solutions that people forget about

so i'm well into the school year now... it's only midway through the second full week of classes and if you asked me about summer holidays i'd probably reply with a confused stare... anyway, today, i went to a seminar in which the participants had a discussion about solutions for the problem of "the inner city".
we all basically agreed that yes, the people themselves have to build up their own community... the question then was: how. how do we get people motivated? do we, "the other" - should we - get involved? if yes, how do we get involved? what should we do? if no, then do we just wait? and what are we waiting for? what will an "improved" inner city look like? then the question comes to mind: how will the people themselves, whom we know are trapped in a state of hopelessness, act on their desire to improve their lives? and if we believe as a society that humans are basically animals, then should we even care about "improving the lives of others"?
see, here's the basic problem with any kind of discussion at this level. if we are to deny the existence of God, of spirituality and of the nobility of the human spirit - all three of which are inseparable, as the existence of one demands the existence of the other two - then why are we concerned about improving our lives? without God our lives become a matter of survival, and for the duration of my life, i bet the situation in my town's inner city will not get bad enough to affect me.
now, personally, i do not agree with this standpoint. God does exist. every human being is created by God and therefore is noble, and so spirituality is just a matter of fact. humanity is one - so what affects anyone else, affects me. i've never really understood how in the social sciences we can ignore the interaction of the individual and the environment with each other. how is it possible that we know that a snow storm affects our pattern of life, and yet we do not understand that when someone stabs someone in front of my face, i'm going to be in shock for the rest of the day? it doesn't make any sense. we live in a society that boasts freedom of expression, and yet everywhere i turn, people are suppressing their emotions - their desire to do better, to help others, to reflect the qualities and attributes of God - such as love, justice, kindness, generosity...
anyway, the discussion was fruitless, of course. these seminars are designed only to help give students insight into the topic, and not actual experience and understanding. now, you tell me, how are we going to learn about the current plight of the first nations peoples in any region, without actually seeing their plight?
and that, dear reader, is our cream-of-the-crop education system. future leaders - i command you: ARISE!

whoops... i forgot, that doesn't even work in the wizarding world. even voldemort when to school and practiced.