"Something that Helps People"

Recently, I was talking about career choices with someone who said, "I wanted to do something that helps people." I've heard that phrase a lot over the years. I used to accept it uncritically, assuming that I knew what was meant. It sounded admirable, selfless, giving. Actually, I've now come to realize that the phrase "something that helps people," when applied to career choices is a pretty meaningless phrase and can actually have a rather sinister motive--regardless of the intentions of the speaker. Are we to assume that certain professions, like teaching, nursing, or social work, actually help people, and other professions somehow do not help people? If a person goes into business and actually makes a profit, is that somehow not as helpful to people as the person who is working for a nonprofit agency? Are certain businesses less helpful to the populace than other businesses? This whole idea of "doing something that helps people" is highly subjective. If a guy sells life insurance or paves parking lots, aren't those things helping people? If somebody sells cars or owns a restaurant, isn't that person helping people? In fact, isn't just about any job a way of helping somebody accomplish something worthwhile? Otherwise, you probably wouldn't get paid to do the job! The person who talks about wanting to "do something that helps people" may be hiding a kind of prejudice against certain businesses or professions, or suggesting--even if very subtly and almost unconsciously--that his motives are somehow superior to those of the construction worker or the banker or the owner of the grocery store who is doing honest work for a profit, or the developer who is planning a community in which people can live a certain pleasant kind of life. I think that the next time I hear somebody say that they want to do something that "helps people," i'll be tempted to ask, "And just what kind of career would be one that does *not help people?" I'd be interested to see what they would say!