Thursday, March 31, 2011

Clean Up Toxic Assets: Everyone Starts With 1

Your Holy Beggar is on a campaign to clean up toxic assets ... take the money from the "bad" guys and put it to some good use. I'm not talking about bio/chem/nuke weapons waste per se (although that is what Global Green USA is all about), but I'm becoming an advocate of accepting a hand-out from anyone who can help.

As I've said before, being generous is critical. Generous with a request and generous with a thank you. By doing so, we gain a modicum of trust. What I'm about to propose is not in full alignment with another strong feeling I have, but I have a sense of another, compelling possibility.

On one hand, it is useless to turn someone into an 100% villain, as horrible as they (using the corporeal "we") may be. Gas companies are adopting "green" energy subdivisions because they think it's a desired marketing approach. Yes, of course. But it is not a here-today-gone-tomorrow fad. I want to take the money and clean up those toxic assets.

I came to this conclusion in the course of ranking donors based upon their capacities to give to a new fundraising campaign. I decided to give everyone at least a 1, rather than start with a 0. Why? Because there is some good everywhere and the more we recognize and amplify it, the stronger we will be as a society. By giving everyone at least 1 point, there is now the possibility of participation. The rank can go up or down from there.

The notion of "selling out" is an ego - based fallacy that ultimately leads to isolation. Check-Mate.

What do you think?

And remember,

No matter what,
Don't Forget to Ask for the Money