Talking About Kids Interview -- The Virtue Of Selfishness

If we are making people feel good because it makes us feel good, then that's okay.
--by Dr. Myrna B. Shure

Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Bass Levin is here in the studio. Also joining us are volunteer activists and organizers Melanie Lowe, a 10th grade student at Cherry Hill High School East, and Jonathan Rosen. Jonathan is director of Rutgers University's Division of External Affairs, Citizenship and Service Educational Program.

Myrna Shure: Why do you think there has been a surge of volunteerism recently?

Susan Bass Levin: Throughout history, there have been times in which people have been very interested in helping others as well as periods when people are centered on earning a living. More recently, it's become popular again to support something you believe in. People are looking for a purpose and to play a meaningful role.

Melanie Lowe: A lot of young people I know experiment with service because they're curious or someone told them to try it. After they get involved, they realize they like the feeling of helping others. Volunteering can be selfish, because it helps you, too.

MS: That reminds me of author Ayn Rand's theory about the virtue of selfishness: If we are making people feel good because it makes us feel good, then that's okay. Jonathan, does volunteering mean the same thing for everybody?

Jonathan Rosen: For some, it involves donating clothes once a year or contributing money to United Way. For others, it means spending a lifetime in the Peace Corps or Vista.

MS: Melanie, you founded a chapter of the Random Acts of Kindness Club, isn't that right?

ML: That's right. The Club promotes doing good deeds for others. We go out into the community and perform larger projects, while, at the same time, we try to do small things for others every day. Holding the door for someone and picking up their books are random acts of kindness..

MS: Susan, how have you made service a priority?

SBL: I visit the Cherry Hill schools often, and I found many students who wanted to serve but didn't quite know how. So, in 1992, we came up with "Project Involve," a summer program that matches teenagers with community service agencies. In the first year, maybe 30 students wanted to participate. Now we have about 150.

MS: Let's take a call. We have Larry on the line.

Larry: How old should kids be when they start volunteering? Also, where is a good place for them to start?

ML: Any child could start at the age of three or four, doing simple things. Parents can provide examples by volunteering themselves. When you see your parents doing small or big things for others, it makes you say, "Maybe I want to help others, too."

JR: There are many Philadelphia-area schools that have service learning programs from kindergarten and through 12th grade. These activities are tailored to the children's ages and abilities, and they teach them about team building. Service should be a part of the family, too. It was a big part of mine. When children are exposed to community service, they take it with them through life. I also want to stress how important it is for parents to talk about their experiences with their children. A lot of people come from sheltered communities. Children may need to be told that they will be going into different kinds of communities. However, this experience new is the key to helping them understand that everyone is part of the human community, and we all have a responsibility to serve each person.

MS: So, not only do you get a sense of accomplishment and pride, but you can also learn a lot about the world?

JR: It's fine for volunteers to feel proud. But it's also important for young people to realize that some individuals do not have the same opportunities as others. In increasingly remote communities, it's hard for us to appreciate the problems of a person living in a distant city. We have to start expanding our idea of what a community is, and children will play a key role in that.

MS: We are just about out of time, but it seems like we're just getting started. I'd like to thank our guests, and remind you that we have more background about our program on the Internet at: http://whyy.org/91FM/TalkingAboutKids.html.

This interview aired in February on 91FM's Talking About Kids With Dr. Myrna Shure. It was edited for print by Evelyn Hess and Chris Lilienthal.