Deserve- defined in the dictionary as do something or have or show qualities worthy of (reward or punishment). Used often in terms of what people “deserve.” But, who deems what people deserve or who deserves it or what they don’t deserve? Is life about striving to deserve Things? Or is life about being responsible citizens whose purpose in the world is to make it a better place in which we can all exist happily, peacefully and prosperously, harmoniously with the earth? I believe it is.
Yet, we are currently living in a time where everyone believes they “deserve” everything and anything. Some believe there are those who deserve “restoration” for our ancestors ignorance and immigrants believe they deserve a life in a country regardless of citizenship and certain religious groups and ethnic groups believe they deserve to monopolize communities so that they can live in an exclusive religious/ethnic sect. Some rich believe they deserve to evade paying taxes as they are investing and propelling the economy and businesses believe the same. People believe they deserve to sue over simple mistakes or accidents that are simply casualties of life. Some unemployed believe they deserve government handouts without ever looking for a job, and there are movements that believe certain lives matter more than others so deserve special, exclusive treatment. Some news agencies believe they deserve to share information that is tainted with personal opinion, and some in the government think they deserve to use its power deceivingly. Some believe that people deserve to get a job over someone else because of the color of their skin, their sexual preferences, or ethnic background. And the list goes on of people who equate the fact that they exist with deserving.
So, I think the word “deserves” has lost its meaning. Deserving used to mean that you work above and beyond your peers/constituents and excel in an outstanding way that sets you apart, giving you a “worth” worth celebrating or vice versa. Worthiness is something you work towards, not that you get just because you exist or because you are a certain, race, religion, color, ethnicity, or you have a particular occupation, sexuality, or economic status, etc. Therefore, I do think that I deserve this scholarship money because I will be worthy of it. Like my public servant parents, I plan on working my butt off using my college education to be an active part of society who work toward restoring the idea of “deserving” in its truest form. I will use my education as a platform of change to help society repair its damaged interpretation of the work deserve so that we all learn to become responsible citizens who are working our butts off together to make the world a better place to coexist peacefully and equally in respect of our human worth.
CPT in collaboration with DMT