what actually helps people?

If you decided that helping people was the most important thing in your life, what would you do?  I have been thinking about this a ton lately.  What do people need?  Education?  Water?  Loans?  Shoes?  Money?  Shelter?  Peace?  Jobs?  Hospitals?

Money tends to corrupt and enable, necessities seem to be temporary band-aids, peace seems unachievable, hospitals seem reactionary.  So what would you do?  If you decided every effort and thought and action would be dedicated to helping others, where would those efforts, thoughts, and actions turn?  To be redundant: What actually helps people?

Below are two companies that believe they are making a difference.  They have chosen their way to help people, and while I'm not sure it is the one thing I would do, I am glad they're doing something.

geico made me laugh again. finally.

Geico,

It has been a while since your commercials have made me laugh.  A long while.  Remember that funny woodchuck commercial - "Hey you woodchucks! Stop chuckin' my wood!" - no? yes? Anyway, it has been a while since I got a good chuckle out of your commercials, but this new one with a possum got me.  Unfortunately, not because this commercial is necessarily better than your other's of recent, but because I lived two years in the south, and you nailed possums... just nailed 'em.

So enjoy, you fellow understanders of possums:


I am curious though... how is it that insurance becomes the industry that lends itself to funny commercials?  Hey, I need someone to be there for me, no matter what.  I know, who made me laugh!?

watch this, get warm fuzzies.

This short video may be cheesy and idealistic, but at its core I feel like it inspires altruism and charity.  To me the message is that the synergies that come from helping others are greater than the cost it takes in time and effort to serve, and that is just operationally speaking (not accounting for that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from helping others).



So get out there and do something good for someone.  Better yet, make a habit out of doing good things for other people.  Even better yet, make a life out of doing good things for other people.  Hm, I am going to go take my own advice.