Volunteer to Violenteer.....1 mistake that leads Volunteerism into Terrorism !!!1

“Volunteerism”, a word that generates in every young mind a wave of enthusiasm and urge for becoming a part of a change that the combined action of all the volunteers will bring. Volunteerism is the phenomenon in which a person participates in an act by his own willingness, out of his own conscience. Such a person is called a Volunteer. A volunteer gets solace in the thought that he has done his share of duty, that he is not the one to be counted among onlookers. And this is a very big thing, not to be an onlooker but a doer. 

Now talking about the transition the question arises “What actually does it takes to make this transition”? Well the answer can be found by looking back into the life to the day when we first volunteered. The answers that we will find are quite common in most cases. This transition from being an onlooker to a doer takes a lot of motivation and will power especially for the first timers. It comes from the people around us like our parents, teachers, friends or relatives. Either it was encouragement or peer pressure but it led you to your first act of volunteerism.  Whatever the reason might be but you volunteered that day and therefore crossed that barrier of hesitation that differentiates a doer from an onlooker. You made that transition that day and that is why you are what you are today, an aware ready to do youth. Now it’s a mere question of a call and you will jump on the boat of volunteerism to work for a cause and even fight for it if needed.

Now we move on to another question “why is it so much appreciated, why is it such a positive thing to volunteer”? Well in today’s world where there is so much is thought about give and take, volunteerism is a concept which is all about giving without any expectations of getting anything in return. This is what differentiates it and makes it special. What a volunteer only seeks is a change which is good for the all the sections of the society. Except this he asks for nothing. And this is why he is so powerful. A group of selfless volunteer is the most powerful force you can have that can achieve anything. 

Now talking about achievements of volunteerism we must note that it is not always that the changes asked are positive ones. If a selfless volunteer is the most powerful driving force for a change in society, a misled volunteer is also the most powerful threat to a society. Take the examples of terrorists. I don’t think you will find a better example of a selfless, dedicated and enthusiastic volunteerism, but also the best example of a misled volunteerism. Being a misled group they are seen in such a negative light even after all they have given to their cause. The point is one must think before giving himself to a cause. 

Further extending the above point I would like to point out that only being a volunteer is not enough. A volunteer must develop his thought process too so that he can better differentiate between right and wrong, between truth and dogma, between a genuine and a scrupulous guide force. It is on us to not to let the laters use us and not to let the formers be deprived of us.   

Summing up I would appropriately define Volunteerism as “A phenomenon in which a person comes forward by himself to participate in an individual/collective action with intentions of bringing a change in society which he feels will benefit the society in a positive way”. And one must use, as they say in Hindi, his/hers “vivek” before jumping on that boat.