In a world where we put ourselves first and foremost, our pride and popularity signifies a vast amount of importance to us, and our human compassion is so quickly replaced by a judging heart, our souls sink away, creating a shallow and demeaning world of arrogance and hatred. We live in a society of followers; we have a tendency to watch one another’s actions, words, and choices to a point where a chain reaction takes place, and our actions become the same as another’s. If we were to have a code for living; a philosophy for life, the world of followers we live in could be quickly transformed into a better world. In the depths of our souls, I believe the human essence holds a tender heart; a heart of compassion and love. Yet so often it is hidden by the messages we intake on a daily basis; the messages of selfishness, of hatred, and arrogance. If we were to dig deep into our hearts to find this tender empathetic soul, the chain reactions witnessed every day could better the world greatly. In my soul, I find the message of my philosophy for living. My code for living is to give generously to others and to put ourselves last, to show compassion without quickly judging, and to shield away the desire for popularity. I believe these few points could cause a chain reaction; a chain reaction so great that it could transform our society into the loving world it once was.




On a constant day to day basis we are bombarded with the implication to put ourselves first, and to think of no one other than ourselves in making our everyday choices. We intake the message that whatever is best for us is the right choice or the correct decision. When we live as this, we create a shallow world where one does not consider the welfare of others and cannot completely love one another as we ought to.
If one was to put themselves last, and others first, a chain reaction of love would spread throughout our society, bettering the hateful self centered world we live in today. The hidden, caring heart we shadow daily could shine in the giving spirit that it was made to.
Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people then you have no time to love them.” This quote speaks millions of truths in that our judging tendency we often hold can come in the way of the loving spirit we ought to hold. Meeting a person for the first time, our foremost reaction is to judge; to perceive beliefs about them that we have taken in from our past experiences or the messages of media. Yet this alleged association we hold in meeting a person for the first time can prevent us from loving this person fully. We can not come to understand a person with assumed beliefs about them, or perceived ideas. Coming to a person with no drawbacks or beliefs about them we can then show the respect and compassion a human being deserves.


Too often the world tells us that the key to endless satisfaction is the short lived span of popularity. As humans we are wired to yearn for praise, adoration, and love, and repeatedly search for this fulfillment in the complex notion of status in our society of peers. This often barricades the achievement of our dreams because the hope we put in people to accept us seems to be much more vital than the fulfillment of the goals we desire. Choosing to pull away from the crowd, to be a voice, not an echo, could further benefit us in the long run. In the end, what people said about you or the reality that people did not accept you will be far behind you. What will be with you is the hard work that you worked to reach the dream that once was really only a dream. As Herbert B. Swope once said, “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: Try to please everybody.” Throwing popularity out the window could start a trend; the trend to go for success. The trend that could initiate a better world; a world filled with vigorous workers and determined dreamers.

The society of followers we live in could very well be beneficial if the actions we take in giving, non judgmental loving, and overlooking popularity leave a legacy of further generations to follow in the footsteps of. A question we need to ask ourselves is: How am I living that would leave a legacy and start and chain reaction; a chain reaction that could change the world? The compassion we have the potential to show could impact someone in a way that could change their lives, starting a new line of followers. As George Eliot once said, “Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.” The influence we have on one another impacts humans from one person to another; in our hands we could have the potential to change the world- be that influence. Change the world.