I support local business. I give money to every 5th busker I see. I donate to 'Medecins Sans Frontieres' every month. I'm pretty much a modern day Robin Hood. The Kevin Costner one, not the Russell Crowe one.
*I recommend playing Bryan Adams '(Everything I do) I do it for you' to underscore this blog*
I have an imaginary flatmate named Little John who I blame whenever I have late fees at the DVD store.
I rob from the rich. I had an extra burger put in my order once and I never went back to tell them! And did I keep that burger for myself? No! I gave it to my friend Stefan who had less money than me.
MODERN DAY ROBIN HOOD!
*You should be up to 'Look Into My Eyes, You Will See' in the song*
Today though this Robin Hoods' morality was tested...
See, I'm getting something installed at Nan's. For the sake of the person responsible for the next part of the tale, I won't tell you what was installed but even using the word 'installed' narrows the possibilities. And no, I didn't get Nan microchipped. She had it done in 2007 after she broke loose from the backyard during a thunderstorm.
Let's just say that we were getting hay installed in our barn. Except that we have two barns and we couldn't workout which barn to get the hay installed in. Barn A, in the lounge room, or Barn B, the MUCH bigger barn inconveniently located in the dining room... Of the farm. I wanted to phone a friend.
The technician suggested that for a small cash price, he could solve our hay related issues and install hay in both barns, a service that the hay company usually charges $15 a month extra for to have Foxtel on both TV's... in the barns.
FANTASTIC! What a great solution. Easy! Why not?!
Exactly. Why not? Something didn't sit right...
We aren't REALLY doing anything wrong? How will it hurt a company this size? Surely the cash could go to help this technicians family. Putting food on their plate. Shoes on their feet. I'm robbing from the rich and giving to the poor! I'M A MODERN DAY ROBIN HOOD! SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM???
*Don't Tell Me, It's Not Worth Fighting For...*
The problem is, it's dishonest. Sure, it seems harmless enough but at the end of the day, it's dishonest and it requires me contributing to a world I don't want to be part of. A selfish world.
That's the difference between the real mythical Robin Hood and myself. See Robin Hood was selfless in his rebellion. His legend isn't about stealing from the 'man' for his own glory, it's for the good of the people and while I might have mates over each weekend to watch the footy, I know my interests aren't with the greater good. They're based entirely on my own interests. And that is selfish.
So I politely decline the offer and now the technician thinks I'm an idiot.
*Everything I Do... I Do It For You...*
Hours after this happened I feel better about the offer I rejected. I feel happy. Able to go to bed tonight feeling like I've contributed to a world I want to be a part of. I have a moment of moral superiority. Just a moment. And with I realise; it's the many small wins. The tiny moments you fight for what's right or what's better, it's these tiny wins that create a collective good. It's spreading positivity in small ways that creates the world I want to be part of and in this small way we ALL have the opportunity to be a modern day Robin Hood.
I look over at the coffee table and see a copy of 'The Campaign' starring Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis that my flatmate John hasn't taken back! Damn imaginary people! Can we trust ANYONE???
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