 Charity in the Hustle and Bustle of Neopia
by bunnie_swan
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I have had my pet, SirHopsilot for a while. We have spent groggy hours of the wee morning with bags under our eyes combing the arcade room for a game we haven’t played yet and lost countless Neopoints playing the stock market because, frankly... SirHopsilot, um yes, doesn’t know how to invest. And like many Neopians I love my community and have my fair number of plushies stuffed away in my Neohome. But something has changed about Neopia Central recently; it has been such a small change none of us have noticed and many of us were too busy to care. Now, when I am walking through the street with my four pets, holding hands so it is safe, we are pushed to the side or told to move out of the way. When I brought Lisa to school the other day I saw little pets pushing and fighting. This indeed was not the world it once was.
What has happened? I asked myself as I counted out my large billfold of NP and decided which shop to go to next. I looked around me and realized that all I could see for miles around me were shops! As I walked down Main Street, different members were shoving pages into my hands that told me the secret way to earn millions on Neopets, and I saw people walking into the pound with one crying pet and leaving with another. The real realization point came to me when a new person to Neopia, who had foolishly gambled all their money away on Scorchy Slots, came up to me to ask me for NP. All I could do toward this was shiver and tell the person very abruptly, “Go to the Soup Kitchen and leave us, who have earned our NP, alone!”
When the person had left, scrambling to the Soup Kitchen to feed his poor emaciated Blumaroo, I thought to myself, why was I so rude to him? Couldn’t that pet be my pet? This is not a new idea. I am sure many Neopians have had this epiphany, but what has been done about it? I, like many Neopians have realized what has changed about Neopia is the sense of community. I realized that I didn’t talk to people any more! I didn’t sit at cafes like the old days and shoot the breeze with whoever sat next to me. Or did I ever mail any of my old Neofriends to see how they were? In fact I shrank away when ‘Newbies’ came up to me asking to be friends as, Pfaw! Who would want to be friends with a Newb?
Well, those days are over and like I have done many times in different ways before, I am turning over a new Neopian leaf. How, you might ask? Simple. Random Acts of Kindness (RaKs). YES! Another idea that is not new blah, blah, blah. Well, you know what? Even if this idea isn’t new, the majority of Neopians haven’t fully embraced it and I think it is time we should. A RaK is something you do for another Neopian, not expecting anything in return. It is taking time out of playing Pterattack or watching a match in the Battledome to help out someone who needs it, whether that is a Newbie or someone who has been playing for 6 odd years. RaKs can be anything and in no way have to involve money. You could:
1. Give some advice for a person.
2. Adopt pets that have been thrown to the pound and train them or paint them so that a new owner will pick them out.
3. Give food and NP to the Money Tree. The best part about this is you don’t know who gets the food and it is always a happy surprise for someone when they get something nice.
4. Take some time to chat with someone who wants a new friend. This may seem tedious to some, but you meet some of the greatest people on Neopets this way and you make someone and their pets feel welcome.
5. Create guides etc. for people who just don’t know what to do and where to go.
6. Spread the word about RaKs; the more people who know the more people are likely to help!
7. Talk to your Neofriends and keep in touch.
I have spoken to many Neopians about this subject. Many have agreed and many of them have laughed in my face. I have stood in Meridell on a soap box, my pets handing out pamphlets and been pelted with rotten fruit (of course this maybe because of my horrible speaking voice). But this idea will work, for the simple fact that I am not the only one. I know deep down inside everyone wants to make Neopia a better place for themselves and their pets. Not only this but everyone must want Neopia to reconnect well, put down their buckets of Neopoints, and just enjoy the community!
Still not convinced? Have questions? Here are some ...fans questions... I got whilst in the Lost Desert... also being pelted with rotten fruit:
The Outraged Owner: “No one here cares about me. Why should I care about them?”
Answer: Well why do you think they don’t care about you?
The Angry Aisha: “Yeah right! Who cares?”
Answer: I do and so do a lot of other Neopians
The Blustering Bruce: “What makes you feel like you are so different? Stop tooting your horn! Lots of people have tried this!”
Answer: Okay... that wasn’t a question but I will answer anyway: I’m no different than anyone else; I just want to rally people like me.
The Angry Owner: Why should I spend my hard earned NP on people I don’t even know?
Answer: Because you can always get more and you will make some new friends.
The Scary Skeith: “What will it take to make you be quiet! Do I need to eat your pets?”
Answer: Okay! Question time over... Lisa, Flobular, Sir, get going right now!!!
Many people say that just one person, going on and on about change, cannot turn all the hearts of Neopia. However, if one Neopian, a hardened 'No-frills! No-charity!' Neopian can change, all people can change.
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