We explain what solidarity is and why this human value is so important. Examples of solidarity and famous phrases.
What is solidarity?
Solidarity is one of the human values traditional, related to compassion and generosity, and that has to do with the spirit of cooperating and providing support to a person in need at his greatest moment of vulnerability, especially if this implies setting aside the needs, opinions or prejudices personal.
The help given in a moment of solidarity, thus, is considered disinterested, that is to say, that it does not expect a retribution or a gain in exchange for service borrowed. It is supposed to constitute a degree of altruism or detachment, which puts the needs of others above one's own momentarily. That is why it is common to appreciate it in critical or catastrophic situations, such as wars, the natural disasters or simply troublesome times in someone's life.
In the same way, solidarity is not usually considered as an obligation or a mandate, but must be voluntary. There is, however, a commitment morale in those who have the resources to help others overcome a critical situation, and our culture does not welcome those who simply refuse to do so.
Finally, solidarity is a requirement in the construction of deep affective relationships such as love or friendship. friendship, since they generate gratitude and even a commitment of reciprocity in those who receive selfless help. It is a widely promoted value, as a remedy to the ills of individualism and the selfishness in the workings of the world.
examples of solidarity
Solidarity can be clearly seen in cases such as the following:
- The collection of clothing, non-perishable food and other vital supplies to attend a population victim of a natural disaster, or displaced for war or economic reasons.
- The investment in aid funds for impoverished sectors of the population, such as free soup kitchens, organizations of education popular etc.
- The pension funds, in which a young generation pays for the retired generation, and then when it is old, it in turn receives the payment of the young people to come.
- During the Second World WarIn the midst of the anti-Semitic rage, there were many Germans who risked their lives and the lives of their families to help Jews escape extermination.
- The families poor people who share what little food they have with a neighbor in a worse situation.
Phrases about solidarity
Some phrases that summarize the spirit of solidarity are:
- "One by one we are mortal, together instead we will be eternal" - Apuleius.
- "Solidarity is the tenderness of peoples" - Gioconda Belli.
- "There is no good that delights us if we do not share it" - Seneca.
- "He who gives great service receives great reward" - Elbert Hubbard.
- “Great opportunities to help others are rare, but small ones surround us daily” – Sally Koch.
- "Bearable is the work when many share the fatigue" - Homer.
- "You have fewer needs the more you feel others" - Doris Lessing.
- “You have to unite, not to be together, but to achieve something together” – Juan Donoso Cortés.
What is cooperation?
The word cooperation comes from the prefix co- (which means set, among several) and operation, which already gives a sense of its meaning: an operation carried out among several.
Cooperation is understood as the joint work of two or more individuals to achieve a goal. goal or purpose that benefits them both, although not necessarily to the same extent. Someone willing to cooperate, for example, is someone who willingly undertakes other people's causes, and who invests part of his effort in them, but also enjoys part of the rewards.
The line between cooperation and solidarity is very blurred, however, since someone who cooperates can also do so out of solidarity, without claiming any of the results obtained. However, cooperation does not necessarily lead to noble or altruistic goals: a cooperator can be an individual who helps a government dictatorial or a foreign occupation government, to better control their own country; a figure very close to the traitor.