Anyone engages in helping another to some extent, but a subset of people chooses to make it their vocation. Such professions as a doctor, a firefighter, a police officer, and others are built upon the principles of selfless assistance and sacrifice. Certain representatives of the affluent class also constantly donate to various needs even if the deed is detrimental to their wealth, and leaving the whole inheritance to charity organizations is common. Devoting one’s life to help others is a challenging task, and people argue that it is not important, but if humanity had a shortage of those altruistic individuals, its continuous survival would be impossible.
An example of a person willing to assist the entire population includes those who serve in the military. They protect the nation, ensure that no one is hurt from the outside, and potentially collaborate with other countries to stop common threats. Some parts of the armed forces are also involved in maintaining domestic stability, and their contribution to the fight against COVID-19 and keeping internal peace has been invaluable (Babb). While performing defending duties, including simple training, military members face dangerous conditions, which may kill them (Seck). Still, they understand the risks and willingly choose to join the Army or another branch to protect the country and its freedom. Without their devoted service, the nation would lose its sovereignty. However, some embrace the military for economic reasons, seeing it as an opportunity to escape a difficult situation and advance in social ranks, and the self-sacrificing aspect does not interest them (Myers). Such a notion is popular among liberal and left-leaning population groups (Myers). Generally, though, the perception of the armed forces as a selfless service remains popular regardless of one’s ideology.
Another essential group of people devoting their lives to helping others is advocates for homeless and low-income communities. They usually belong to specific organizations, such as The National Alliance to End Homelessness and the American Legion. They work to unite various stakeholders, including the presidential administration and local governments, to improve vulnerable people’s living conditions (Moses). One demographic group susceptible to homelessness is veterans who, due to national policy failures, lose permanent housing (Moses). People of color are especially vulnerable, although the situation has improved over the years (Moses). Owning to advocates and activists who recognize that abandoning those who devoted their lives to defending the country is inexcusable, veterans’ condition after the service has become less challenging (Moses). Without such organizations, people would be less willing to join the military, knowing what awaits them in the future, and the existing veteran population would remain in a miserable state. Thus, devoting one’s life to advocacy for the rights of others improves their well-being and erases accompanying problems.
In conclusion, devoting oneself to helping the rest is an arduous task, but many people are involved in such activities. The discussed examples are only some of the self-sacrificing vocations, but their significance is immense. The military basically assists the entire country, guaranteeing its security and sustaining it within the borders, while advocates for the homeless help the needy population, including former defenders of the nation. The functions are necessary; if not for those people, the consequences would be devastating. While some join the military for reasons far from altruistic, they are a minority and still manage to help, even though their priorities lie elsewhere. As long as the duty is fulfilled, why someone chose to assist others as a calling is irrelevant.
Works Cited
Babb, Carla. “What Is US Military’s Role in Times of Civil Unrest?” VOA News, 2020.
Moses, Joy. “5 Key Facts About Homeless Veterans.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020.
Myers, Meghann. “Studies Tackle Who Joins the Military and Why, but Their Findings Aren’t What Many Assume.” MilitaryTimes, 2020.
Seck, Hope H. “Three Soldiers Killed in New York Guard Helicopter Crash.” Military.com, 2021. Web.