Article published on LinkedIn.com:  Mars 27 2024

13_Good_Citizen_220324.pdf

GOOD CITIZEN

We all want to be known as good citizens. Being a good citizen is all up to you.

What do you do best? Help out. You can help out in almost any way! Do you have a green thumb? If so, then you can take the time to help plant things at your community garden. Do you have a lot of clothes in your closet that you do not wear anymore? Give them to charity! Do you have $10 you do not plan to spend? Donate it to an animal shelter, school, or hospital! There are so many things you can do! There has to be something for you.

You cannot give people dirty looks and be rude if you want to be a good citizen. Smile and treat everyone with respect. If you see trash laying around, do not just stare at it and walk by or step over it. One day, get a shopping bag and pick up all the trash that you see.

Even if you are just encouraging the little seven-year- old down the street to learn to ride a skateboard...it is still giving encouragement and being a good citizen.

Would you do anything that would ruin your or anyone’s reputation? You cannot be known as a good citizen if you have done something stupid that would make you known as a bad person.

Remember that this can be done in so many ways that there has to be something you can do. You can donate canned food to the homeless, or you can even stuff teddy bears and give them to children for Christmas.

How can I be a world citizen?

We are in a global age. The world has become a global village due to technological advances in communications and other spheres of human endeavor.

Being a world citizen can foster international cooperation on all levels, uniting people and making the world a better and safer place for all; the mentality of us against them has caused untold, useless suffering worldwide. Is it a utopian vision of society? Let's follow the steps, and find out!

Understand that the world does not encompass only your home village, town, city, state, or country. Recognize that events happening on the other side of the world can have a real impact on your life, things such as a war, global warming, or an economic recession.

Learn about other countries and cultures. Get interested in international news. Be curious about the life and struggles of other people and cultures and find out how you can help others. Participate in international discussions, such as those on the BBC, CNN, CBC, or the Internet.

You can also learn some new major language or languages. Be tolerant and respectful of other people’s cultures. Resist, react, repeal, and speak against xenophobia and intolerance in all their forms. Oppose racism, tribalism, regionalism, religious bias, and all kinds of segregation of any kind. Value each human life as you value your own.

Consider everyone on his or her own merits, and repeal unfounded popular myths about certain nations and people.

Do not say, for example, that Americans are arrogant, Africans are ignorant, Muslims are evil, atheists are Satanists, or that Germans are Nazis, that the Jews killed Jesus, or that Foreigners increase crime, etc.

Teach other people in normal conversation. For example, if someone says something ignorant, simply mention that he or she should not generalize. There is no reason to include a whole race. And do not refer to your special group if you intend your message to be universal.

Find the best way you can to help in a concrete way. Be active and contribute. Learn from wise people and redistribute your knowledge. Learn about the past in order to help build a better future.

Remember that to become a world citizen requires a conscious effort. Not all people consider themselves world citizens. They consider the world to be the next visible hill and taunt you as a stranger. Be understanding. It is a matter of education and culture. In addition, you will have to give up racism.

Change Your Future, Now!

This 642-page book is the result of a four-year project called Project Tomorrow. During the four-year period, we followed more than 500 trainees, aged from 16 to 72.

The trainees were from colleges and reinsertion programs in administration and computer science. Some of the trainees that were implicated where dropouts from school districts, and others were new immigrants or unemployed workers from different economic and social backgrounds.

To graduate, the trainee had to perform during a period of three months in a business environment. At the end of that time, an appreciation evaluation was performed to determine both the amount of change the trainee experienced during the period and the impact of that change on the trainee.

Many of the questions, reflections, and answers presented in this book are issued from our findings during this period. We would like to thank all the trainees for their efforts and determination during the process.

This 642-page book is the result of a four-year project called Project Tomorrow. During the four-year period, we followed more than 500 trainees, aged from 16 to 72. It is also the fruit of forty years of experience acquired with local and international organizations and companies and during consultancy, change management, transition, and marketing services. For more information go to: www.webtechpublishing.com .

About the Author In addition to writing, Germain Decelles acts as Change Management Strategist. He has over 40 years of business and consultation experience with local and international markets, including sectors such as retail trade, distribution, information technology and communications, transportation, manufacturing, financial services, and government organizations. Other publications: ISO Pour Tous – Le manuel d’information ISO – Le guide de préparation ISO – La gestion du changement en affaires – La gestion de projet d’affaires – Le changement POUR TOUS – Change Your Future, Now! – Mon succès est votre succès – My Success Is Your Success. Press Contact Germain Decelles, o.s.j. WebTech Management and Publishing Incorpored

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