We are in Vermont this week. Roxanne’s parents own a summer house on Providence Island which is one of the small islands on Lake Champlain. I’m not a fan of taking vacations, especially ones far away in nature, but Annika loves it here, so I decided to come along. Instead of finding rare birds or fish, I found a magazine called The Sun. In its August 2008 issue, there is an interview with Judy Wicks, the owner of White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia. Apparently she is known for her leadership in the local-food movement and sustainable business. She is obviously an intelligent woman who has a talent for business, but she decided to use her gift not for growing her own wealth but for growing her own local community.
Humanitarianism is not exactly my cup of tea because it is usually morally motivated, and therefore preachy and self-righteous. I find that most humanitarians, social workers, and community organizers are driven by anger. Although giving into anger may make us more powerful temporarily, we cannot effect a lasting change that way, as Luke Skywalker realized in Star Wars. This is particularly relevant when we are speaking of “sustainability”.
There was something different about Judy Wicks. Her desire to support her own community and organize a national movement for sustainability, seems to be genuinely motivated by self-interest without being egotistical, hypocritical or deceiving. In other words, she does not appear to be driven by her desire to feed her ego with altruism. I don’t believe in altruism, especially when it is self-conscious. I believe that when self-interest is pursued by someone who is keenly in touch with her true self, it would naturally extend to humanitarianism. And, when it does, “altruism” or “humanitarianism” is not in her mind. Those are just the words that others project onto her.
Wicks’ words inspire me because her style of living and doing business feels pleasant, satsfying, and charming. It seems apparent that she does what she does in order for herself to be happy. It’s not about sacrifice. She sees her own happiness to be inextricably tied to her community and environment, so the line between self and others disappears in her mind.
“Community” has never been a big concern for me. I moved so frequently in my childhood that I never felt any sense of community. I considered this to be a good thing, because it is more in line with the only thing constant in nature: change. But I think having a child changed my view on this issue slightly. I’ve always strived to be self-reliant, but I believe much of it was driven by my fear of people. I have a feeling that the same logic applies to my attitude towards communities; I’m fearing rejection. Now that I have a child who needs not just her parents, but also her community of friends, I cannot be dogmatic about self-reliance. I realize that even the qualities that we generally consider virtuous, such as self-reliance, can become harmful when it is driven by a wrong motive.
The opposite is also true. What we generally consider sinful or superficial, such as money, can be positive when it is driven by a right motive. Judy Wicks aptly demonstrates it.
