Integrity Over Shortcuts: The Ethics of Helping | Episode 454

0:00Hi, everyone. It's Justin here, Voices for Voices. Thank you so much for joining us on another episode of the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast. It's a pleasure to be with you, whether you're watching, whether you're listening, whether you're in the United States or abroad in another country, territory, province. Thank you. You're what makes us go. It gives us the energy to put shows together, to do what we do, to help people in need. And without you, we couldn't do this. So if you can give us a big thumbs up, like, follow, subscribe, share, all those things are free to do. And it helps us towards our ultimate

1:00goal of helping at least three billion people over the course of my lifetime and beyond. And to reach over 300 countries, territories, provinces, and over 3,000 cities across the world. Currently, we're at 11,000 in some change on the cities of who we've reached so far and countrywide. We are over 110 countries, territories, provinces that we have reached and we are helping people. And that's what we set out to do from the beginning. And we're just continuing with that motto, that mantra. As basic as it is, we like to really focus on

2:00mental health, trauma, and recovery. That's how I built this organization in our shows reflect just that we talk about culture and little about politics. This is for everyone, doesn't matter what side of the aisle we voted for. It doesn't matter. I don't care who you voted for. We've had individuals that we've had on his guests on both sides of the aisle. So that doesn't bother us. And we're about something bigger than just a political party. We're not only an 18, a percentage or anything like that of the country or of the world. If you're

3:01able to, you can reach out to 25 or maybe 50 contacts in your phone, share with them voices for voices TV show podcasts. That would greatly help us continue towards our goal. And that goal is only what it is because of your demand, your watching, your listening, your interacting with us. And that just shows us that we're doing something right. We've had a huge influx of individuals that are reaching out to be a guest on on our show. And so we were just honored and grateful and thankful to have that because at the beginning of the show, you know, kind of at

4:08the outset, once we decided that we're going to do voices for voices TV show podcasts. We were doing a lot of reaching out. We still do reach out. But we have, we don't have to reach out as much because the notoriety of voices for voices in the show or the organization is such that again, individuals are reaching out. And so we continue to ask if you're interested in being a guest on our show, please do reach out to us. The only thing we really look for, which might be a non-qual fire is if there's an agenda, you know, behind that being the gas of like, okay, well, we're going to talk

5:10about this and then beyond the show and then all of a sudden it's something totally different. So when that happens, we just don't air the show. That just, it's as easy as that. We don't put the, we don't air those shows. And it comes down to integrity ethics all across the board. Just like there's quality integrity and ethics and jobs and careers. I hammer home ethics and the classes that I teach to college, undergrad, graduate, in person, remote, I built courses from the ground up. And it's just, it's just amazing how some organizations, they, in some people,

6:24the ethics have really gone out the window. And it's very unfortunate. We know nobody is perfect. So I'm not over here preaching one way or the other. All I'm saying is, you got to have some kind of ethics, you have some kind of moral backing in what you do. And if what you do is something that, you know, I've heard doesn't pass the sniff test or, you know, like, okay, something about this, whatever this is, just doesn't feel right. Then what do we do? Well, we do research. And I know people don't want to do research, right? We want, we want somebody to tell us, we want answers right now. We don't, again, we want people to tell us the answers and

7:32want other people to do the work, but sometimes depending on what it is, if it's something that's high stakes, high profile, I don't know about you, but I, I'd want to be the person along with other persons that have, you know, what they say, skin in the game, meaning that whatever outcome comes that the outcome is going to affect the individuals that are making those decisions. So I've learned throughout the years that when it comes to ethics and integrity, and a lot of other areas that it's nice to lighten the workload, helps us feel better, helps us lower stress. But there's just some things that we just have to do ourselves. And it might not be

8:37a popular decision, it may not be something that people would look at and go, oh my gosh, I can't believe they did this or they did that. Well, with our organization, with integrity and ethics and being what it is, we know no way is perfect. And we've probably slipped a time or two or more. But it's our show. So I, I'd remind you that if, if we do, if I do slip, ethically, the way I, the way I'm notified is nobody or very little people will watch or listen to a particular episode.

9:38Right. And so the number, it's all in the numbers and the analytics. Now when we come out and we come out strong on a topic or an area, and we do something that ethically, people will nod their head like, oh yeah, of course, of course, we would do that. But, and there's always a butter, right? But when it comes down, when it comes down to making that decision, some people will back off and go, well, I, I don't want to do that. I know it's wrong. I know it's not right. I know, you know, this could get negative press. So I'm just going to go forward with, you know, they

10:43follow the sheep, follow like everybody else, almost everybody else. So when we get involved in topics and areas that that we talk about and share and events and experiences and in our guests experiences and their stories, when we get involved, we look things up, we have to be comfortable in that. Again, it doesn't mean we're perfect. So, you know, somebody reached out and was like, who gives, so, fed up prior guests on before, who gives this particular guest the ability to do this thing? And this thing is to tell their own story. So when they say, like, who did you get approval from? Well, if I'm telling my own story,

11:52I don't need to get approval from anyone because I'm telling my story. And so that message was interesting. We appreciate the feedback we really do. You know, we read through the message. And so it's interesting. We shouldn't have to, right? We talked about how hard life is to live in general. We don't need people going, whoa, who, who did you get approval from to tell your story on a show? Well, if I go on a show and I'm asked to tell my story, you know, who gets the approval? I

12:53give the approval. If that host doesn't want to air the show, which has happened a couple of times, where I don't know. The show's just never been aired. I'm cool with that. That's fine. I remember, though. I remember. So somebody wants to, you know, play that tip for tat. They're like, I'm going to do this. And then you're going to do that. Well, we have every right to do that. That's called the first amendment. I might not like something you have to say. You might not like something I have to say. You might not like something. Well, one of our guests has to say, I might not like something that one of your guests has to say has to say. But you know what? Who cares? Life's too short. And the

13:56the whole these types of grudges. You know, for a long time, that's what I would do. I would hold these grudges and they'd be in my mind. And it was like my mind was like this humongous library of all the things that I felt that I was wronged or things that I could have done better. And I wasn't talking about them. And so this is where that mental health comes in. So ethically, for mental health, for me, it's caused me to be more ethical than I had before. I don't know that. I don't know why. I think it's because potentially that I just started not caring as much what others thought about me and what I do.

15:10And and and doing things like voices voices for voices. Voices for voices was you know at the outset I don't want to say it wasn't popular. But there were a lot of people that were like yeah, way to go, doing such great things. But when it came time to volunteer and to do the do work goes goes can't get a hold of them. And then the whole trusting that's been one of my big things mental health wise is I have a trust problem where I've had one.

16:12I have less of one now. Because that comes with the night caring as much about what other people think. And go okay, that's cool. You got your your opinion. I got mine. It's fine. Turn to channel if you don't want to. I don't care. I'd rather you find something that is interesting to you and is informative. And if you don't feel that our show is that's fine. It really is. Don't spend your life and your time arguing about some something, some show. Just find something else. And then just do it. You don't have to tell anybody.

17:15Like oh I'm doing it because of this and this and this. I don't I don't I don't mind it as much as I used to. And so while the load of the work is mostly on my shoulders, I want to have it any other way. See when you can when you start something from the beginning that you really believe in. Again, if it just helps one person, that's one less person has to go through. Anything. Talk about you know somebody on the edge and contemplate and end in their life.

18:19We hope that one person. You can't tell me that we're not helping people. And I know we're helping a lot more. Each and every day, each and every episode. It's adding and multiplying. Minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, month by month, year by year. Folks, we have over 450 episodes. When I started out on this journey, voices for voices, I had no idea how many episodes we would have. I just got started. And then it made me feel good to be able to share my story. Maybe it can maybe it clicks with you.

19:23Maybe it doesn't. Maybe you know somebody that it might click with. And again, one. It's a song by Creed, the band Creed. The thing even metallic, I might have one named one. I have a song named one, sorry. But it's all about just one. And that's empowering to me to help one person. And we've talked about before. We're not just helping the one person. We're helping the one person and their friends and their families and their loved ones. And they're, you know, they play sport or the drama team or they're going to play or whether they're in a band or whatever that

20:29may be. Helping at one turns into helping maybe 50 people. So you can't tell me that, oh, he's talking about helping one person. That's not them. That's not changing the world. Oh, yes, it is. Oh, yes, it is. And we are. You may not like it. You may not be interested. That's fine. We can agree to disagree. Those are actually the most constructive conversations that I've had around the organization and what we do and how we're helping and what we shared. We're just transparent. You don't get no BS with us. We just tell it like it is.

21:38And it's because of you. Thank you for being with us on this ride. We're going to have a show. I will never reason to put a show together if the demand wasn't there. So thank you for being a part of voices for voices. Even if you just tuned in for a millisecond or two. And you remember that logo when you see it somewhere else, it connects. You're going to see the logo. You're going to see the logo. You're going to see the logo. Maybe in some months, unsuspecting ways. Then they go, oh, wow. They're doing what?

22:53We're just helping people. We don't have another prerogative. We're going people to feel better about themselves. Feel better about what they do. Know that they're not alone. Lower that stigma meter. And let's just help one another. We see somebody that needs help. Let's not be a bystander. Let's be an upstander. Like one of our previous guests. So greatly mentioned. We can do this, people. We can do this. We're already doing it. That's I think the big thing. We're already doing it. So let's just continue. Let's just continue the helping, continue tuning in.

24:01If you're able to give us the thumbs up, like, follow, subscribe, share, reach out to 25 or 50 contacts in your phone and let them know about voices for voices. Have them subscribe, like, follow, share all those things too. And then have them share. We can do this. And we're already doing this. We're already doing this. I did in my wildest dreams. Reaching and helping in in 1000 cities in over 100 countries across the world. I know we have goals, but one that actually happens. It's like, whoa, crap. We're not just helping people in the United States. Not just Canada, not just Mexico. We head over the pond, over the water, the oceans. It's just incredible.

25:11And we can't we can't do it without you. We are a nonprofit charity of 501 C32. So we're doing this on zero, literally zero funds. So come with us. Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your colleagues, bring your loved ones, bring your classmates, bring your teachers, bring your superintendents, bring, bring everybody voices for voices that's for everybody. We hope you have a great day. And thank you for tuning in to this episode of the voices for voices, TV show and podcast. I've been your host, founder, voices for voices, just to

26:14noun haste. Let's celebrate. Let's celebrate. Let's celebrate the voices of everybody across the world. And let's be a voice for ourselves and somebody in need. We'll see you next time, everybody.