Why should I care?

wilkie2006 · 20-02-2012 02:44PM

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

how much of the donated money is spent on those ads? wouldnt that money be better used on the people they are advertising for?

personally i don't donate to african charities cos very little of it actually makes it to africa. i prefer to support local charities.

I'm always amazed by this reaction to charities' expenditure on advertising. They're not blowing their money on nothing; advertising - as for any business - generates more net income for the charity than they'd receive without it. Charities are run by people with business acumen, not middle-aged aul ones who have a bit of time on their hands.

When I hear the excuse, "I don't donate because none of it goes to the people who need it" I always wonder whether this is just a specious argument to justify not giving anything...

davet82 · 20-02-2012 02:46PM

skregs wrote: »

Bomb Africa and India, wiping all human life from both.

World poverty = eradicted, raising the general health and thus increasing the long-term survival of the human race.

Prove me wrong, losers.

you forgot your emoticon...

here let me help you.... :P:P:P:P:P

please tell me you forgot your emoticon!!!!! :eek:

jester77 · 20-02-2012 02:53PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Why should i care that there are millions of staving people in Africa?

Why should i care that children are forced to work in sweatshops in China?

Why should i care that there are only a few thousand gorillas left in some part of the world?

My opinion: Why are there always ads on the telebox trying to make me feel guilty for something that is happening in another country on teh opposite side of the world which has no impact on the day to day running of my life? Why are they even allowed to advertise crap like this? (I know, money). I'm sick of seeing ads on every day advertising some poor souls in some third world country. I know there are millions being spent on overseas aid which would be better suited to be kept here at home.

Why do people think less of you if, and to quote Billy Connolly, "i care, not-a-jot"?

Of course you should care, imagine how much our iphones and lattes would cost if these kids were not slaving away for us :eek:

Potential-Monke · 20-02-2012 02:54PM

This is why AH is such a good place to be, you get a sense people really really feel for certain issues, and then there's the others who couldn't care less or despise the issue at hand (not necessarily this issue).

wilkie2006 wrote: »

For one fleeting moment I thought that maybe - just maybe - I'd underestimated the OP, who was actually trying to open a philosophical discourse, where the merits of Rousseau's Noble Savage could be contrasted with Hobbes's Natural State of Man. Having had a look at his recent comments - computer games, The Rubber Bandits and how $hit art house films are - I'm pretty sure that's not the case. In fact, I suspect you've never even heard of these men. Am I right? Probably.

You're right, i have never heard of them, and their names alone make me never want to read anything by them. If it's too philosophical, it bores me. But that's just me.

I'm pretty amazed by the original post, to be honest. I never thought I'd hear Mé féinism defined in such a caricatured way.

I do try

Why should anyone care about anyone else? How about: compassion; decency; a sense of outrage over Man's inhumanity to Man; an innate desire to see justice in the world; a recognition that widespread social and economic inequality isn't right just because "that's the way things are"...

Very good and valid points.

If people are satisfied not to give a fcuk about anyone else then that's their business but that short-sighted, parochial, selfish realm is not one that I wish to live in.

But i fear you may already live in one, or at least one in which there are people who think this way.

OP, perhaps you should take some time to reflect on Edmund Burke's words: "The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing."

I know that saying well (however, did not know the who the author was), and i do not sit back and do nothing. I donate to a charity which i know to be passing all possible donations on, and one close to me.

@davet82: I do change the channel. I started this thread to start a conversation/debate.

davet82 · 20-02-2012 02:58PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

@davet82: I do change the channel. I started this thread to start a conversation/debate.

meh... think i'll go look at another thread.... or i could start up a thread on how annoying this one is

Azureus · 20-02-2012 03:05PM

While I genuinely do care about world poverty etc, I do believe strongly in picking your battles. I used to do a lot of a certain third world charity, I then learned how much my boss was earning (and she was nowhere near the top of the ladder in the organization). I quit volunteering with them that same week.
Research where your money or efforts goes to ensure its going to the correct places, and endeavor to help, because who knows when we might need it! The tables of fortune can turn very quickly, as recent economics should have taught us.

Personally, I no longer give to charities to do with poverty or natural disasters etc because right now I can't afford to: I give to cancer research when I see them and volunteer with fundraising etc for a particular childrens charity close to me because thats whats important to me and charity starts at home...I realise that may seem somewhat of a contradiction but I'll be more selfless towards Africa and Haiti again when I have the resources

@OP:if a tsunami hit Ireland tomorrow, leaving you injured homeless without your friends or family, would you want help?

wilkie2006 · 20-02-2012 03:31PM

wilkie2006 wrote: »

If people are satisfied not to give a fcuk about anyone else then that's their business but that short-sighted, parochial, selfish realm is not one that I wish to live in.

Potential-Monke wrote: »

But i fear you may already live in one, or at least one in which there are people who think this way.

Broadly, we live in a world that worships at the alter of capitalism; that believes in nothing, only the religion of acquisition and the championing of consumerism. Fortunately, this doesn't pervade everyone's philosophical territory, however. We might live under one sky, but sometimes that's where the similarities end.

Stiffler2 · 20-02-2012 03:42PM

I agree with you OP, Europe would have been like that a long time ago but are good oul ancestors pulled out and upgraded their technologies.

I've heard many stories regarding hand outs to them.
They get something like 1 months worth of rations in rice and eat it in 1 day.
Then expect more the next day and so on.

Don't give em rice, give em rice seed, teach em how to grow it, etc...

I've often wondered how much it costs to air those ads regarding charities v's how many people could be fed with the same cost of said ad.

jaja321 · 20-02-2012 04:00PM

wilkie2006 wrote: »

I'm always amazed by this reaction to charities' expenditure on advertising. They're not blowing their money on nothing; advertising - as for any business - generates more net income for the charity than they'd receive without it. Charities are run by people with business acumen, not middle-aged aul ones who have a bit of time on their hands.

When I hear the excuse, "I don't donate because none of it goes to the people who need it" I always wonder whether this is just a specious argument to justify not giving anything...

Absolutely agree. On one hand people expect charities or aid organisations to implement professional programmes that demonstrate impact and efficiency, but on the other hand they are criticised if they employ professional methodologies and skilled staff

wilkie2006 · 20-02-2012 04:01PM

Stiffler2 wrote: »

I've heard many stories regarding hand outs to them.
They get something like 1 months worth of rations in rice and eat it in 1 day.

You're completely right, the Third World is full of greedy, profligate fools. All they want to do is party, party, party...

What an outrageously stupid statement to make! Are you seriously suggesting they just gorge themselves on whatever "hand outs" they get, the day they get them?! Have you ever done your week's shopping and eaten it in an hour? :rolleyes:

And who are these "sources" you've got?!

Stiffler2 wrote: »

Then expect more the next day and so on.

Yes, that's generally how people live. You eat something on a Monday, then you eat something else on a Tuesday, and - if you're feeling really greedy - you eat something on a Wednesday. The real gluttons amongst us keep this up our whole lives.

Stiffler2 wrote: »

I've often wondered how much it costs to air those ads regarding charities v's how many people could be fed with the same cost of said ad.

Does no one on this thread have any business nous? Charities are - and should be - run like companies. CEOs enjoy huge wages because they know how to run successful, profitable (in that the profits go to those people they're aiming to help) and efficient businesses. Regarding advertising, here's my earlier post:

wilkie2006 wrote: »

I'm always amazed by this reaction to charities' expenditure on advertising. They're not blowing their money on nothing; advertising - as for any business - generates more net income for the charity than they'd receive without it. Charities are run by people with business acumen, not middle-aged aul ones who have a bit of time on their hands.

V_Moth · 20-02-2012 05:15PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Why should i care that there are millions of staving people in Africa?

Why should i care that children are forced to work in sweatshops in China?

Why should i care that there are only a few thousand gorillas left in some part of the world?

My opinion: Why are there always ads on the telebox trying to make me feel guilty for something that is happening in another country on teh opposite side of the world which has no impact on the day to day running of my life? Why are they even allowed to advertise crap like this? (I know, money). I'm sick of seeing ads on every day advertising some poor souls in some third world country. I know there are millions being spent on overseas aid which would be better suited to be kept here at home.

Why do people think less of you if, and to quote Billy Connolly, "i care, not-a-jot"?

You have just demonstrated your awareness of the monkeysphere. Damn monkeys!

tbh · 20-02-2012 05:20PM

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Why should i care that there are millions of staving people in Africa?

Why should i care that children are forced to work in sweatshops in China?

Why should i care that there are only a few thousand gorillas left in some part of the world?

My opinion: Why are there always ads on the telebox trying to make me feel guilty for something that is happening in another country on teh opposite side of the world which has no impact on the day to day running of my life? Why are they even allowed to advertise crap like this? (I know, money). I'm sick of seeing ads on every day advertising some poor souls in some third world country. I know there are millions being spent on overseas aid which would be better suited to be kept here at home.

Why do people think less of you if, and to quote Billy Connolly, "i care, not-a-jot"?

because one day you might be in the ****, and you might depend on someone you don't know caring about what happens to you, and how you're treated. Even if your suffering doesn't affect them.

Why should I care?

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