BS: The Karma Army

Subject: BS: The Karma Army
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:02 PM

I just stumbled across this site by accident and, although it has been running a while, I have never heard of "Join Me" or the "Karma Army" before.
I love the idea of people doing random acts of kindness as a sort of club activity and, after reading some of the contributions on their site and on the message board, they seem to be having a ball.
It seems to have its basis in a film (Pay it Forward?) which I remember feeling underwhelmed by while being impressed with the notion.
Wouldn't it be nice if this caught on in a big way?

C-flat.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:12 PM

I meant to include a short passage from the site which I find interesting,


Karma Army is becoming truly international. And that fact alone has been enough to prove one, vital universal truth to me.

It's this: people are essentially good.
I know that now, beyond any shadow of a doubt, no matter what I read or see on TV.
Thing is, there's this strange social barrier that every country now seems to have. We may see people struggling in the street with something heavy, and, fair enough, part of our brain will always make us want to go over and help. But somehow, being nice has gone from being second nature, to being fifth or sixth. We don't go and help, because we're afraid of being seen as weird, or eccentric, or as a potential mugger, or as an American tourist trying to find a new best friend (I don't know which is more terrifying). Instead, we walk off, and we simply forget about it.

But my joinees - my proud and noble followers - have shown me that it's possible to break that barrier down. And not just possible, but easy. If you feel you've an excuse for doing something nice, no matter how vague or silly, then it becomes far, far easier. If you can treat it almost as a joke, almost like you're playing a cheeky prank on someone, you can be nice with almost no embarrassment whatsoever. It's like a live version Candid Camera, but one in which the victim actually benefits.



I think he has a point about our basic instinct to do good being suppressed from a sense of isolation or embarrassment and using humour is a good way to retrieve that instinct.

C-flat.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST,ritchie
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:13 PM

well I'm just reading the book about it now so i dont want to click onto the web site yet....its a bit like seeing the film after you've read the book, do you know what i mean. nearly finished but already i'd recommend that you read it ...it's fun

regards

joinee ritchie

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:19 PM

Excellent. I've always believed the human race came off the tracks when we stopped doing good and started being good.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:28 PM

It can be as simple as telling a stranger on the street that her children are beautiful. Makes her day; makes the kids' day; and makes you feel good. Costs nothing but a few seconds.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Peace
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:28 PM

TBPL: That is a cool adage. I am gonna use that if I may.

BM

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Wolfgang
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:33 PM

We are the Karma Army, every one of us cares.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:40 PM

Yes Wolfgang, I would agree that Mudcat has a large group of people at its' centre who are considerate, decent souls that would rather do a good turn than a bad one, but this guy is actually mobilising that spirit into a community that carries it through, in however small a way.
C-flat.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 06:58 PM

"Random" acts of kindness have a certain entertainment value, but purposeful, carefully planned acts of kindness accomplish a lot more.

I'm suspicious of any organization that has a lot more information on its website about how to join, how to organize, and how to buy the posters, books, and videos than about actually doing anything useful.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: C-flat
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 07:23 PM

I would suppose the purchase of a cow for a family in India could be considered a carefully planned act of kindness.
I do take your point,Jim, about the promotion of items to purchase (next item down from the cow story is a book promotion) and the cynic in me may see this as a money spinner for the originator, but I'm prepared to cast cynicism aside in favour of the feel-good factor that this enterprise seems to generate.
If the "leader" is making money does it make the idea any less worthwhile?
I suppose time will tell. Maybe if the papers carried a story about this guy running around in big cars and living the high life, a few devotees would feel used or mis-led, but there doesn't seem to be any requests for monetary donations and the purchase of any goods is clearly optional.


C-flat.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST,John O'Lennaine
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 07:46 PM

Lately, I must admit, I have been wondering where the next ray of sunshine was going to come from, or if there was going to be one.

The Karma Army has made my day. Thank you C-flat.

Isn't it amazing that no matter how grim things seem to be, the human spirit can always find a way to rise, and what better vehicle could there be than humour to overcome embarrassment, peer group pressure, etc.?

Where do I sign?

John

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 08:19 PM

C-flat: Buying a cow for a poor family is a fine thing. I was reacting to what I saw. And I was looking at the American side of the website. Interesting that the British version of the news page starts off with the story about the cow, but the American version is much different. Lots of stuff about meeting, organizing, touring, winning awards, selling books, advertising—even a group of people who participated in an "art project" by spelling out "Join Me" with their bodies—but NOTHING about doing anything practical.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 08:42 PM

It sounds like a crock of pansy shit to me.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST, John O'Lennaine
Date: 11 Aug 04 - 09:20 PM

Guest 8:42pm -

Without people like you it would be.

John

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 12 Aug 04 - 08:45 AM

Ummm... are we talking about the WWI song Fred Karrno's Army? Methinks so...

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Greyeyes
Date: 13 Aug 04 - 08:02 AM

"It can be as simple as telling a stranger on the street that her children are beautiful." Round here if a bloke my age told a woman her children were beautiful she'd have him arrested.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST,ritchie
Date: 16 Aug 04 - 06:35 PM

dont miss the point ... the whole thing was started by a very clever, humourus writer by mistake...great oaks from little acorns grow but there is also the old adage from groucho about not joining a club that would have me as a member....however like most great inventions...ideas etc. its so simple...join me!

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Aug 04 - 06:56 PM

OK GreyEyes,
You can let some poor lost soul pull in in front of you during rush hour.
Better?
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Aug 04 - 07:15 PM

If people find that they get embarrassed about treating the people they run up against in the course of the day in a friendly way, and that stops them doing it, and this club idea helps them behave in the way they really want to behave, that's a good idea.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Bobert
Date: 16 Aug 04 - 08:00 PM

I can't take on one m ore volunteer project! I swear I can't... I'm in over my head now...

Bobert



















Okay, whaddaya need me to do? But this is the last time....

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 08:18 AM

Whatever these Karma Army people's beliefs are they should keep them to themselves and not go around being nice to others at random. Many people (a fair number of Mudcatters included) are very offended when someone they don't know is nice to them - they themselves may not be nice people and they may find displays of niceness towards them extremely offensive indeed. As evidence I cite the recent crucifixion of Georgiansilver on Mudcat by some (apparently) very unpleasant people, simply because he was nice to them (by wishing them Blessed) and they hadn't asked him to be nice. Be warned, Karma Army - being nice can be a dangerous business!

I'm being facetious of course, but I reckon I have a point.........!

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 10:06 AM

We could all invent something new and helpful towards our fellow man but unfortunately many people do not practice what they preach.
I try to do something for anyone I find in trouble as I feel that is part of my lifestyle as a Christian. I don't need a Karma Army and I don't want money for doing it or praise......You don't have to be Christian to do nice things for others but just try doing those things...without expecting anything back. The thing is ....something always comes back...a lot of good things happen to me as a result of my attitude to others....but it is not always accepted, as Strollin' Johnny has pointed out. It was certainly ill received on the Cat. Some folk cannot accept anyone being nice, perhaps because they don't know how to "receive".
Best wishes and Be Blessed.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST,SueB
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 11:53 AM

Here's the thing about letting some poor soul into traffic in front of you - benefits the poor soul in front of you, might possibly piss the hell out of the ten poor souls behind you, one of whom might be a poor single mother trying desperately to get to the daycare center in time to avoid a $50 late penalty that she cannot afford, or some other poor soul trying to get to the bank or the pharmacy or a job interview. I'm not saying you shouldn't let that person into traffic in front of you, in fact I'm a big believer in the "after you" approach to life and I practice it all the time. I'm just saying we're not omniscient. Maybe that $5 we give to the homeless guy results in his death by alcohol poisoning or knife wound, not the hot meal and comfort we intended. Let's do our good deeds, by all means, but let's not pat ourselves on the back for them, or presume to tell other people about the good we've done, or the good they could do.

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 04:19 PM

Come on folks...more input!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: The Karma Army
From: GUEST,ritchie
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 05:46 PM

well one view point is 'you've got to be cruel to be kind' or is that just words from a song? I was in the library earlier today and picked up a leaflet about 'humanists'. i have nt read it yet but boy does it smell good. I dont know what it is but some leaflets smell much better than others. I've sadly been to sa few colleagues funerals lately and one of the 'best' was a humanist one. I suppose one fear of 'the karma army' is that it is mistaken for some kind of 'cult' or 'way ahead' but you know what, even though i enjoy being rotten sometimes ...it's much,much better being nice. (I've just sniffed the leaflet again...boy oh boy)

ritchie