What Do We Really Care About?

I ran across an interesting CNN interview today with 2009 top 10 CNN Hero and former bartender Doc Hendley about his efforts in enabling impoverished people all over the world to enjoy the pleasure of having clean water. When the interviewer asked Hendley what people should know about the global water crisis, he mentioned how a lot of people had questioned the need for his organization, Wine to Water, since they hadn’t heard as much about the water crisis as they had about other charity cases. Hendley answered with, “here in the West, we help support things that we can empathize with,” meaning Americans have such an overabundance of clean water that many cannot fathom the thought of a fresh water shortage. On the contrary, cancer is a subject we’re all more familiar with and can relate to one way or another, consequently pulling in millions of dollars a year for research.

                http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/21/world/cnnheroes-hendley-water/index.html?hpt=wo_t4

   

No longer focused on the mission statement of his organization and the fight for clean water, I began to wonder what exactly pulls at our heartstrings, here in the West. I thought about a couple of issues that are prevalent in our nation like cancer and gay marriage. In regards to cancer I thought about the concern some people have about the “overemphasis” of breast cancer support. They believe it may be, indirectly, leading to the death of many people who are suffering from other cancers that receive less support, like prostate cancer, for the simple fact that breast cancer is more popular.

I wonder if the difference in breast cancer funding is due to the amount of empathy the average person feels when they hear “breast cancer.” Women alone cringe at the thought of losing a piece of what makes them a woman. Whether it is men or women, the word “breast” is universally known. It sparks visuals in men’s minds and a feeling of sexuality in women worldwide. Personally, when I hear “breast cancer,” I think of the close aunt I lost a child. It was the first death of a family member I experienced and it brought a lot of sadness to my family; family gatherings I cherished so much weren’t ever the same afterwards.

 

Regarding gay marriage, Hendley’s comment made me think of the fight for equal rights that always seems to follow that subject. For instance, some advocates of gay marriage use the angle of everyone being able to love whoever they like and should have the right to express their love just like the next person. I believe this approach is effective because it appeals to people’s heart. Love is a touchy subject for most people; especially in regards to that special person you choose to spend the rest of your life with. Thusly, by affecting emotions, gay activists are able to have more people understand their views and support their cause, for love’s sake.

                                                               http://winetowater.org

So what is it that we care the most about? Love? Money? Helping others? Hendley mentions how he has questioned risking his life by visiting the dangerous country of Syria to deliver water filters. Even with the risk of leaving a wife and two children behind, he recalls the feeling he gets at the sight of Syrian families getting clean water for possibly the first time and his decision is affirmed.