Many of us think our individual actions can’t combat systemic problems. Vox's Rachel Cohen and Bowling Alone author Robert Putnam explain why volunteer work, no matter how small, can make a difference for you and for us all. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette and Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A volunteer serving a Thanksgiving meal at the Long Beach Rescue Mission. Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Episode
Rachel Cohen had decided that volunteering her time wasn't really worth her time.
I'm 32 years old, and I'd say really since I was in late high school, junior, senior year, I started to see volunteering as kind of pointless. It wasn't going to make a big difference on the things I cared about. It wasn't going to move the needle. So I just stopped doing it.
But then she changed her mind. And then that changed her life.
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Today Explained!
I'm Noelle King with Vox's Rachel Cohen. Rachel covers some of the most fraught topics in America. Abortion, child care, housing. Then earlier this year, she wrote a more personal essay that got a very big response. It was about how she changed her mind about volunteering. Rachel had grown to think it was kind of a useless thing to do. And then she came around in a big way.
Well, when I was growing up, I did volunteer. You know, I have these clear memories of bagging food at food pantries, of cleaning up parks. I actually asked my mom about this recently. Okay, Mom, fact check me. What do you remember of me volunteering growing up?
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