After I read the book “Into the Wild,” I have become a huge fan of Jon Krakauer. His investigative reporting and the way he writes stories is pretty phenomenal. Automatically one can get hooked to his books. The stories seem so surreal…as if Krakauer is not truly describing real life situations. However, his stories are more real than me living here in Argentina. Some kid really did change his name to Alexander Supertramp.
I have just finished Krakauer’s short book, “Three Cups of Deceit,” on Greg Mortenson and his essentially falsified exaggeration in “Three Cups of Tea.” Personally, I do not like to judge something when I have not experienced myself i.e. I do not like judging books that I have not previously read. However, I have heard a lot about what Mortenson has done in Pakistan (building schools to benefit children that have never had the opportunity for education before and his organization CAI) and I have admired him. I wish I could climb the second highest and the most dangerous mountain to climb in the world (or at least attempt to), stumble upon a village, and begin helping people build schools with almost no money. It is an admirable achievement and I hope at some point in my life I can touch as many lives, help as many people as Mortenson supposedly did.
“Three Cups of Deceit,” opened my eyes. Not only on the corruption behind Mortenson, but the possibility of the deception behind many of those altruistic figures that we look up to and think so highly of. I will not go into the details of the book—it can literally be read in about three hours. My only concern is that the people we are looking up to that are supposedly helping the world become a better place, may not actually be doing just that. I am always very optimistic and I believe that no one has a bad intention—that Mortenson really did want to build schools so that little boys and, particularly, girls who have never had the opportunity to have an education receive one! However, it is hard when the truth comes out and all the energy and effort you put in to believing in the good of people is shot down. It begins to ruminate in your mind and makes you wonder if there are any truly altruistic people in the world.
Could there be true altruism even? There is always a benefit coming from altruism—could be monetary, could be respect, could be the love of others—but there is always a beneficial consequence coming from altruism. Therefore, is it truly altruistic? I do not think we can ever know as we literally cannot feel the same feelings or think the same thoughts as anyone else, so we never know if someone is helping others because that person really want to be “good,” or because he wants the benefits from the “good” he is doing.
Anyway, I have begun to think about what I can do here. The opportunities I have to help others here in Argentina. I have been placed here for some reason. For some reason fate brought me to make the decision to be here…maybe it is because I need to serve in some way. Not now…at least not on a greater scale…but most certainly in the future. I probably will not write a book, nor organize an internationally important foundation, but I can change some people’s lives. And, I refuse to allow one book to change my viewing in people. I truly believe that people perform good deeds because they are naturally kind. But, the book did open my mind…I cannot always be so naïve.
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