1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: Everybody. It's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: And we continue now what part two of our conversation 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: with Rachel Cohen, right after these brief messages from our 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: general sponsors, undatabased thought coming from me to you, love 5 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: to hear what you think about it. I think that 6 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: pervasive generational construct regarding daily interaction of giving and philanthropy 7 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: verse grassroots, big motivation, policy seeking efforts that you describe 8 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: those are my works. But that's about right, right, that's 9 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: about what you're saying. There's those two verses, right. I 10 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: think that in and of itself has been part of 11 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: the breakdown in our communities of knowing your neighbor. I 12 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: also think that participation, membership and weekly engagement and houses 13 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: of worship in our country synagogues, churches, bosques, all of them, 14 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: it's all down, it's all down, has also had a 15 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: destructive effect on community and engagement. And you know, I 16 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: go to church with Democrats and Republicans. I go to 17 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: church with progressives and conservatives. I go to church with 18 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: people of different races I do today, and you know, 19 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: we see each other differently than those who do not 20 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: commune in any way shape or form, and then when 21 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: we separate ourselves into this large you know, this is 22 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 1: the only way we're going to affect change, and you're 23 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: not interacting on a daily basis with people who aren't 24 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: necessarily just like you, it breaks down community. And then 25 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: when break community breaks down, so does the desire for philanthropy. 26 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: That is, I have absolutely no basis in that. It's 27 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 1: that that's just my feel I would love to hear 28 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: your perspective on that, after doing the work that you did, 29 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: research and all this stuff. 30 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: I mean, I totally agree. I think that's weird from 31 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: a person your age to agree to. 32 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: People think a lot of people your age will, including 33 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: some one of my own children, think I'm outdated fuddy daddy. 34 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: Well I think. I mean, what I think is challenging is. 35 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 3: I I was like, it would be easier if there 36 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 3: had been some sort of you know, alternative institution, community 37 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: institution that provided this thing that uh, you know, faith 38 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: based institutions did. 39 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: But well, I'm not just saying faith based. Yes, I'm 40 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: saying the that's one of them. But I'm also saying 41 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: this idea that we got to convalesce around this one 42 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: movement and then use big organizations and government to go 43 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: change it all. Well, that breaks down community. 44 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 3: That too, Oh, I see, I mean do you feel that? 45 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 3: But you're saying you you don't feel like that's happened 46 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 3: with the people at your church shortly? 47 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 2: I do you do. 48 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: It's why there's not many people at church now as 49 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: there was twenty years ago, because they convalesce around these 50 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: big Yeah you see what I'm saying, they end up 51 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: worshiping something different. 52 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,479 Speaker 2: I see, yeah, I think. 53 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 3: I mean, I do feel like people are just siloing 54 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 3: and stereotyping each other and not interacting in ways that 55 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 3: would we were talking abo this earlier that would allow 56 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 3: you to realize, oh, we're not We're not different. 57 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: That's what I'm saying. That's the community I think we're 58 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: missing in the. 59 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 3: Port and figuring out how to build institutions that might 60 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 3: I mean, so you know, I'm my fans and I 61 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 3: are talking about having kids and I We're like, okay, 62 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 3: we have kids, Well we'll join you know. I mean, 63 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 3: he's not Jewish, but we're going to join a synagogue. 64 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 3: And I'm part of what is What I'm excited about is, oh, 65 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: that will be a place that will make service things 66 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 3: much more easy for me, even though I've since found 67 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 3: other organizations, But I am suddenly excited about having a 68 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 3: place that just makes all of that organizing easier. 69 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 2: But there's just a lot of people. 70 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 3: Who But I also understand why people aren't joining things 71 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 3: like that, and we needed to. 72 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't want you to understand me. I'm not 73 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: saying we need to bring about churches and synagogues and 74 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: make every join to save the world. I'm not saying that. 75 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: I'm just saying I wondered if in the research you did, 76 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: you found that as we continue to polarize because we 77 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: don't have these things to convalesce around together, and as 78 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: we continue to lean on bigger and bigger organizations to 79 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: fix it, that one of the side, one of maybe 80 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: the unittended side consequences is community extone. 81 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 3: I mean I think that community, I think that it 82 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 3: is bringing down I think the only thing that I 83 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 3: would say, I feel like people would push back on 84 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 3: is the at least as I sort of have observed it, 85 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 3: A lot of the people that are well, they're putting 86 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 3: faith in is not necessarily another organization. Most of them 87 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 3: have totally given up faith in the political parties. You 88 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 3: know and they but there's sort of like faith in 89 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 3: the possibility of a movement of people, like sort of 90 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 3: this idea of a grassroots movement that will ultimately, you know, 91 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 3: lead to the politics and endpoint. And I think that 92 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 3: that just doesn't actually exist in the way that they 93 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 3: wanted to, and so then they don't find it. But 94 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: I don't think it's that everyone has pinned their hopes on, 95 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 3: you know, the Sierra Club or something like that, per se. 96 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:58,119 Speaker 3: I think it's more like hoping that if we galvanize 97 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 3: enough people to be upset enough with the status quo, 98 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 3: we'll be able to like ultimately push for the change 99 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 3: that we need that will make us feel better. But 100 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 3: I also don't think that even getting certain change that 101 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 3: they want is what's going to lead to like the 102 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,239 Speaker 3: well being, because I think that's more it gives me hope. 103 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: What did a thirty something year old kid woke up 104 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: and gave blood? All we needs millions of those we do? 105 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: That changes everything. There comes your community, because I don't 106 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: care if you're left of center and Jewish and I'm 107 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: right of center and Christian. I am so happy and 108 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: proud that you're giving blood. And if I'm laying dead 109 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: in a puddle one day and your blood saves my life. 110 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: I'm pretty good with you, you know what I mean? 111 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, totally. 112 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: But that's the power of an army and normal folks, 113 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: that's the power of service, that's the power of Philanthroy. 114 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: It breaks down all these to me. Yeah, And I 115 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: just want to know if that's what you found and 116 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: you feel And I mean. 117 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 3: I definitely feel that. I don't know if I think that. 118 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 3: I think I have found that a lot of people 119 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 3: want our feeling for us, are feeling dissatisfied with their 120 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 3: wondering if they could be doing more, if they if 121 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 3: there's a better way to be making change. I think 122 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: a lot of people like I think that is really 123 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 3: a serious thing where a lot of people are like, 124 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 3: what is the best way that I can make change? 125 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 3: And that has led over time, I think, to a 126 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 3: decline in service. And I just think part of what 127 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 3: I am hoping, and I think your podcast has a 128 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 3: lot to do is helping people realize like, actually, you 129 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 3: can make so much change, even the big change that 130 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 3: you want to make, because I think a lot of 131 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 3: I think that, you know, people do people do want 132 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 3: to see structural change too. Maybe you call it top down. 133 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 3: I think I think for a lot of people, they 134 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 3: don't see this top down per se because they think 135 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 3: it's you know, coming from the bottom up ultimately. But 136 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 3: I do think that that it was a mistake to 137 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: conclude that this local service, you know, helping your neighbor 138 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 3: stuff is not deeply connected to all of that big 139 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: change that people say they want it least. 140 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: And by the way, you asked, so I'll turn to 141 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: it now. So many in my generation decided that government 142 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: was discourage of the world. Well that's also not true. 143 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: We need a government, we need services, we need those things. 144 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,599 Speaker 1: So I think the answer, as always is a combination 145 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: of the two extremes. Obviously, we need government to provide 146 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: services and defense and all kinds of stuff. But it's 147 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: like a pendulum, you know, this pendulum you're talking about, 148 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: swings to all this individu dual service is just a 149 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: bunch of junk, and then the other pendulum goes all 150 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: the way here, and we should dismantle the whole government. 151 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: Government's the problem with everything, And the truth is somewhere 152 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: in the middle is really the sweet spot. And we 153 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: can find that sweet spot together if we can simply 154 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: have a community where we can convel us around something 155 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: other than the extreme differences. And that's why your article 156 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: is so important to me, is because it's not somebody 157 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: on the right preaching. It's somebody there left sharing and 158 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: it's a much different perspective that I think is really 159 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: really important. We'll be right back. 160 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 3: I think there are a lot of I mean not everyone, 161 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 3: but I think there are a lot of people who 162 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 3: maybe are on this like pendulum over here, who had 163 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 3: dismissed it, who liked me, had just never really thought, oh, 164 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 3: why haven't I donated or like there, you know, they 165 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 3: haven't been reached by people who. 166 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 2: Or you know. 167 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 3: I think there's more all of us can do to 168 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 3: sort of say, hey, why don't you join me in 169 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 3: coming to like donating. 170 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 2: Here's a wish list the shelter needs. Why don't we 171 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 2: like split it? 172 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 3: And I think there is I think a lot of people. 173 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 3: It would be great if everyone stepped up on their 174 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 3: own and I sort of went through I would say, 175 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 3: more unique journey in that way. But I feel like 176 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 3: there are a lot of there are millions of people 177 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 3: who want to get to that. I think exactly what 178 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 3: you're gonna sort of middle grounded, like, Okay, maybe maybe 179 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 3: there is a better path. And I think all those 180 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 3: people are would are very normal, you know. 181 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I am curious. I know, you had to 182 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: have gotten responses from people that are typically right of 183 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: center and left and center and everything else. I'm just 184 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: I'm really curious is what the response was and what 185 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: kind of feedback you got besides someone's just like, oh, 186 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: you're an idiot. I get those two I'm talking about 187 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: that actually, the ones that even made you think more 188 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: maybe totally. 189 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 2: I mean I have, I have really appreciated. I definitely. 190 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 3: You know, heard from some more conservative readers too, who 191 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 3: were like, huh, I went and not expecting to like this, 192 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 3: but it actually was not too bad, you know, and 193 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 3: or like oh I hate your news organization, but this 194 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 3: was good, you know, stuff like that. 195 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: But doesn't that isn't that in and of itself? Yes, 196 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: it isn't that telling? Yes, that how quickly we can 197 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: come I die. Yeah, one article I expected to hate 198 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: what you had to say, and hey, I just wanted 199 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: to let you know, I really appreciate what you had 200 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 1: to say. One article that's walls crumbling. 201 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:25,199 Speaker 3: Totally, you know, I got one reader emailed me to say, 202 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 3: you know, express her you know, connection to the article, 203 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 3: and she actually put an organization on my radar that 204 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 3: I hadn't heard about in DC, and now I've been 205 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 3: volunteering with them every month since August. 206 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: It's they're called We Are Family. 207 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 3: They delivered groceries to low income seniors in my neighborhood 208 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 3: that I didn't. 209 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 2: Even know existed. 210 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 3: So that was really awesome and I'm such a fan 211 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: of that group now. And I think something that happened 212 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 3: a month after the essay came out, there. 213 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 2: Was a this report released. 214 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 3: It was this three million dollar effort by a bunch 215 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 3: of kind of big wigs in philanthropy, had the Aspen Institute, 216 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:14,479 Speaker 3: the Salvation Army, some of the big foundations and philanthropists 217 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 3: wanted to commission studies over the last couple of years 218 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 3: to get a clear state of what giving and volunteering 219 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 3: looks like in America. It was at I wrote about 220 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 3: this a month later. It wasn't an essay, just sort 221 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 3: of a write up. Here's what the Generosity Commission, that's 222 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 3: what it was called found. It was a little bit 223 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 3: of a frustrating document because they were like, more research 224 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 3: is needed, you know, we don't, we need to fund 225 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 3: more studies. But one of the things that they found, 226 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 3: which I found, you know, agitating, was and I realized, 227 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 3: this isn't directly respond to your question, so I'll get 228 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 3: back to that. But a lot of money in total 229 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 3: to nonprofits is actually going up. 230 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: But by the number of donors is going down. 231 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 3: So you have really rich people, know that, continuing to 232 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 3: give a lot of money, but by and so then 233 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 3: there was this question, Okay, so why does that matter? 234 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 3: You know, if these organizations are getting funding, is their 235 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 3: reason to be freaking out? And part of the answer is, well, 236 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 3: not every organization is getting funding the total nonprofit sector. 237 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 3: You might, but there's obviously especially smaller community based organizations 238 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 3: are not getting these million dollar grants that some of 239 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 3: the bigger groups are getting. 240 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 2: And then but then. 241 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 3: Also this point that actually giving is carries benefits to 242 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 3: the giver that we are losing in the society if 243 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 3: people don't realize that. And one of the more interesting 244 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 3: parts of the Generosity Commission's work that I found was 245 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 3: they have been identifying these links that make sense but 246 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 3: have not really been spelled out before, about if you 247 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 3: donate to a charity, you're ten points more likely to 248 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 3: vote to then also get involved in an organization. Like 249 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 3: all of these different social activities are actually really interconnected. 250 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 3: And it's like donating blood. Well they didn't say that, 251 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 3: but you know, I think I think people who donate 252 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 3: blood are more likely to then probably donate money and 253 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 3: things like that. 254 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: And community engagement is contagious, Yes, it absolutely is. 255 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 3: And I think we just have to figure out how 256 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 3: to help grow in normal folks. 257 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 2: Grow an army of normal folks exactly. 258 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: I'm serious. I know it sounds so promoting and maybe 259 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: even ghost to say it like that, but I'm telling 260 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: you to me, just what happens if there's three million 261 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: more of views that have an awakening this year and 262 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: three million more the next year. 263 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 2: What that's a lot of people. 264 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: How hard is it to understand the person on the 265 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: sidewalk freezing, If you hand them a pair of socks, 266 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: you enrich their life that day. 267 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 3: And I think, to your also to your point, like 268 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 3: it is really bad for our country, for our democracy. 269 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 2: I increasingly feel this very strongly. 270 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: If people don't have don't feel that they themselves can 271 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 3: be part of making the world better, like having that 272 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 3: sense of belief is so important to mental health, Like 273 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 3: we don't talk about that, and everyone's talking about the 274 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 3: mental health crisis, but I think making people feel a 275 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 3: sense of agencies so integral to that. And I grew 276 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 3: up like being told, you know, you can be whatever 277 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,679 Speaker 3: you want. Obviously that's not totally true, but you know, 278 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 3: And I feel like today, I feel sad when I 279 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 3: hear some of the messages that you know, ninth graders 280 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 3: are hearing from politicians about everything being broken and how 281 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 3: sort of every single thing is falling up and there 282 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 3: are real challenges for sure, But I also worry about 283 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 3: people just losing sense of hope and agency and optimism 284 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 3: because I think I think they still have it, like 285 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 3: we should. We should help them see that they still 286 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 3: have it and be I think it's just makes people 287 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 3: feel terrible, and that is also not If everyone feels terrible, 288 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 3: that's going to have terrible effects too. 289 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: With regard to our country, a very basic fundamental is 290 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: it's hard to love something you don't have a stake in. Therefore, 291 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: by encouraging people to have a stake in their community, 292 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: thus their city, thus their state, thus their country, they 293 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: will have more love for this republic of ours, and 294 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: the further you withdraw from it, the less you're going 295 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: to care for it. And if we take care of 296 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: our republic, it can take care of us. But if 297 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: we abuse it, where does that leave us? One day? 298 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 3: How do you think, like, what do you think about 299 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 3: when in the question of how to make people feel 300 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 3: more of a sense of responsibility for were. 301 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 2: Things? 302 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 3: Because I think right now a lot of people don't 303 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 3: feel that as much because they feel like what they 304 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 3: do doesn't matter. 305 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm supposed to be the one asking a question. 306 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 2: Do you think about this a lot? So I'm just curious. 307 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: I I think at the at the very basic root level, 308 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: this may sound goofy, but I think it needs to 309 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: be cool to give again. And I think people like 310 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: you are the answer that because you talked about you 311 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: weren't lonely and you had community, all right, Well, how 312 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: many of that community were. 313 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: Doing a thing like a very little now, how. 314 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: Many in that community see you or inspired by you? 315 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 2: I think I think some people were, so that was cool. 316 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: It's contagious the general. 317 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 3: I will add this the Generosity commissioned And I hadn't 318 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 3: really thought about this, but it does kind of make sense. 319 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 3: So part of what they did in this report they 320 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 3: came out was also recommendations for how to like They 321 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 3: definitely took a position that donating to nonprofits is a 322 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 3: good thing. Now in my essay, I did, you know, 323 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 3: talk with one scholar who was sort of saying, we 324 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 3: should stop prioritizing five oh one c three's as like 325 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 3: the utmost good, like caring for your family is just 326 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 3: as good. 327 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 2: So there's a debate in. 328 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 3: The world of philanthropy over like what what should count, 329 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 3: et cetera. But at least for this Generosity Commission, they 330 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 3: took the stance that, no, we should figure out a 331 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 3: way to make people feel like donating and volunteering with 332 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 3: nonprofits is something to do. They see it as you know, 333 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 3: integral to American identity and history, et cetera, and just 334 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,880 Speaker 3: like our civil society is different from Europe or other places. 335 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 3: And so one of the recommendations they had was to 336 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 3: invest more in like spokespeople and marketing and telling the 337 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 3: story about why it matters and getting out some of 338 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 3: this information. 339 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 2: And I think there have been. 340 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 3: Campaigns in the past around this stuff, but I don't 341 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 3: but they were sort of saying, like, you know, you 342 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 3: could imagine Hollywood, or or after football players or whatever. 343 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 4: I don't know. 344 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: That's my problem with spokesperson and all that stuff. It's 345 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: just reads like another commercial. Yeah, and we're over commercialized. 346 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: I think I think storytelling and again I mean this though, 347 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 1: I think storytelling about it's about relatability, Okay. I mean, 348 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 1: whoever's listening to us right now, that's driving their car 349 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: down their road with their two point three kids on 350 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: the back of the expedition, going on their one vacation, 351 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: working hard to pay bills and keep their kids clothed, 352 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,679 Speaker 1: and all of the things we have going on. Or 353 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 1: I think about one guy that's an over the road 354 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: truck driver that listens to us all the time, and 355 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 1: he's constantly emailing those ideas. In fact, we name something 356 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 1: after him. And I think about this cross section of people. 357 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: They're not going to relate to Tom Brady telling everybody 358 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: to get your dog spade neutered or whatever, okay, but 359 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: they will relate to another person just like them who 360 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: has a story about they had a passion for a 361 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 1: particular thing, they saw an opportunity in their community, and 362 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: they filled it and then they've had this amazing success 363 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 1: helping people in their community and telling that story about 364 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: a very normal, average, relatable person. I think you're right, 365 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: And hopefully the message behind that is if they can 366 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: do it, you can too. They're just average people. They're 367 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: not part of that big, huge, grassroots, massive effort trying 368 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 1: to make They're just making small change in their community. 369 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: But if one can affect five that means three million 370 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 1: can affect fifteen man. That means fifteen min can affect 371 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: eighty five million. And that to me is what grassroots, 372 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 1: bottom up service and philanthropy looks like. And if you'll 373 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: think about the community that could grow from that, and 374 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: to you, to your world, the social change that could 375 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: come from that, you ask how, I think that's how? 376 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,919 Speaker 1: I genuinely think that's how. 377 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you're right because I think I agree 378 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 3: if I saw, like, I don't know, Taylor Swift talk 379 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 3: about this like it wouldn't do anything. But I think 380 00:23:56,359 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 3: what people well, I think people in my you know, 381 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,719 Speaker 3: stage of life, et cetera. I want to see as 382 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 3: someone who is juggling all the same things that they're juggling, 383 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 3: who are weighing all the same questions about well, is 384 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 3: this worth it? Is it effect, like are they gonna 385 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 3: waste my money? 386 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:16,199 Speaker 2: Is it? 387 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 3: Is it actually useful? And then just like showing like 388 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 3: yes you can, here's how, of course you can. This 389 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 3: is how These are the ways you can do it, 390 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 3: and this is the benefit. This is the positive impacts 391 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 3: you'll have. 392 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 2: And I think you're right that. 393 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 3: I mean, maybe maybe those big foundations will fund storytelling 394 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 3: from average people. 395 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 2: I mean that. 396 00:24:42,000 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. How do you feel? How do 397 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,680 Speaker 1: you feel? What's it make you feel like? I don't 398 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:12,959 Speaker 1: think people understand enough that when it's a very human 399 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: part of our DNA, that when we actually do something 400 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: for another person and we see the results of our 401 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: work in their happiness or maybe they're just having a 402 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: better day today or maybe them being able to do 403 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:32,679 Speaker 1: something a little better for their kids, that that creates 404 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: a sense of euphoria in us that nothing else does. 405 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: And you talk about the blood given, I get it. 406 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: But what's it feel like when you drop off a 407 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: box of groceries to underserve seniors? 408 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 2: It feels good. 409 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 3: It feels like I am living my life according to 410 00:25:58,320 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 3: the values that I want. 411 00:25:59,280 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 2: To be living. 412 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 3: And when you're not living that, like even if it 413 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 3: you realize that I think just like taking steps and 414 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 3: realizing that, oh, I can prioritize this, and I can, 415 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 3: I can help make the world better and I can. 416 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 3: I mean, it sounds corny, but it is really true 417 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 3: that you just it feels good to feel like you're 418 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 3: spending this short time on earth not wasting scrolling in 419 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 3: your phone, but doing something for other people. And I 420 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 3: think one of the awakening insights that I had from 421 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 3: the whole article process was, you know, so many of 422 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:43,159 Speaker 3: the ideas of self care that we have in our 423 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 3: society are around like buying stuff or getting a beauty treatment, 424 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 3: or or going to a fitness class or. 425 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: You know, a nicer car. 426 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 3: And it was just it was it was pretty agitating 427 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 3: to realize, oh, self care at least as you know 428 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 3: my you know, we talked about it. What you hear 429 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 3: on TikTok, what you see online is not is so 430 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 3: rarely phrases serving other people because it's all focused on 431 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 3: doing things for yourself. And it just was sort of, oh, well, a, 432 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,120 Speaker 3: you actually are doing something for yourself when you serve 433 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 3: other people, and you actually probably feel better if you 434 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 3: get out of your own head and go do something 435 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 3: for someone else and just kind of for me, being 436 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 3: in motion is helpful. 437 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 2: And not that. I mean, there's lots of service that's 438 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,719 Speaker 2: not emotion, but yeah, I was. 439 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 3: It was It was not what I it's not why 440 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,439 Speaker 3: I started all this stuff, but it was something I 441 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 3: was very. 442 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 2: Pleased to discover. 443 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: And once I sort of figured that out, and then 444 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 3: I thought, why are people? You know, I feel like 445 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,359 Speaker 3: people aren't talking about this that much? Is it because 446 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 3: it feels like something we should not, you know, you 447 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 3: should only focus on the selfless parts of service, and 448 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 3: that it could mess up the. 449 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 2: You know, altruism. 450 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 3: But obviously the person who's getting your health doesn't care 451 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 3: if you feel like. They don't want you to feel bad. 452 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 2: They don't want to it really is it? Really? 453 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 3: It just is good to remember. I would say, I 454 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 3: feel good doing it. I feel good prioritizing it. I 455 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,640 Speaker 3: feel good trying to build a life that aligns with 456 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 3: the values that I say I have. 457 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: You know, I think there's a distinction. If your life 458 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 1: is enriched and you feel mentally and emotionally and spiritually 459 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: more healthy as a result of engaging in your community, 460 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with that as long as that's not 461 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: the motive. As long as the motive is serving someone 462 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: that is not as blessed as you. If the byproduct 463 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: of the right motivation, the right work is you also 464 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: become enriched in your own life. Why is a shared 465 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: communal experience not a beautiful thing? 466 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 5: Here's a really interesting insight in the article, Rachel, where 467 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 5: you say billionaires can talk about their gifts and like 468 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 5: what it does for them, but we're not allowed to 469 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 5: talk about what it does for us. 470 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 3: I read this book and it was the author had 471 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 3: interviewed a lot of rich billionaires about why they give, 472 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 3: and they all were like, oh, I just you know. 473 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 3: They were all so open, like, oh, I just you know, 474 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:27,479 Speaker 3: I love the way it makes me feel. I love 475 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 3: helping people. It just makes you feel great. And I 476 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 3: was like, huh, Like they're not hiding that aspect of it. 477 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: Something wrong? Why do we Yeah, if you're motivated because 478 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 1: it checks a box at work on your philanthropic giving, 479 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: or you appreciate the backslaps, or it makes you feel 480 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: good because their bie thinks you're the nice guy in town, fine, 481 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: that's that's not it. But if you're motivated by the 482 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: simple edification of someone who's not as blessed as you 483 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: and oh, by the way, you get to feel good. 484 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: That's a beautiful thing totally. And a billionaire giving away 485 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of money because they actually are invested 486 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: in or care about an organization and want to see 487 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: people thrive from their riches and they happen to feel 488 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: good about it. I've got no problem with that, as 489 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: long as they're not out there tweeting on Facebook or Twitter, 490 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: whatever that stuff is x X tiktoking or whatever look 491 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: at me, you know, if it's not about look at me, 492 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: then But one. 493 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 3: Thing I guess I would maybe push back just a 494 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 3: tiny bit on is I think for a lot of people, 495 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 3: like voting, like donating blood. And this was actually I 496 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 3: talk about this in the essay, this concept from the 497 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 3: Torrea called vanes, which is kind of like do and 498 00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 3: then you'll understand. I think if you are sort of 499 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 3: thinking about service, just starting, even if you don't necessarily 500 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 3: have that motivation of of oh, I want to do 501 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 3: this for someone who is less, you know, who is 502 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 3: less advantage or I think just getting people to start 503 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 3: and then probably their motivations and the way they think 504 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 3: about it will change over time, and so I would 505 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 3: that's a fair potion to it, there was an I 506 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 3: had an evolution, even just in my time, and I 507 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 3: think just building a habit and a practice around getting involved. 508 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:37,719 Speaker 3: And I think for me what happened was I I 509 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 3: joined something that ended up being sort of like the 510 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,719 Speaker 3: most accessible thing to join at the time, and then 511 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 3: through that it was able to actually find something I 512 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 3: wanted to be involved with more. 513 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 2: And I think just the barrier. 514 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 3: Of getting started can be so high that I don't 515 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 3: want to add another like and make sure your motivation 516 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 3: is also perfect to start. 517 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: Just get started, Just get started, and I. 518 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 2: Think they'll discover these things and. 519 00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: And but the point is why or if you do 520 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: or whatever you do feel more healthy, You do feel. 521 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 3: More healthy, and you are helping somebody, even if you know, 522 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 3: even if your motivation isn't my motivation, our outcomes in 523 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 3: the world building is the same. 524 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: Do you do you view other people and organizations differently 525 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: now than you would have before you took down this path. 526 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 3: It's a good question, you mean, once I'm any organization 527 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 3: or well, just. 528 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: If your if your initial thoughts and your education had 529 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: you arrive at organizational change. I just wonder, and maybe 530 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: this is an unfair question but I can't help but 531 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: wonder if maybe you look down your nose at some 532 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: people previously that maybe now you have a little more 533 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 1: respect for And that may be an unfair personal question, 534 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: but maybe on a grander you understand what I Yeah, totally, 535 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 1: I'm wondering if it just changes perspective. 536 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 3: Yes, I mean my perspective was very changed. I definitely. 537 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 3: I think the biggest way that it was changed was just, 538 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 3: you know, I think that there was you know, even 539 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 3: if it was subconscious, I did, and I don't know 540 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 3: exactly know exactly when it's just sometime in the last 541 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,640 Speaker 3: ten fifteen years, there was just I started to see 542 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 3: people's certain activities being done as like not wasteful, just yeah, 543 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 3: just sort of like you're doing like not effectual, just 544 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 3: spinning the wheels and not moving the needle. And I 545 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 3: just I feel I don't think that anymore now. I think, 546 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 3: how how great that those people were carving out time 547 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,000 Speaker 3: to do all this important work that needs to be done, 548 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 3: and we need so many more people doing it. 549 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 1: I kind of love that. I kind of love that 550 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 1: because that evolution and thought and that step will also 551 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 1: help people who think Folks who live in DC and 552 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 1: left or center are crazy and they're awful and they're 553 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 1: mean and they're terrible, and they're everything not. No, they're not. 554 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: They're not. My kids live there. I know they're not. 555 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: And just because you may look at something differently from 556 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 1: a political standpoint, or believe in a different deity or whatever, 557 00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 1: does not necessarily mean you're evil or my enemy. And 558 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 1: when I hear that evolution and thought, I'm hopeful that 559 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:00,399 Speaker 1: there can be evolution and thought from some other from 560 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: the other side, that you can get out of the 561 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 1: pendulum extremes and fun consensus in the middle. And I 562 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 1: think service and growing community can bring us to that point. 563 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 3: I feel really good in this conversation, and I agree, 564 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 3: I think finding and given that there are fewer and 565 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 3: fewer institutions where people of different backgrounds come together to 566 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 3: get to interact with each other, it does feel like 567 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 3: service offers so offers a really good place where that 568 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 3: could be when everything else is sort of. 569 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:46,840 Speaker 2: Fading. 570 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:50,720 Speaker 3: But I don't know sort of who or how exactly 571 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 3: that gets convened and maybe the answers we each need 572 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 3: to help convene it. But it did feel when I 573 00:35:58,440 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 3: was starting this, I was like, I just feel like 574 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,440 Speaker 3: it's to be easier in the age of all this 575 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 3: technology that we have, all these cell phone apps and whatever, 576 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 3: and maybe AI will make it even easier. 577 00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 2: You know. 578 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,799 Speaker 3: AI wasn't really out when I started this, but I 579 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,839 Speaker 3: just was like, sort of it felt like it should 580 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 3: have been easier than it was now. 581 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 2: Maybe you would say. 582 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 3: Actually working hard as part of the journey, and you 583 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 3: need to like struggle a little bit to find the stuff, 584 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 3: but I don't think people had to work as hard 585 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:26,400 Speaker 3: a couple decades ago. 586 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 2: To do it. 587 00:36:26,719 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: So they were plugged into organizations that was part of 588 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: their DNA, and those organizations and people being plugged into 589 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:35,320 Speaker 1: them are fewer and fewer. We got to find other avenues, 590 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:39,799 Speaker 1: and we're trying to bring those avenues to light and 591 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:43,359 Speaker 1: people like you going through this process and writing this 592 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: article and is just one in a million different ways 593 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: that hopefully we can bring people to this level of 594 00:36:54,880 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 1: service and change our community everybody. The article is why 595 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: I changed my mind about volunteering. My generation was taught 596 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: to change the system that lesson came at a cost. 597 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:16,760 Speaker 1: Rachel Cohen is a focus of hope for me. I am. 598 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:21,000 Speaker 1: I am just so encouraged by your story, the article 599 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 1: of the work that you did. Where you are now, 600 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:29,239 Speaker 1: if people where do they go find this thing? Just 601 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: go to it on box. 602 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:33,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's on box. You can just type in my 603 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,360 Speaker 3: name and volunteering. It should come up in Google. 604 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 1: What's next You're going to do any more follow up 605 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 1: on this kind of stuff? You should? You can be part. 606 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:48,720 Speaker 1: You can be part of the solution with your pen. 607 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 3: I definitely, uh, and so one thing that you might 608 00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 3: find interesting. So I got content. One of the people 609 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 3: who reached out to me was this woman Marcie, who 610 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 3: works for a national organization called co Generate and they 611 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 3: focus on intergenerational connections. And I met with Marci. It 612 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 3: was really cool learning about all the different stuff that 613 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 3: her group does, and that actually led to an article 614 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 3: I published last month about intergenerational home sharing, which is, like, 615 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 3: we have this affordable housing crisis. There are fifty four 616 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:34,000 Speaker 3: million spare bedrooms right now in homes of owner occupied homes. 617 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 2: Something like twenty million. 618 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 3: Empty nesters in the US live in homes with two 619 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 3: spare bedrooms because you know, their kids have gone. And 620 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:46,319 Speaker 3: so there's sort of these organizations that are coming up 621 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 3: trying to get help, you know, students or younger people 622 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:54,560 Speaker 3: rent these spare bedrooms in exchange for like helping the 623 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:57,359 Speaker 3: older seniors with tours or things around their house, sort 624 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:58,359 Speaker 3: of helping them bond. 625 00:38:58,560 --> 00:38:59,440 Speaker 2: It was so interesting. 626 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 3: The article is kind of about this movement to do 627 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,840 Speaker 3: that and you know, challenges, but also some of the 628 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:09,760 Speaker 3: really cool benefits. Anyway, that is sort of a windy 629 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:13,040 Speaker 3: way to say that I love hearing from. So if 630 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 3: any of your listeners have really you know, things that 631 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 3: they think should be on my radar, feel free to 632 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 3: reach out. I know they also obviously probably pitch your show. 633 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,440 Speaker 3: But I am definitely interested in continuing to cover this. 634 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:32,200 Speaker 3: And I think the questions about social connection and you know, 635 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 3: how we depolarize and you know, stay like see each 636 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:44,720 Speaker 3: other for the people that we are, even as people 637 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 3: are so on their screens and in their bubbles, is 638 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 3: something that I definitely want to keep writing about. 639 00:39:49,680 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 1: So I love that. We'll be right back, Alex. Do 640 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:10,359 Speaker 1: you have anything else? Do any you guys have anything else. 641 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 6: One of the things that y'all talked about was generational differences, 642 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:18,280 Speaker 6: and I think, unfortunately the generational reality for our generation 643 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:21,359 Speaker 6: economically is quite different than the generations prior to us. 644 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 6: And I know in talking with my friends, a lot 645 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 6: of people are hustling so hard they don't they run 646 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:29,719 Speaker 6: out of energy and time because they have like three 647 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:34,759 Speaker 6: jobs and can't volunteer. And so how do you sit 648 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 6: with Rachel the systemic issues that like also prevent us 649 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 6: from doing this individual interpersonal work. 650 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's such a good question, and this was something 651 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 3: I spoke with like scholars of them that we brought 652 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 3: this up too, Like there is when you are juggling 653 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:54,279 Speaker 3: multiple jobs and you have fewer less discretionary time. There's 654 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,440 Speaker 3: a reason that seniors in their retirement can do more volunteering. 655 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 3: I think one of the ways that I've been thinking 656 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:06,480 Speaker 3: about it at Cabiseuls and that some of the people 657 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 3: I talked to help me think about, was we have 658 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:12,319 Speaker 3: this kind of leave it to Beaver image of what 659 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 3: volunteering has to be has to be. 660 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: That's a really good point we do. And actually we 661 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:25,719 Speaker 1: have this vision of who volunteers as what leave it 662 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,439 Speaker 1: to Beaver looks like, and that is so long, it's 663 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:32,799 Speaker 1: so backwards, it's not true. If you've listened to the 664 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 1: guest on our show, you will find out very few 665 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:38,840 Speaker 1: are leaver it to Beaver's but go ahead. I'm sorry, 666 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:41,360 Speaker 1: but what you're saying is such a good point. 667 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:47,880 Speaker 3: I absolutely and I think so. I think if you 668 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 3: think of it, oh, how am I supposed to sign 669 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,680 Speaker 3: up for, you know, a standing commitment every week at 670 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:57,319 Speaker 3: seven pm or or three to Honestly, when I was 671 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:01,319 Speaker 3: looking at volunteering opportunities in DC, it was striking to 672 00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:03,240 Speaker 3: me how many of them were like nine to twelve 673 00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:05,279 Speaker 3: in the weekdays. I was like, how could anyone do that? 674 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:07,520 Speaker 3: And you know, how could I. I don't understand who 675 00:42:07,520 --> 00:42:09,560 Speaker 3: this is for exactly. It must be for people who 676 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 3: are retired or not working. But I think that recognizing 677 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 3: that there's so many ways to build volunteering into a 678 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 3: life that doesn't have to be so stressful and can 679 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:26,520 Speaker 3: maybe maybe you start off being like, all right, in 680 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,839 Speaker 3: my like, I have a month in the next month, 681 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:33,200 Speaker 3: I can I can dedicate these hours on this day 682 00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:36,520 Speaker 3: and to something and then sort of go from there. 683 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:38,120 Speaker 3: And I think this is getting back to the like, 684 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 3: just do it, just find something rather than I think 685 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:44,280 Speaker 3: it can be really overwhelming to think of it as another. 686 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:48,400 Speaker 2: Like standing commitment. And what will happen. 687 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 3: Is, I think, is if you really like it, you'll 688 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:53,680 Speaker 3: find ways to build it in it'll become easier because 689 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:56,319 Speaker 3: but there's no question that. And there are a lot 690 00:42:56,320 --> 00:42:58,640 Speaker 3: of sort of like remote volunteering opportunities that have come 691 00:42:58,719 --> 00:43:00,880 Speaker 3: up through COVID, So they are my stuff you can do, 692 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:03,879 Speaker 3: you know, that doesn't involve traveling to another place because 693 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:07,000 Speaker 3: that can be difficult, especially where you live. But I think, 694 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,800 Speaker 3: and then I guess the other thing is thinking about 695 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,360 Speaker 3: the people in your direct community. So like maybe like 696 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 3: maybe you can watch your neighbors like kids while they're out, 697 00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:22,440 Speaker 3: or maybe you can like, you know, do do some 698 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 3: sort of service for your neighbor, like make them some 699 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:28,920 Speaker 3: food and then that and like just realizing like, oh, 700 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,160 Speaker 3: all of that counts, and all of these things about 701 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:36,960 Speaker 3: service in your local vicinity that because it can feel 702 00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:40,000 Speaker 3: I'm curious if you have additional thoughts on this, but 703 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,600 Speaker 3: just it can feel like we put it on this 704 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:47,800 Speaker 3: pedestal that can feel really like you have to jump 705 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:48,839 Speaker 3: pretty high to meat. 706 00:43:48,880 --> 00:43:51,640 Speaker 1: And there's a man in our neighborhood whose name I 707 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:55,240 Speaker 1: don't know, and when he walks his dog, he trikes 708 00:43:55,239 --> 00:43:58,600 Speaker 1: a trash can and he picks up every piece of 709 00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:02,239 Speaker 1: litter in the curb. On all three streets. He is 710 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,440 Speaker 1: not part of anything, but he is serving his community. 711 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:09,279 Speaker 1: I love that guy. That's something he can do while 712 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:14,440 Speaker 1: he's doing something else. I just believe if you open 713 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:19,719 Speaker 1: your eyes, you will find need everywhere. And you do 714 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:23,520 Speaker 1: not need somebody to give you permission to go do it. 715 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 1: You just do it. 716 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:28,879 Speaker 3: You know, when I was like, yeah, if you look 717 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:32,120 Speaker 3: up nonprofits, you'll a lot of like shelters have wishless 718 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 3: online from Amazon, so you could just kind of like 719 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:36,920 Speaker 3: send them some things that they need. They're like little 720 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:40,200 Speaker 3: things that I think people who even don't have much 721 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:44,320 Speaker 3: discretionary time or money could do. You could carry stocks 722 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:46,960 Speaker 3: or like all those all those things that I was like, oh, 723 00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:47,840 Speaker 3: is that important? 724 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:50,200 Speaker 2: Now I think, actually, yeah, it's really important. 725 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 1: Giving blood. 726 00:44:51,239 --> 00:44:51,800 Speaker 2: Giving blood. 727 00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:54,360 Speaker 1: They take it on Saturdays, they take it on Sundays, 728 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:59,640 Speaker 1: they take it a night. But it's such I do get. 729 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:04,080 Speaker 1: I can my kids. I mean, they're you know, working, 730 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:09,440 Speaker 1: paying rent. Everybody's working. They're you know, building their lives. 731 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:15,719 Speaker 1: I understand, especially in the younger generations. You know how 732 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:18,840 Speaker 1: when where But I think to your point, which is 733 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:23,000 Speaker 1: a really really good one that I had not thought about, 734 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:27,879 Speaker 1: you know anything, what you the words you just use. 735 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:33,640 Speaker 1: Is it all counts, It all counts, just any little thing, 736 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:37,120 Speaker 1: it all counts. And again to our whole rift. If 737 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 1: you have an army of normal folks all doing little 738 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:45,839 Speaker 1: bitty things, it all counts, and all added up can 739 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:48,040 Speaker 1: change society. 740 00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:54,520 Speaker 4: Hello, I have a question for Rachel or have you 741 00:45:54,640 --> 00:46:00,440 Speaker 4: ever gotten any backlash or any negative encounters for where 742 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:04,759 Speaker 4: the experience of trying to get people to get into 743 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:05,920 Speaker 4: service or volunteering. 744 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:11,280 Speaker 3: I haven't, But I also don't feel like I've pressured 745 00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:14,120 Speaker 3: anyone too hard. Yeah maybe I should, Maybe I should 746 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 3: pressure people little harder. 747 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:17,880 Speaker 2: I don't know, but thus far, not yet. 748 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:21,319 Speaker 1: But you know what, you know what that pressure is? 749 00:46:22,600 --> 00:46:29,600 Speaker 1: People are watching, people are watching. Yeah, yeah, the pressure 750 00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 1: comes from Wow, look what Rachel's doing. You don't have 751 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:41,879 Speaker 1: to You don't have to overtly pressure people. Just your 752 00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:44,760 Speaker 1: action will pressure those in your sphere. 753 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:47,640 Speaker 2: You know, one thing I will say, and I. 754 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:49,160 Speaker 1: Don't mean pressure in an unhealthy way. 755 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:51,799 Speaker 2: No, I think there's a positive level of pre pressure too. 756 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:52,799 Speaker 2: I agree with you. 757 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:55,000 Speaker 3: I mean one thing I will say is I do 758 00:46:55,120 --> 00:47:00,600 Speaker 3: know someone. He's a friend, and he told me that 759 00:47:01,080 --> 00:47:03,600 Speaker 3: he had read my essay was inspired by it that 760 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:08,480 Speaker 3: he wanted to share on his Instagram some some causes 761 00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:10,279 Speaker 3: he cared about that he supported, but he was like, 762 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:12,160 Speaker 3: but I don't want to because I don't want people 763 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:15,279 Speaker 3: to think I'm like trying to just get compliments or 764 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:17,279 Speaker 3: that I'm fishing for people to think I'm a good 765 00:47:17,320 --> 00:47:23,280 Speaker 3: person and so, and I was like, but I think 766 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:26,719 Speaker 3: I I and I know where that's coming from. But 767 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,640 Speaker 3: I also think it is infectious, as you say, and 768 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:31,919 Speaker 3: it does add a little level of people being like, hmm, 769 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:34,520 Speaker 3: maybe I should do it, like if if if Josh 770 00:47:34,600 --> 00:47:38,000 Speaker 3: is doing it well, and so there is this strange level. 771 00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:40,040 Speaker 3: I was like, maybe I understand you feel that way, 772 00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:41,880 Speaker 3: but which do you think is more important? You know, 773 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:45,840 Speaker 3: you worrying people might think you're being annoying, or you 774 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:48,000 Speaker 3: getting more people to donate to this cause that you 775 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:48,560 Speaker 3: care about. 776 00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:53,719 Speaker 1: See, that's such a generational difference, and it's very generational. 777 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:55,279 Speaker 2: I feel like, you guys know what I mean. 778 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:57,799 Speaker 1: You know, but they wouldn't, They really wouldn't. But I 779 00:47:57,840 --> 00:48:00,120 Speaker 1: think that's social media exposure and. 780 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:03,040 Speaker 3: Everyone's really just hyper focused on how they're being perceived 781 00:48:03,040 --> 00:48:05,400 Speaker 3: for every single thing that they post. So people are 782 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:07,920 Speaker 3: worried if they post, oh you should donate to this, 783 00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:11,120 Speaker 3: then people are like, wow, you're trying to look so but. 784 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:13,960 Speaker 1: Almost almost like your point. Just get started. 785 00:48:14,080 --> 00:48:17,239 Speaker 3: Yeah and maybe that maybe some people will, but maybe 786 00:48:17,239 --> 00:48:19,520 Speaker 3: some people will donate it as a result of your post. 787 00:48:19,560 --> 00:48:21,279 Speaker 2: So which do you Which matter is more? You know? 788 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:28,680 Speaker 1: I think? I think just do, just do, just do 789 00:48:30,320 --> 00:48:33,640 Speaker 1: one last thing I'll share. Kim mins Wilson is a Memphian. 790 00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:38,160 Speaker 1: He's the founder of Holiday Inn Memphian. Yeah. So, uh, 791 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:43,560 Speaker 1: born and raised here, started with nothing. He was a contractor. 792 00:48:43,600 --> 00:48:48,160 Speaker 1: He built small houses and ended up founding Holiday Inns 793 00:48:48,200 --> 00:48:50,759 Speaker 1: here built it and now every hotel you stay in 794 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:55,200 Speaker 1: that's the chain. Think Hyatt, Marriotte, Hampton In. All of 795 00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:59,040 Speaker 1: them were born from Holiday Inn. Well, well think about it. 796 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:02,160 Speaker 1: There was back back in the fifties there was either 797 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:06,719 Speaker 1: you know, the risk, Well, there's either the not the Ritz. 798 00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:08,400 Speaker 1: There's either something like the Plaza. 799 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:12,399 Speaker 5: His story was the family was visiting d C. And yeah, 800 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:15,040 Speaker 5: and it's like just take DC. You either stay at 801 00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:17,040 Speaker 5: the Willard or you stay at like a motel. 802 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:19,720 Speaker 1: They stay at the Bates Motel. Those were the two options, 803 00:49:19,719 --> 00:49:24,279 Speaker 1: a roadside motel or the Willard. That was it there 804 00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:27,840 Speaker 1: was no something well and he said back, well remember 805 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:31,000 Speaker 1: the Ford, right for the average man a car. Well, 806 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:33,480 Speaker 1: we need to have something for the average family to 807 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:36,160 Speaker 1: stay at. And he started the holiday inn, which is 808 00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:39,680 Speaker 1: now what is the Marriotte and all of that stuff right. 809 00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:44,399 Speaker 1: I had dinner. I had lunch with him not long 810 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,560 Speaker 1: before he passed, and I was at an FBO he owned, 811 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:51,080 Speaker 1: and his leer jet was parked outside the windows and 812 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:53,680 Speaker 1: he looked at me and he said, you know what 813 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:56,960 Speaker 1: you need to be successful? And I said, no, sir, 814 00:49:57,040 --> 00:49:59,600 Speaker 1: I'd love to know. And he said, work half the day. 815 00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:02,839 Speaker 1: And I'm like, all right, being air with the lyric jet, 816 00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:04,799 Speaker 1: I'm sitting in his airport and he says, work out. 817 00:50:04,880 --> 00:50:06,440 Speaker 1: He said, yeah, Bill, it doesn't matter if you're work 818 00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:08,520 Speaker 1: the first twelve hours or the second twelve hours, just 819 00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:13,239 Speaker 1: work after day. That is an old school mentality, I realize. 820 00:50:13,520 --> 00:50:17,920 Speaker 1: But in terms of how you balance your work life 821 00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:23,879 Speaker 1: with your philanthropic endeavors and everything, work doesn't necessarily mean 822 00:50:23,920 --> 00:50:28,120 Speaker 1: where you make your paycheck. Work also means working with 823 00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:30,400 Speaker 1: your family, working in your community. 824 00:50:30,560 --> 00:50:31,240 Speaker 2: It all counts. 825 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:34,960 Speaker 1: It all counts. Rachel Cohen, thanks for going to Memphis 826 00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 1: and sharing this the whole background behind this one article. 827 00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:40,839 Speaker 2: And thank you for bringing to Memphis. It's so cool 828 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:41,319 Speaker 2: to be here. 829 00:50:41,440 --> 00:50:51,080 Speaker 1: You're so welcome, Thanks for being Thanks everybody, thanks for coming, 830 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:57,640 Speaker 1: and thank you for joining us this week. If Rachel 831 00:50:57,719 --> 00:51:01,360 Speaker 1: Cohen has inspired you in general, or better yet, to 832 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:05,080 Speaker 1: take action, please let me know. I'd love to hear 833 00:51:05,120 --> 00:51:08,919 Speaker 1: about it. You can write me anytime at Bill at 834 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:12,320 Speaker 1: normalfolks dot us, and I swear guys, I will respond. 835 00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:16,400 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends 836 00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:20,239 Speaker 1: and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it. 837 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:24,360 Speaker 1: Join the army at normalfolks dot us. Consider becoming a 838 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:27,960 Speaker 1: premium member. There any and all of these things that 839 00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:31,920 Speaker 1: will help us grow an army of normal folks. The 840 00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:35,960 Speaker 1: more listeners, the more members, the more subscribers, the more 841 00:51:36,000 --> 00:51:40,080 Speaker 1: impact we can have. I'm Bill Courtney. Until next time, 842 00:51:40,440 --> 00:51:41,239 Speaker 1: do what you can