Internships in Community and Social Change

Learned: In 1983, the "Mother's Against Drunk Driving" act was made and this eventually led to the "Just say no campaign". Growing up I was always told not to do drugs and we would have speakers come to my high school that shared their experiences with us as a scare tactic. I find it interesting how these movements and campaigns led to such harsh punishments for people with drug or alcohol abuse instead of rehabilitation. The media and would portray drunkenness as funny and amusing, and drinking was seen as a coming of age expectation.  So the messages that young people were being given were confusing and hypocritical. (page 194)

Connected: "When a person is good at getting things done, or at helping others to do them, he or she can come to think they are responsible for what happens. And they're not. Whether the outcome is good or bad, it is hubris to accept too much blame or praise." (page 199) I think like this sometimes when I am helping a friend do a task whether it is big or small, even at my work outside of school. I think it is just my frame of mind. I work efficiently and try my best to be successful. Having this mindset that when things don't go as planned they are not successful, is not always positive and leads to more conflicts than resolutions. 

Question: How can we become more focused on positively impacting others instead of sticking to a routine formula that we think paints the perfect picture of society?