[Chlomc]

Do you think that due to the sheer amount of adverts we see on the TV, Posters, The internet and the radio have meant that horrific scenes of sufferening just doesnt bother us anymore? It's no longer a shock to see images of a starving child from Africa. The only effect this now has on us is a moment of saddness then we continue wasting money on unessary items which could save lives

I recently read an article on how the duchess of cambrige has spent 35,000 on clothes this year so far. If she had only spent half that much and gave the other half to water aid 1167 people would then have access to a lasting supply of safe water. Something we we take for granted.

Personally I think this is wrong and disgusting, i understand that as duchess of Cambridge she must present herself in the right way but if she continues at this rate she would have spent 70,000 on clothes in one year.

That's just an extreme example, but it happens with most people. I know times are hard but if people came together and ACTED after seeing how shocking life can be a difference could be made! Surely each person could let a pound go each year to a good and worthwhile cause instead of fluttering it away on things they don't need. Theres a population of 62,218,761 in britain and a population of 311,591,917 in the usa. That would be £373,810,678 a real difference!

I seriously don't know how people can think a pair of new jeans is worth more than something which could save a life. (I know not everyone is like this)

In his darkroom he is finally alone

with spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.

The only light is red and softly glows,

as though this were a church and he

a priest preparing to intone a mass.

Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.

He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays

beneath his hands which did not tremble then

though seem to now. Rural England. Home again

to ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,

to fields which don't explode beneath the feet

of running children in a nightmare heat.

Something is happening. A stranger's features

faintly start to twist before his eyes,

a half formed ghost. He remembers the cries

of this man's wife, how he sought approval

without words to do what someone must

and how the blood stained into foreign dust.

A hundred agonies in black-and-white

from which his editor will pick out five or six

for Sunday's supplement. The reader's eyeballs prick

with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.

From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where

he earns his living and they do not care. - carol anne duffy

Whats your opinion on this? Do you think its right that people waste money on things that aren't needed instead of saving lives? I'm not saying that people should give EVERY spare bit of money they have to charity just anything from as little as a pound a year would make a huge difference! What will it take for people to understand the seriousness of this problem?

[Giant]

Haha, not completely relevant, but I had to study that poem this year - War Photographer - and now when I look at it all that goes through my head is stuff like caesura, enjambment, irregular rhyme, etc.

[No Man]

And what are you and your parents doing with your money OP?

[Fynch101]

You do realise throwing money/investment at poor nations doesn't solve their problems, right?

[Bill_Gates]

Playing online on call of duty = hell yes!

[sconter]

in roman times people watched people kill each other for fun

people being hanged in the street was a public event back in the day.

torture was normal, and capital puniment wasnt looked down on..


No.. i dont think our modern society is desensitized, people just like to sensationalise things and act as though things a bad now.


we are physically incapable of caring about people in africa dying. you can say you care, but you dont in the slightest because u cant. saying 1000000000000 people died os starvation last year means nothing to you. you cant feel any empathy or even sympathy because its just words. we have no mechanism to care because in our evolutionary history there has never been a need for it.

why do u think all those adverts have cute kids with big eyes, so you associate cute kids with the charity and death. without any association you cant care you've never met any of them for all you know there are no people in africa it is all made up, the only thing you care about are yourself and people around you.

no we are not desensitized. the princes trust does alot of good work, and the royal's money is theirs to spend how they wish.

gtfo.

[chickenonsteroids]

tbh I don't think we get enough of the good times.

What do you want from people? To start crying every time they read a newspaper article? Or to give up all of their wealth just so they can do a good deed? What do you expect? People are very generous, you'd be surprised if you look for it.

Of course people could do more to help others. Everyone can. Peter Singer wrote an essay on the issues of giving to those that are less fortunate than us. But throwing money at problems doesn't solve them straight away, does it? The more you focus on how ****ty the world is, the more you'll dislike the world and stop appreciating what is actually good.

You can't expect people to feel bad all the time. That isn't helpful. Yes giving to the less fortunate will always help but complaining that people are desensitised to issues regarding suffering doesn't really help either imo.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by No Man)
And what are you and your parents doing with your money OP?

I admit i don't go out of my way to raise/donate money like i used to when i was younger ( I used to hold many raffles, carol sing, knock on peoples doors and play the clarinet, sell home grown tomatoes/hand made bead bracelets ) but when I see things like cake sales for charity ill buy a few even when i think they're disgusting :L Ill always sponsor my friend if they do runs for charities and buy stuff from charity shops. What about yourself?

[Chlomc]

(Original post by Fynch101)
You do realise throwing money/investment at poor nations doesn't solve their problems, right?

I never implied that. What i'm saying that money can help with their problems. In the example i gave giving people access to clean water SOLVES the problem of adults and children getting seriously ill or dying from drinking dirty water does it not? And how do they get access to this clean water? Through MONEY we give to charities such as water aid.

[sconter]

(Original post by Chlomc)
I admit i don't go out of my way to raise/donate money like i used to when i was younger ( I used to hold many raffles, carol sing, knock on peoples doors and play the clarinet, sell home grown tomatoes/hand made bead bracelets ) but when I see things like cake sales for charity ill buy a few even when i think they're disgusting :L Ill always sponsor my friend if they do runs for charities and buy stuff from charity shops. What about yourself?

insted of negging me because i disagree with you, respond.

[word2yamother]

A lot of charities are bogus and the money donated usually never ends up to the starving kids. Its also very hypocritical of the western media to try and make us feel sympathy yet the western governments exploit these poor nations. The best way you can help the people in poor nations is by either going there and handing out the charity yourself or by supporting fair trade products.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by sconter)
in roman times people watched people kill each other for fun

people being hanged in the street was a public event back in the day.

torture was normal, and capital puniment wasnt looked down on..


No.. i dont think our modern society is desensitized, people just like to sensationalise things and act as though things a bad now.


we are physically incapable of caring about people in africa dying. you can say you care, but you dont in the slightest because u cant. saying 1000000000000 people died os starvation last year means nothing to you. you cant feel any empathy or even sympathy because its just words. we have no mechanism to care because in our evolutionary history there has never been a need for it.

why do u think all those adverts have cute kids with big eyes, so you associate cute kids with the charity and death. without any association you cant care you've never met any of them for all you know there are no people in africa it is all made up, the only thing you care about are yourself and people around you.

no we are not desensitized. the princes trust does alot of good work, and the royal's money is theirs to spend how they wish.

gtfo.

Firstly don't you dare tell me what i can and what i cant be able to care about.
Secondly sympathy isn't just a word, it is actually an emotion that most member of the human race understands/feels. The few that don't are most like spoiled and selfish and only gives a damn about themselves.
Lastly how can think seriously malnourished children is cute?!

[Fynch101]

(Original post by Chlomc)
I never implied that. What i'm saying that money can help with their problems. In the example i gave giving people access to clean water SOLVES the problem of adults and children getting seriously ill or dying from drinking dirty water does it not? And how do they get access to this clean water? Through MONEY we give to charities such as water aid.

Money can help, but it can also make the situation much much worse. Leave Africans alone - it will be much better for their future if they develop they way they see fit.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by Fynch101)
Money can help, but it can also make the situation much much worse. Leave Africans alone - it will be much better for their future if they develop they way they see fit.

I'm not talking about Africans, I was talking about water aide which doesn't just help people in Africa... Give me and example on when a charity has ever made things then if that's true!

I actually can't believe your suggesting to just take away support from a nation that's in desperate need of it. What do you honestly think would happen if the help that's being given to Africa was taken away so that they were "left alone"? That suddenly they'd have enough food, suddenly homes for the homeless would appear? They NEED the support that's given to them.

[sconter]

(Original post by Chlomc)
Firstly don't you dare tell me what i can and what i cant be able to care about.
Secondly sympathy isn't just a word, it is actually an emotion that most member of the human race understands/feels. The few that don't are most like spoiled and selfish and only gives a damn about themselves.
Lastly how can think seriously malnourished children is cute?!

why dont i dare, you dont care.

i know full well what sympathy is, and i know you dont care. you can think 'aww **** people are dying' but you dont care, you literally couldnt give two ****s. as you said, you did charity work as a kid so your parents have brought you up to believe charity work is good. you are misunderstanding your sense of duty, that is nurtured into you by your parents, as some inherent 'i really actually care about my fellow man'.

caring about someone you've met is a human emotion, not a picture on the tv or a word in paper. you can tell yourself that you are better than everyone else cos you give money, but since you have no emotional connection you are no better, you are throwing money at something to repent from the fact you wear clothes that were made for 40p, that everyone says its bad and you should care. the media constantly remeinds you that you have so much while others are starving, so you chuck a fiver at it so you can take the moral high ground.

if you cared about it you'd get actively involved instead of throwing money at it.

there are people living on the street of your own country, people who have children but can't afford food there are people with diseases that are incurable. give money to those causes that are actually going to benefit people rather than the 5p per pouind that maks it to africa.

giving to charity is fine, but realise that you arent diing it because you are nice or because you care, you are doing it in a selfish way. better than most selfish things, atleast people are benefiting though.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by sconter)
why dont i dare, you dont care.

i know full well what sympathy is, and i know you dont care. you can think 'aww **** people are dying' but you dont care, you literally couldnt give two ****s. as you said, you did charity work as a kid so your parents have brought you up to believe charity work is good. you are misunderstanding your sense of duty, that is nurtured into you by your parents, as some inherent 'i really actually care about my fellow man'.

caring about someone you've met is a human emotion, not a picture on the tv or a word in paper. you can tell yourself that you are better than everyone else cos you give money, but since you have no emotional connection you are no better, you are throwing money at something to repent from the fact you wear clothes that were made for 40p, that everyone says its bad and you should care. the media constantly remeinds you that you have so much while others are starving, so you chuck a fiver at it so you can take the moral high ground.

if you cared about it you'd get actively involved instead of throwing money at it.

there are people living on the street of your own country, people who have children but can't afford food there are people with diseases that are incurable. give money to those causes that are actually going to benefit people rather than the 5p per pouind that maks it to africa.

giving to charity is fine, but realise that you arent diing it because you are nice or because you care, you are doing it in a selfish way. better than most selfish things, atleast people are benefiting though.

My parents have never raised me to believe that charity giving is a duty, I did it off my own accord. As I do in fact care no matter how much you think that's impossible and Im not going to argue about this with you as I know my own emotions and you do not.

Also with the reference to people in need here, that was included in my question. Im not singling out developing countries as the only place we should give charity to. Just the example i gave was linked to them. I attend the great south run every year to support and sponcer people for things such as cystic fibrosis and cancer reasearch.

Selfish? I dont think so. I feel happy when I know that I've helped improve peoples lives, i don't think that's selfishness at all.

Selfishness = regardless of others

Giving to charity regards others so no it's not. Although i agree with the point you made. Many people give to charity to make themselves look good, i don't consider myself to be like that.

[sconter]

(Original post by Chlomc)
My parents have never raised me to believe that charity giving is a duty, I did it off my own accord. As I do in fact care no matter how much you think that's impossible and Im not going to argue about this with you as I know my own emotions and you do not.

it isnt something to be argued, you arent special, you dont care.

Also with the reference to people in need here, that was included in my question. Im not singling out developing countries as the only place we should give charity to. Just the example i gave was linked to them. I attend the great south run every year to support and sponcer people for things such as cystic fibrosis and cancer reasearch.

good for you, do you notice how you needed to tell me that, charity is to do something to help someone else. yet you feel an overwhelming urge tell the world that you do this or do that because you are so great. good for you though you are helping a good cause.

Selfish? I dont think so. I feel happy when I know that I've helped improve peoples lives, i don't think that's selfishness at all.

Selfishness = regardless of others

Giving to charity regards others so no it's not. Although i agree with the point you made. Many people give to charity to make themselves look good, i don't consider myself to be like that.

you are missing the point, which the majority of people do. the result is irrelevant, yet is the thing people dwell on. just because the net result is helping people doesnt make an action any less selfish, it is the intent that matters.

[Chlomc]

(Original post by sconter)
it isnt something to be argued, you arent special, you dont care.

good for you, do you notice how you needed to tell me that, charity is to do something to help someone else. yet you feel an overwhelming urge tell the world that you do this or do that because you are so great. good for you though you are helping a good cause.


you are missing the point, which the majority of people do. the result is irrelevant, yet is the thing people dwell on. just because the net result is helping people doesnt make an action any less selfish, it is the intent that matters.

Im not boasting about it, it was simply replying to you saying why dont you help people in your own country and i was giving you examples of how i do. If i wanted to tell the world i would have stated that in the original post. it's only because you asked that question that i replied. Also i'm not going to argue with you any longer on this as i can tell by your recent posts and you rep rating that you having nothing better to do than argue whenever you can which im not really interested in. I know my view on this and you know yours neither will change. I respect you for having your own opinion and putting your view acrross but this is pointless.
So have a nice evening

[sconter]

(Original post by Chlomc)
Im not boasting about it, it was simply replying to you saying why dont you help people in your own country and i was giving you examples of how i do. If i wanted to tell the world i would have stated that in the original post. it's only because you asked that question that i replied. Also i'm not going to argue with you any longer on this as i can tell by your recent posts and you rep rating that you having nothing better to do than argue whenever you can which im not really interested in. I know my view on this and you know yours neither will change. I respect you for having your own opinion and putting your view acrross but this is pointless.
So have a nice evening

and yet my post has more reps than yours.

ignorance is bliss, keep pretending you are special and ignoring the truth.

[Rhadamanthus]

I can't answer this, but I can write a lengthy essay on the Duffy poem you cited.