Who gives a f****** about the children?

Slydice · 24-11-2011 01:11AM #1

We certainly don't look like we do...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZWZ6N-6tc

It struck me when I saw that video last month that 30,000 children died in 3 months because of the Famine in Africa.

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

I hadn't even noticed it before that video and haven't seen anything else happen about it on the news since.

The only thing on the wikipedia article is that Kenya invaded Somalia to save some western tourists. wow

Round of applause for us all and lets take a bow (Especialy you smart ass reply number 1).

Cill Dara Abu · 24-11-2011 01:12AM

TL;DR

Logical Fallacy · 24-11-2011 01:13AM

It's the human condition to care more about the things that affect us directly OP.

Besides, at this point in time i have been living with the fact that something is going terribly wrong somewhere in Africa for my entire life...as terrible as the suffering is it's a simple fact that the completely ineffectual methods through which people try and help are failing time and again because often times these countries own governments will do their best to make things worse.

Also, no offence, you seem to have found out about this particular issue now...yet you expect everyone else to already know? Seems a bit hypocritical.

Redlion · 24-11-2011 01:14AM

Well...what are you doing to aid the children?

DarkJager · 24-11-2011 01:14AM

Slydice wrote: »

We certainly don't look like we do...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZWZ6N-6tc

It struck me when I saw that video last month that 30,000 children died in 3 months because of the Famine in Africa.

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

I hadn't even noticed it before that video and haven't seen anything else happen about it on the news since.

The only thing on the wikipedia article is that Kenya invaded Somalia to save some western tourists. wow

Round of applause for us all and lets take a bow (Especialy you smart ass reply number 1).

Sorry to break it to you mr bleeding heart, but some people are dealing with too many personal and financial problems to be whipping out the tiny violins for everything bad that happens in the world.

Doc Ruby · 24-11-2011 01:15AM

Slydice wrote: »

We certainly don't look like we do...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZWZ6N-6tc

It struck me when I saw that video last month that 30,000 children died in 3 months because of the Famine in Africa.

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

I hadn't even noticed it before that video and haven't seen anything else happen about it on the news since.

The only thing on the wikipedia article is that Kenya invaded Somalia to save some western tourists. wow

Round of applause for us all and lets take a bow (Especialy you smart ass reply number 1).

Best thing we could do to stop famine in Africa is invade the place and get rid of the corrupt dictators diverting food aid. Is that your master plan you warmongerer?

Besides who's this we, you mean Ireland noted for its charitable donations or western Europe or where.

Freddie59 · 24-11-2011 01:16AM

Slydice wrote: »

We certainly don't look like we do...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYZWZ6N-6tc

It struck me when I saw that video last month that 30,000 children died in 3 months because of the Famine in Africa.

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

I hadn't even noticed it before that video and haven't seen anything else happen about it on the news since.

The only thing on the wikipedia article is that Kenya invaded Somalia to save some western tourists. wow

Round of applause for us all and lets take a bow (Especialy you smart ass reply number 1).

Africa is a tragedy. Yet, Ireland is to BORROW €850m (even though we're up to our tits) to donate next year to overseas relief.

Africa has been torn apart by war, tyrants, etc and much of its misery is of its own making. And yet you expect the West to continually bail it out, when, allegedly, only 25% of all aid donated gets through, with much of it being hijacked to fund wars? Get real man.

carfiosaoorl · 24-11-2011 01:19AM

For the size of our country I think we give plenty of aid to other countries. How much more would you like us to give? If anything I think that we forget that charity begins at home. We are way more inclined to send money abroad than to help people in need in this country.

Dudess · 24-11-2011 01:22AM

I don't believe charity should begin at home, only where it's needed - but yeah, ireland is a charitable nation, and I don't get this blanket condemnation of us every so often for whatever reason, by someone who is also one of us.

Latchy · 24-11-2011 01:22AM

I hate these fcuking thread that seem to only exist so the OP can go on a moral agenda rant about the horrors of Africa , as if we don't see it and not reminded of it everyday...like were do you think we all live OP , on the fcuking moon or something ? :mad:

DjFlin · 24-11-2011 01:24AM

OP,

If you care so much, why not sell the computer your using to post on boards with, and cancel your broadband. You could probably get a few quid for all your clothes, you only really need one pair of everything anyway.

Then you can give the money you save to the children, since your heart bleeds so much for them.

fro9etb8j5qsl2 · 24-11-2011 01:26AM

I'm still trying to figure out which 7 letter f word would fit in the title without making it sound pedophillic...

Jesus Shaves · 24-11-2011 01:26AM

Slydice wrote: »

We certainly don't look like we do...

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

How can I afford to give my monies to charity and go out 4 nights a week?

du Maurier · 24-11-2011 01:28AM

I'm a bit confused about the syntax in the f******. Should it not be 'Who gives a f*** about the children?'?

DarkJager · 24-11-2011 01:30AM

Kye Teeny Amputee wrote: »

I'm still trying to figure out which 7 letter f word would fit in the title without making it sound pedophillic...

Fapping???

starbelgrade · 24-11-2011 01:34AM

Overpaid actors on soapboxes moaning about things they know little about.

Please fuck off.

PrincessLola · 24-11-2011 01:35AM

Its sympathy fatigue OP. people can only hear so much about something before they just block it out.

Why is Africa such a mess anyway? All our lives we've been told Africa needs our help, but our charity doesn't seem to be working. Its gonna take more than charity to sort that place out imo.

PS, get off your moral high-horse or GTFO.

Wibbs · 24-11-2011 01:39AM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

It's the human condition to care more about the things that affect us directly OP.

Besides, at this point in time i have been living with the fact that something is going terribly wrong somewhere in Africa for my entire life...as terrible as the suffering is it's a simple fact that the completely ineffectual methods through which people try and help are failing time and again because often times these countries own governments will do their best to make things worse.

Also, no offence, you seem to have found out about this particular issue now...yet you expect everyone else to already know? Seems a bit hypocritical.

+1000 I've been living with something "going terribly wrong somewhere in Africa" for even longer than Logical Fallacy. A couple of decades longer. Hell I even remember pre culturally sensitive stuff like "penny for the black babies". I kid thee not gentle reader. Year after year Trocaire boxes were made and filled by kids happy to be avoiding Irish/French/History class, Band Aid came and went, Bono swanned in and out on his stacked heels and even more stacked ego, debts were crossed off, hands were wringed and year after year fcuk all changed and still fcuk all has changed. It's like the perpetual motion of charity.

I have to be brutally honest here and trust me I really never thought I'd be this jaded*, but now I really have pretty much given up on the whole thing. To the degree when the usual images of African kids with fly blown eyes come on screen overlaid by some emotive hand wringing actor who thinks charity is something to be bought and sold for their profile I think fcuk off and change the channel as fast as my fingers on the remote can carry me.

How much more can be done? The world needs to try something different, because clearly what's been tried doesn't work or if it does, only on a temporary basis, just enough for the TV crews to show new wells and prefab houses, so we can all feel a little better for sending the pennies to the "black babies". Bollocks I say.

Freddie59 wrote: »

Africa is a tragedy. Yet, Ireland is to BORROW €850m (even though we're up to our tits) to donate next year to overseas relief.

This in such a big way. Imagine a person. A person who has lost their job, is on the dole and can't make their mortgage payments. Imagine this person went to their accountant and said accountant found they had a direct debit on their account for charity. Worse had actually taken out a loan to pay it. That person would be in need of a shrink not an accountant. It's beyond moronic.

*In my time I've raised thousands of punts and then euros towards various African crises.

DarkJager · 24-11-2011 01:44AM

Absolutely 100% agree with Wibbs and PrincessLola. As far back as I can remember we are being asked to give money for Africa. You can't turn on the tv without seeing children covered in flies and voiceovers tellings us how bad off they are. Everything that could be done has been done to help them but it never ever ends. Where the **** is all this money gone to? Are we expected to keep throwing hand over fist of cash on to collection boxes until we die, at which stage it will just keep going and going?

I'm the same as Wibbs though, I see these campaigns and I switch them off. I'm ****ing tired of being guilt tripped by bleeding hearts and I simply don't care anymore. I have enough problems of my own than throwing my cash in to the never ending well of charity.

Latchy · 24-11-2011 01:47AM

What OP probably doesn't realise is that his '' sarcastic only thinking about the dole , rent, '' etc rant is about 30 years out of date and many thousends of people always have and always will help Africa ,even when they have been browbeated enough about it but they sure don't need to have their intelligence insulted by having some B or C celeb remind them off it when they have been doing it for years anyway and not just Africa but closer to home to .

zyxwvu · 24-11-2011 01:49AM

"Famine is man-made".. from that video.

Correct, too many humans having too many kids in too harsh an environment. Also, dire poverty is the natural state of life... we're just lucky that the western world have risen above it..

Wibbs · 24-11-2011 01:49AM

We have an unpopular opinions thread ongoing here and if I were to wade in on that with what I feel should be "done" with certain areas in that continent I reckon I'd warrant the thread title. I do stipulate certain parts of Africa. Many places are doing quite well thanks very much, but others are cartoonish and horrific examples of fcuked up states and cultures.

starbelgrade · 24-11-2011 02:00AM

If anyone thinks that giving aid or charity to African countries actually helps, then you gotta ask yourself this question... why - when aid to these countries increases, does hunger, poverty & death increase at a parallel rate?

It doesn't take a genius to work out that foreign aid to these countries simply doesn't work, and a much more fundamental, radical change is needed.

Scruffles · 24-11-2011 02:10AM

Kye Teeny Amputee wrote: »

I'm still trying to figure out which 7 letter f word would fit in the title without making it sound pedophillic...

who gives a factory about the children?
-coud be a child producing factory,perhaps?
who gives a fiction about the children?
-that coud be refering to a fiction written about children, tsk OP coud be being purely innocent of swearing for all we know.

personaly do not have a factory to give them,nor a fiction,
but if by a miracle ever had any spare money itd be going towards animals as people get alot more support than animals do in poor countries.

there are some charities and charitible people who save up their own money along with recieving donations to send donated things like clothes,shoes,toys etc directly to people in african vilages so it does not meet a grizzly end at the hand of gov.corruption.
have got a support staff who does this,and have got a lot of stuff held back for when she can afford the next shipping.
when she has gone there on holiday she has left her own suitcase and clothes all behind and said she can afford to get new things in a few months whereas they cant,she doesnt ever expect anyone to donate though she just puts everyone before herself.

apparently underwear is a big shortage there,perhaps if people do ever feel like doing something then donating items not needed anymore to a proper charity that gives the goods directly [not those that pretend to be a charity but are actualy taking advantage of the people they claim to help].

Hank_Jones · 24-11-2011 02:11AM

I live in a country in which I, as a younger element of that society,
will most likely spend my life paying for the mistakes of the older generations.

I really feel for the people younger than me that literally nothing to do with our economic collapse,
but will have to suffer horribly in terms of taxes and charges.

Insert WWII reference here:

Johro · 24-11-2011 02:17AM

I've been donating money for famine victims for years now, through direct debits to Concern and Save the Children, and as far as I can see it's money well spent. What does annoy me is that once you're on their register you get letters from every charity going looking for money, I try my best for most of them (though avoid the godbothering ones). I've also sold raffle tickets for the likes of Chernobyl Children, Beaumont Hospital and Ormonde St. children's hospital, (they need money too) though I've declined this year when they contacted me because you can only go so far before your family and friends start thinking 'oh f#ck here he comes again', and none of us are rolling in it.
What's also annoying to me is that it seems to be always the people who don't have much that give the most, I just wish people like Bono, instead of his fucking lecturing and pontificating, would put his money where his mouth is.
I find it hard to watch the images of starving babies, I remember vividly last years appeal when they showed a father who, after walking for days to reach a clinic, had to choose which of his two children to save as they only had food and meds for one. I'm aware of the fact that most of peoples everyday problems don't really compare. I'm also aware that not everyone can afford to give, that people have their own immediate problems to deal with too, and that the situation seems pretty hopeless.
It's hopeless until there's a real political will to stop this. This problem has been around for ever, but there are solutions if the will is there. For example, if the world's powerful nations stopped spending on arms for a week and spent it on famine relief instead, it would stop hunger. It's high f#cking time we all copped on, coz it's shameful that children are dying through lack of food on one side of the world and on the other are obese.

LighterGuy · 24-11-2011 02:40AM

Slydice wrote: »

But since then, what the **** did we care? Nah **** it, we give a **** about our taxes... we care about our dole... we want our rent paid... and then the price of getting locked on booze?

People dont care op. Its sad, its wrong. But people only care about themselves and a handful of certain people in their lives (family, wife, husband etc)
But I can understand people not caring. 'Cause this world is a hard place. But I cant accept people bullsh*tting on while still not caring. Eg, "its terrible whats going on!" etc etc etc. But wont do anything to help. You are on either side in life. I cant respect someone who wants to appear to be playing for one side, but really is on the other. And thats all these types of topics get. Bullsh*t empathy.

Johro · 24-11-2011 02:43AM

Wibbs wrote: »

We have an unpopular opinions thread ongoing here and if I were to wade in on that with what I feel should be "done" with certain areas in that continent I reckon I'd warrant the thread title. I do stipulate certain parts of Africa. Many places are doing quite well thanks very much, but others are cartoonish and horrific examples of fcuked up states and cultures.

True. Places like Rwanda and the Congo, fucked up largely through the after effects of colonialism. Somalia looks like hell on earth. There have to be solutions though..
Again it's down to political will. Maybe there's not enough oil there.

Jesus Shaves · 24-11-2011 02:45AM

Johro wrote: »

I've been donating money for famine victims for years now, through direct debits to Concern and Save the Children, and as far as I can see it's money well spent.

After all deductions have been taken from the monies very little of it gets used for its purpose

ASOT · 24-11-2011 02:51AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo

Johro · 24-11-2011 02:52AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

If anyone thinks that giving aid or charity to African countries actually helps, then you gotta ask yourself this question... why - when aid to these countries increases, does hunger, poverty & death increase at a parallel rate?

It doesn't take a genius to work out that foreign aid to these countries simply doesn't work, and a much more fundamental, radical change is needed.

Sure. What though? Coz in the meantime, while we work it out, or not, or pretend to, or ignore it, children are dying. I don't see anything wrong with finding a useful charitable organisation who you know do good work that actually helps these people even in a small way, and give them like, a fiver a month. Everybody can afford that. Money goes so far over there. If it saves one child it's f#ckin worth it ain't it?

Who gives a f****** about the children?

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