NGO’s are a capitalist phenomenon. A very humanitarian approach to the issue would have ensured that there’s never an imbalance- and it is definitely more than an imbalance that we are talking- 90% of the world’s wealth is held by 10% of the world’s population or so we are made to believe.
Such an outlook prompts a few of us (perhaps the 90%) to wake up and wish to ‘give back’ to society, for we perhaps wrongly feel that we have gained a lot, influenced or more importantly been helped by world that surrounds us. But, in fact, we are merely humanistic individuals caught up in an increasingly capitalist world. It is hard to keep a straight face, to keep from breaking down, when you meet (though not often) people who want & want and seem to keep wanting endlessly. It does not seem right. Humans (note how I can finally say ‘humans’ instead of humanistic individuals) are inherently good; we are then raised to believe in a layered society and the concept of money & status.
Money (or wealth) is definitely not the only way to achieve a social standing- it becomes the preferred means though, because of its ease. Yes, making money is easy- all it needs is a lot of very selfish motivation and self-centered growth. But then, since humans are not inherently wired to meet these needs or fulfill these profiles, it is but a handful of people.
You have to prove that you do not need a loan to get one; you have to prove that you know how to work Excel, to get a job that will train you how to use it. It’s a world of ironies- that is but the world built by capitalism.
We call upon capitalist institutions to change the world- but the world is but shaped by these.
I return to what we began with, NGO’s are indeed a capitalist phenomenon. The money rising from capitalist activities is doled out to the ‘poor’ who again stem from the advent of a capitalist system- for our own ‘capitalized’ souls to feel better. We yearn to break through, to break away from it all- and that inexplicable happiness that stems from a young boy’s face lighting up- we sleep over that happiness for that’s all our little conceited, hurt selves will allow.
Perhaps, we need to move beyond; perhaps we realize that & all we can manage in this world is a little we give; we want to move beyond, we’re bounded and forever.
Break, give, stop. Give a little to someone who needs it more than you, today, this hour.
This article has been written by Revant Sindhu, an IPM-4 participant of IIM Indore
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