Engaged Citizenship - An Investment of Time
Guest Columnist - Karim N. Hirani
In my first two columns, I discussed how Canadian Defence Lawyers (“CDL”) and its standing committee, the Public Policy Secretariat (“PPS”), are quality civil society institutions, and the interconnectedness between civil society institutions and intellectual humility. This has led me to reflect on engaged citizenship and professional citizenship engagement.
This column is not intended to be a study on civics. Rather, it is to offer a perspective on what engaged citizenship and professional citizenship engagement offers to the individual who is so engaging.
In exploring the concept of engaged citizenship, the focus is often placed on society and contributing to and endeavouring to improve one’s community. The focal point seems to be on “giving back” to the community and helping to build better communities. As such, attention is devoted to the community and making the community a better place through, amongst other things, volunteering. This often leads to a discussion about the importance of donating one’s time and, as some say, the issue of “time poverty.” Interestingly, embedded in these articles are often recommendations as to how a person may become an engaged citizen. Some suggestions, broadly speaking, include, building one’s own knowledge and intellect while honing other traits such as humility, patience and collaboration.
This led me to contemplate the interplay between “time” and “engaged citizenship,” which brought to the forefront of my mind the following quote which is some 70 years old, “[a person’s] chief capital is time and that if [a person] wastes time, [the person] wastes [their] greatest asset which can never be recouped.”
On the one hand, “time poverty” in the context of engaged citizenship may be viewed as donating one’s time for the greater good. However, if “time” is viewed as a currency in the context of engaged citizenship, it seems that the concept of “time” as an investment – rather than a donation – leads to a very different focus.
An individual’s dedication to a civil society institution requires one to already have a certain level of knowledge and intellect. However, the opportunity to provide an opinion or feedback on any given matter also requires one to increase knowledge on the subject-matter so as to come to the committee with something to offer. It also demands intellectual humility, ethics, collaboration and other strong personal characteristics so as to serve efficiently and effectively.
Viewed in this manner, the “interest and dividends” paid on the “time” invested to the civil society organization is self-growth, which “interest” compounds given that the person who “invests” this “time” receives further knowledge from other individuals within the quality civil society organization to which one belongs.
With this perspective, one must indeed be cautious as to where “time” is being “invested” knowing full well that, if wasted, “… it can never be recouped.” Undoubtedly, one must focus on a cause that is important to that individual and must determine how one’s involvement may make a difference. Of course, the quality of the institution also matters. In my experience, the individuals behind the civil society institution is one of the most significant factors. The knowledge, intellect, integrity, humility, ethics, intention and overall character of these individuals is, in my experience, one of the most critical factors when deciding where to “invest” one’s time.
Admittedly, when I joined the PPS a number of years ago, I did so with the hope that I may have something to offer. Throughout the years, however, I have had the opportunity to work on a number of initiatives and my perspective on engaged citizenship has tremendously changed. This is primarily due to the knowledge, intellect and character of the lawyers from whom I have learnt a great deal while serving on the PPS and it is because of them that I say, confidently, the people with whom one serves, matters.
The “time” I once viewed as “donating,” was actually an “investment.” And given my initial view that I was “donating” my “time,” I had no expectation of any “returns.” Now, as I reflect, there is no doubt that I have had immeasurable “returns” on this “investment.” It would be an understatement to say that the “returns” were unexpected.
The unexpected returns are not limited to increased knowledge. They are extended to other intangibles. For instance, I feel, part of a profession, rather than, in the profession. There is no doubt that engaged citizenship contributes to a healthier society; however, I believe that engaged citizenship from the perspective of “investing” allows one to focus on the “returns” and, similar to other assets, one may say that it’s never too early to “invest.”
I thank the people behind CDL and the PPS.
This column is not intended to be a study on civics. Rather, it is to offer a perspective on what engaged citizenship and professional citizenship engagement offers to the individual who is so engaging.
In exploring the concept of engaged citizenship, the focus is often placed on society and contributing to and endeavouring to improve one’s community. The focal point seems to be on “giving back” to the community and helping to build better communities. As such, attention is devoted to the community and making the community a better place through, amongst other things, volunteering. This often leads to a discussion about the importance of donating one’s time and, as some say, the issue of “time poverty.” Interestingly, embedded in these articles are often recommendations as to how a person may become an engaged citizen. Some suggestions, broadly speaking, include, building one’s own knowledge and intellect while honing other traits such as humility, patience and collaboration.
This led me to contemplate the interplay between “time” and “engaged citizenship,” which brought to the forefront of my mind the following quote which is some 70 years old, “[a person’s] chief capital is time and that if [a person] wastes time, [the person] wastes [their] greatest asset which can never be recouped.”
On the one hand, “time poverty” in the context of engaged citizenship may be viewed as donating one’s time for the greater good. However, if “time” is viewed as a currency in the context of engaged citizenship, it seems that the concept of “time” as an investment – rather than a donation – leads to a very different focus.
An individual’s dedication to a civil society institution requires one to already have a certain level of knowledge and intellect. However, the opportunity to provide an opinion or feedback on any given matter also requires one to increase knowledge on the subject-matter so as to come to the committee with something to offer. It also demands intellectual humility, ethics, collaboration and other strong personal characteristics so as to serve efficiently and effectively.
Viewed in this manner, the “interest and dividends” paid on the “time” invested to the civil society organization is self-growth, which “interest” compounds given that the person who “invests” this “time” receives further knowledge from other individuals within the quality civil society organization to which one belongs.
With this perspective, one must indeed be cautious as to where “time” is being “invested” knowing full well that, if wasted, “… it can never be recouped.” Undoubtedly, one must focus on a cause that is important to that individual and must determine how one’s involvement may make a difference. Of course, the quality of the institution also matters. In my experience, the individuals behind the civil society institution is one of the most significant factors. The knowledge, intellect, integrity, humility, ethics, intention and overall character of these individuals is, in my experience, one of the most critical factors when deciding where to “invest” one’s time.
Admittedly, when I joined the PPS a number of years ago, I did so with the hope that I may have something to offer. Throughout the years, however, I have had the opportunity to work on a number of initiatives and my perspective on engaged citizenship has tremendously changed. This is primarily due to the knowledge, intellect and character of the lawyers from whom I have learnt a great deal while serving on the PPS and it is because of them that I say, confidently, the people with whom one serves, matters.
The “time” I once viewed as “donating,” was actually an “investment.” And given my initial view that I was “donating” my “time,” I had no expectation of any “returns.” Now, as I reflect, there is no doubt that I have had immeasurable “returns” on this “investment.” It would be an understatement to say that the “returns” were unexpected.
The unexpected returns are not limited to increased knowledge. They are extended to other intangibles. For instance, I feel, part of a profession, rather than, in the profession. There is no doubt that engaged citizenship contributes to a healthier society; however, I believe that engaged citizenship from the perspective of “investing” allows one to focus on the “returns” and, similar to other assets, one may say that it’s never too early to “invest.”
I thank the people behind CDL and the PPS.