This essay is going to be a tad bit personal. It's an attempt to share an important viewpoint I hold and explain something about myself. This essay is also one that could serve as my response to Peter Thiel's famous question: "What important truth do very few people agree with you on?"
If you've read my blog's about-me section or visited my company's about-us page, you've probably noticed that I frequently mention my volunteering efforts. I mention them in my essays and post about them on my Instagram as well. Some might find this off-putting, which raises interesting questions: Why do I continue to talk about it openly? Why do I believe others should do the same? And perhaps most intriguingly, why does this make some people uncomfortable?
The world runs on role models — this is a truth I've observed repeatedly across different domains. Consider the 10-second and 11-second barriers in a 100-meter sprint. Once broken, these barriers were shattered multiple times in quick succession. This pattern repeats itself everywhere: in sports, competitive exams, and professional achievements. Sometimes, just knowing something is possible unleashes a different level of motivation in the human mind. Look at communities that dominate particular professions. While knowledge and resources passed down certainly play a role, there's something more fundamental at work: the power of visible examples. Think about all the kids who follow their parents' professions, not because they're forced to, but because they want to. Could we fall in love with specific work simply by seeing others do it with passion?
Most people theoretically know about various possibilities in life. They're aware of different professions, achievements, and ways of contributing to society. Yet, they tend to pursue paths they see demonstrated up close. This explains why certain colleges produce a disproportionate number of entrepreneurs, presidents, or judges while similar institutions don't. It's about culture—specifically, a culture rich in visible role models. I discuss this in detail in my essay on role models that I wrote for Relfeed. This dynamic shapes not just career choices but also our approach to giving back to society.
Charity and volunteering exist — we all know that. But moving from theory to practice requires nudges. Lots of them. It requires inspiration and constant reminders. Most of us tend to do things we know are possible for people like us. Simply knowing something is possible for people like us breaks down countless mental shackles. When you see someone who looks like you, goes to your college, or lives in your neighborhood volunteering and being passionate about it, it matters. It raises questions in your mind about why they're so passionate about it, potentially inspiring you to explore it too. And the more similarities you share with that person, the more powerful the impact.
In developing countries, awareness about volunteering and charity faces unique challenges. Historical resource scarcity has gradually eroded the culture of giving, creating a vicious cycle: fewer examples lead to less participation, which results in even fewer examples. And this isn't the fault of the people from that culture. While people might know NGOs exist, the lack of personal connection creates invisible barriers. They don't see enough examples. They don't personally know anyone who engages with them. You start building an invisible, unspoken mental barricade of "a set of requirements" that you think you must satisfy to participate in charitable work. This set is a black box, and in reality, it is empty – there are no real requirements. It just transforms "anyone can do it" into "others who lead different lives must be doing it." The thought of "someone does it, but that someone isn't me" takes root. In my experience with animal volunteering in Delhi, I've seen countless people depend on volunteers to help their injured street pets, even though they themselves had the knowledge, finances, and care to help, because they simply feel that it is not their role.
My own journey into volunteering perfectly illustrates this point. I won't dive too deep into it here, but seeing the animal-friendly policies in my college, witnessing others' compassion towards coexisting with animals, and watching people feed or treat them on campus gave me the fundamental insight that these animals — which most of us assume exist independently — actually need significant help and compassion to survive. Growing up in an environment where animals were often viewed as mere pests to be shooed away and avoided, it took exposure to different perspectives to shift my mindset. Believe it or not, the fact that pets can be adopted instead of bought isn't common knowledge in developing countries. I learned this by accidentally encountering others who had adopted. Did I know about adoptions in developed countries? Yes, but there was still a mental barrier for me, at least a few years ago, in translating that practice to India. After I adopted a dog (check out my Instagram for pictures of my two beautiful adopted Indie/Desi street dogs and dozens of street pets), I accidentally connected with people who fed and treated community animals. Being in touch with them and observing their passion and efforts slowly transformed my mindset from "some volunteer needs to handle this case" to not even realizing when I started considering myself that volunteer. Without volunteering, the idea for my company, Relfeed, wouldn't have existed. I can't imagine a life where I wouldn't have stumbled upon these right people at every step. More people should have the opportunity to stumble onto positive influences. Role models matter, and visibility is crucial for education and awareness, especially in developing countries.
Some argue that publicizing good deeds diminishes their sincerity, but I challenge this notion. Here's the irony – if sharing volunteer work makes me appear self-promoting, isn't accepting that criticism in service of inspiring others actually more virtuous than staying quiet to protect my image? Doesn't staying quiet then become the selfish choice? (I'm not calling people who do good deeds quietly selfish, since no one really thinks this way.) What if someone isn't doing it for self-promotion but to catalyze change? When we hide good deeds out of fear of judgment, we rob the world of the chance to learn, grow, and replicate those efforts.
The argument against publicizing charitable work often focuses on concerns about virtue signaling and personal branding. But consider this: if powerful entities, people, and corporations effectively use PR to promote their agendas, and they won't stop, why shouldn't individuals share their stories to inspire and educate?
It feels absurd that merely the belief that it's for PR makes the work less sincere. Even if celebrities do it for PR, wouldn't that encourage many more people to follow in their footsteps? Even as an avid cricket follower, I was surprised to learn that cricket superstars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with their billion-plus fan following, are active in animal rights and volunteering. I didn't know that for years. Imagine the potential impact if their involvement was more widely known. When the volunteering or charity you're doing is controversial, which animal volunteering in the developing world often is, such affirmations alone go a long way in helping people pursue such paths and defend their choices.
In a world where social media amplifies carefully curated lifestyles, wouldn't it be more valuable to use these platforms to showcase meaningful contributions? People post about all sorts of things online to make themselves look better – whether it's their achievements on LinkedIn, their lifestyle on Instagram, or their thoughts on Twitter. If someone can share their workout routine and look more disciplined while inspiring others to exercise, why not share the same about their charity or volunteer work? We need to question why charity and volunteering are singled out as things that shouldn't be shared. People readily draw conclusions about others based on their appearance, possessions, or profession. Yet, isn't charitable work—a conscious choice to contribute to society—one of the most positive and inspiring activities we can share? Unlike inherited wealth or natural talents, volunteering represents a deliberate decision to make a difference. When we can sacrifice some of our money or time for charity or volunteer work, why not sacrifice a little bit of potential goodwill as well while talking about it to inspire and motivate others? Isn't that the most charitable thing to do? In an age where social media thrives on perfect pictures and curated lifestyles, wouldn't it be better to use those platforms to spread positivity and inspire? The fear of appearing insincere holds many back from discussing their contributions. But in a time when visibility shapes behavior, wouldn't it be better to channel attention toward meaningful efforts? Instead of posting that perfectly lit workout photo, why not share the story of a life saved or a community uplifted? The goal isn't vanity; it's spreading joy and positivity. Volunteering is rarely a solo effort—sharing these stories highlights collective achievement and encourages broader participation.
While various religious teachings advocate keeping charitable acts private, it's worth considering the historical context. Perhaps in times when giving was more commonplace and participation in religion was higher, those institutions effectively encouraged charity and publicity wasn't necessary. And maybe the teachings assumed things would stay that way. But in today's world, where charitable giving, which is also promoted in these teachings, isn't as ingrained in culture, we need to actively inspire and encourage others to contribute.
Even if someone wants or likes recognition for the good that they do, why is doing good while expecting something good in return from a higher power in this life or the next okay, but even the apparent expectation of recognition makes it deplorable?
The cultural preference for quiet charity often lacks rational foundation. Cultural preferences are often irrational. And rarely harmless. It's one of those unquestioned norms that becomes so ingrained it seems obvious. And we stop questioning them. Funnily enough, coming from a micro-culture where standing out and even bragging, for better or worse, is more acceptable has helped me challenge this assumption.
While privacy might be appropriate for politically or religiously motivated giving or where the cause is controversial, in most cases, given everything else remains equal, making charitable work public creates more positive impact.
If we don't hesitate to share our disagreements, both online and in real life, risking criticism, why should we shy away from sharing activities that might inspire others? Strangely, it's okay to share stuff online and be hated, but sharing something that we can be admired for has become taboo. The potential benefit of multiplying charitable impact far outweighs concerns about how sharing might be perceived.
In conclusion, if the primary argument against "being charitable in public" centers on how it is perceived negatively instead of how it influences the world, then is staying quiet for this reason the most charitable thing to do? In an era where visibility shapes behavior and social media influences actions, using these platforms to spread positivity and inspire meaningful contribution isn't just acceptable—it's essential for creating lasting social change, even at the cost of getting some hate. Even the people who dislike you for talking about your charity or volunteering might end up drawing some inspiration from you, albeit subconsciously, and might end up helping some cause.
The insight behind Relfeed actually came from my involvement in animal volunteering and other volunteer groups in India. Check out Relfeed's about-us page for some details.