As we continue to dive into late capitalism, it seems that the notion of profit maximization has far exceeded the system itself. Money is slowly becoming the object of worship in society, despite the fact that it is nothing but a piece of paper. The shared beliefs of the collective determines the value of that piece of paper. This, in a way, destroys humanity because people have gone through extreme lengths to acquire wealth. Evident in history, people are capable of sins like murder and such if these actions were means to gain money and power. Hence, it is heartening to find those who are willing to go out of their way to help others in need without incentives whatsoever.
An extraordinary act of kindness that has transpired in the past month reassured our faith in humanity. A recent high school graduate who has been working at the Texas Waffle House is the perfect illustration of the fact that you will be rewarded for the good deeds that you have done when you least expect it. 18-years-old Evoni Williams from the city of La Marque in Texas took the job straight out of high school in order to earn enough money for college tuition. Adrian Charpentier is an elderly customer who was at the restaurant during William’s shift. Recently released from the hospital where he had surgery, he is still in gradual recovery. As such, he was not able to utilize the cutleries properly as captured by the surveillance video.
“I had no coordination or strength in my hands,” Charpentier proclaimed.
Following that, he requested help from Williams. Amidst the crowded restaurant, Williams, with no second thoughts, immediately provided the necessary assistance.
“I was never raised to bash people. I was raised to help and try to give blessings. It just came from the heart,” Williams spoke modestly.
She further mentioned that Charpentier is a regular customer at Texas Waffle House and it was clear to her that he really needed assistance. This seemingly trivial deed consequently turned out to be so much more, though Williams certainly did not see it coming. Someone posted a photo of the undertaking on various online social platforms. Within a short period of time, the posts went viral. This, in turn, turned many heads, including Bobby Hocking’s, the mayor of her town, who then honored her. In addition, countless people have openly complimented Williams for her action – an act of kindness without expectations. However, an offer from Texas Southern University remains to be the most noteworthy reward of all. Williams is now the recipient of a scholarship worth $16,000. This means that she will be able to begin her tertiary education with $4000 per semester for four semesters.
While seeing the act of kindness itself is more than inspiring, we are certainly glad that Williams is getting the appreciation and rewards that she deserves. Her compassion and helpfulness towards the elderly are traits that every person should have. Society has always been cruel and deceitful because people are selfish by nature. It is obvious that a majority of the people are increasingly self-concerned owing to growing capitalistic mentality. This subsequently means that they are less concerned with the wellbeing of others.
Finally, this leads to the question wondering if our assumed ‘progress’ is for and against the sake of humanity. A long time ago, people lived in caves and in the woods. Now, we have constructed enough skyscrapers such that it surrounds us. We have undoubtedly come a long way. We have learned to build and go along with various economic and political systems that allow a nation to function properly.
Yet again, are we destroying mankind or improving it? It seems, as it has for a long time now, that the tangible things are overpowering our moralities. Perhaps it’s because of the tangibility of one as opposed to the abstractness of the concept of humanity. Thanks to Evoni Williams, however, we can safely assume that money has not yet become the murderer of humanity.
