Why would you do this then? You don’t know this old lady. Why would you care that she, or any other old lady has fallen over? Why would anyone but this old lady care?
I know you’ve got it set in your head that apathetic = badass, but at least stick with what you say.
As I’ve said so many times, helping people != charity. Charity involves fixing long term problems, either through fundings or time/effort. Helping people is just proper politeness.
Yes, I’ll help that woman get up out of politeness. But I won’t pay her medical bills. I won’t go to her house every day to take care of her. Her health problems are her problems, they’re none of my business and I shouldn’t sacrifice anything of my life in order to make her life better or more bearable.
And Sassyrobot, they might be fine now, but it won’t be a long term solution because you helped them solve their problems, they won’t have learned a thing, and it might not be now and it might not be in 5 years, but eventually things will go bad again and they’ll be back to square one, and you’ll be there again to solve their problems, rinse and repeat. And sure, there’s the equally big chance that their lives may be okay for the rest of their lives, and that’s all fun and stuff, but I don’t see why I, or anyone for that matter, should put some effort into something that might not have mattered at all.
And for Jebus’ sake, stop saying I’m making things up as I go, I read what you write and I pull my conclusions from that. Sure, those conclusions may be based on my believes and how those believes clash with your statements, but I’m not “making things up as I go”.
And hey, don’t blame me for using those brain scans as an argument against your “I don’t do this because it makes me happy”. Mattemuse said that our brain tells us we’re happy when we do charity. So if science is truly correct on that part, you’re doing charity because it makes you feel happy. If not, you’re a sociopath, according to science at least.
Because they failed before and didn’t learn from it, because they had others to fix their failure.
You are making things up as you go along. You keep changing your argument and your reasoning.
Why is helping an old lady up, and thereby “donating” a small amount of time and effort any different to giving a couple of coins to a charity, requiring even less time and effort and an insignificant amount of money?
Also, I gave you a dictionary definition of charity a few pages back, stop pulling this stuff out of your arse.
EDIT: Why does that mean they’ll end up in the same situation? You’re just stating opinion as fact, at least Cocojoe gave anecdotal evidence, you’re just saying it is because it is.
I’m changing my arguments? As far as I’m aware, my arguments are: “charity is pointless and people I don’t know nor care for don’t deserve my time and effort and money”. I haven’t changed any of that.
I’m just trying to figure out what makes you decide that charity will make a difference and how your sacrifice will make the lives of other people better.
And I can give you plenty of anecdotes about why I think charity fails, even from within my own family, I just don’t see why it would make a difference, because if I used an anecdote in here, you’ll just come in screaming that “my few personal experiences are in no way a solid argument for dissing charity in total”.
Uh, because that’s what happens?
For example, the schoolbuilding programs in africa make a huge difference. Having an education is an unbelievably huge deal for kids there, to the point where they’ll walk miles to get there. Whether they’ll end up as successful financiers is irrelevant: it adds a hell of a lot to their lives, makes them happy and gives them a place to get support. Money supports this. If I give money, it is supporting it, thereby contributing to the betterment of people’s lives.
This is only one example out of many.
Financial aid doesn’t always work due to corrupt governments, but the fact is, charity works.
The fact that you’re saying these ridiculous, groundless statements belies your total ignorance of pretty much every single topic we’ve covered in this thread.
Congrats.
You’re either stupendously stubborn or a troll.
charties here in the UK do a lot of work, theres the nspcc who give consuelling and care for abused childern, the rspca who take in homeless and quite frequently abused animals, cancer research which does what it says on the tin and offers support for cancer victims, help for heroes helps families who have lost someone through war, and comic/sport relief our big fundraisers help a lot of childern in war torn and poverty stricken countries and homeless and disabled kids here, so if these charties are worthless I think i’d lose the last bit of faith i have in humainty, so chairty yes all the way from me. going off subject a little here but it already saddens me how little people do for each other now a days, communitys have become closed off here in the uk, so i’d hate to think of a world with no charity as well
You think that’s worth it? I still consider it a waste of money, time and effort. What’s the point of having them strive for something they can not achieve anyway?
Why give someone education if they’re not going to put it to good use? Why keep someone alive when his life doesn’t contribute to anything at all, apart from emotional bonding with his family. Giving money so some kids in Africa can go to school is as useful as burning money.
And for each of your heartwarming stories in this thread, I have at least one story that is the complete opposite. Epic tales of how people wasted money and materials donated to them, tales of how people abused the good will of their friends and family to gain money for drugs and alcohol. Epic tales indeed.
But whatever, Sassyrobot and her bowl of soup will now reply to this that all their stories account for 99.9% of things related to charity and that my experiences are invalid.
Or maybe it’s just because I didn’t have a fucked up youth and don’t have a mental disorder, so I may not feel this urge to help others out of spite of my own past, even if I totally hate charity.
Now I know you’re just trolling.
See this attitude really to me is heartbreaking, for example if you was a kid whos parent was abusive to you, or if one of your parents was ill and you looked after them (Despite the fact your still 10), wouldnt you a) be grateful for whatever help “strangers”/chairty can offer you and b) don’t you believe that helping these individuals is worth your time or effort?
Everything might be rosey in your world but that doesnt mean you can’t help out those who need it most
And as for Africa and povety stricken countries if you haven’t been there and seen that despair for your self I really think you have no valid oppionon on it. They deserve a life as much as you and me
If you was, for example, unfairly attacked on the streets, wouldn’t you rely on the kindness of strangers? (And I don’t just mean during the attack but the aftermath as well)
Bolteh, after reading the lotta of your posts and statements here, I really think you’re disturbed and I won’t imagine you as a some kind of a “Helper” you’re good person in a way but you’re not a person that other people can put their trust or count on.
My family (and this includes me as well) is taking care of my brother who needs help in a daily basis. I do this because he’s family and I have an emotional bond with him. If I can make him happy, I’m happy.
Helping a kid on the other side of the world through charity won’t make me happy (hell, it won’t even make the kid happy because his life will still be messed up, despite the little bit of help he got from me). So why should I bother? The misery of someone I don’t know means as much to me as the happiness of someone I don’t know. Nothing at all.
I’ve been to Romania, and while it’s not Africa, it’s still a pisspoor country. Their suffering just made me realize and appreciate how good I have it. But it didn’t move me to participate in charity.
What good would their help be to me? I just got attacked on the streets… Them asking if I’m okay won’t change that fact. Unless you mean “knocked unconscious and laying half dead on the sidewalk”. Well in that case I’d be glad someone would call an ambulance, and I would do so as well, but once the ambulance arrives, I’ll bugger off and not care about that guy anymore.
People that know me can trust me.
And you don’t know what the fuck your talking about. My argument is based on almost 25 years observation from over 20 countries across this globe. You and mettemuse base your argument on conjecture drawn from an article that very basically outlines studies that prove morality is a function of the brain and not derived from some form of spirituality or higher thinking process. It at no point mentions nor proves that the majority of the population is neither selfless nor selfish. READ THE FUCKIN ARTICLE![/SIZE]
(I can use big letters too)
R.I.F
Reading
Is
Fundemental
Your right, some people wouldn’t know logic if it was their identical twin, and others just twist it to their need.
And now I’m done with you too.
And did you spend every hour of those twenty five years observing every single aspect of thousands of people’s lives? Did you follow the same person home? Watch this same person at work? Keep track of this same person’s bank accounts? Watch this same person when they were with friends? Watch this same person go on holiday?
LOL!
Wow! Really?
You can’t honestly be that dense? Whatever happened to that logic you regard so highly? Because it is definitely hit and miss with you.
Ok, let’s try this again, gather round class.
The Debate: Is the majority of the worlds population Selfless or Selfish by nature?
Rabbiddog Response: Selfish
Supporting Proof: 25 years of tangible observations of various cultures and races of people in various countries around the world.
[u]
Soup and mettmuse Response:[/u] Selfless
Supporting Proof: And educated guess based on a brief article that outlines how the moral decision making process is a physical/chemical function of the brain.
Conclusion: [facepalm]
So what your trying to tell me is that my 25 years of observation have no validity over your educated guess? Really? That’s your argument?
LMAO!
I guess there’s nothing left to say then.
It may be a bit cold, but it’s entirely true. The major design of Haitian buildings in populated areas is concrete roofed buildings with improperly supported walls. Improperly designed buildings that are top heavy are dangerous enough , and cause to many incidents as is. When built in an area near a major fault line it’s just downright crazy. The confusing part is that it’s not the cheapest design, despite it’s flaws. The thick concrete roofs that are the source of most of the collapse, are actually more expensive to fabricate than many other designs. The whole situation was a ticking time bomb.
I also chuckle when called a moron by you. The irony. It’s just too damned much! 
Depends on it: Who will receive the money before they give it to the people that need it?
Seriously, each time I donate some of my money I have a feeling the people that don’t deserve it receives it. So I don’t give to much because other people ruin it by taking it. And if that’s not the case, it’ll go to something they don’t need, like churches. I don’t really care about religion and all but they need more food and water then some building.
Maybe the people living there were too busy surviving on a day to day basis to worry about the construction or location of their homes?
So they don’t deserve help because their houses are built badly?
Way to answer my post, genius.
I have one thing to say to end this pointless arguement…
World War 2 - “Most of” the world united to aid others and to save millions of lives from a wicked dictator Hitler. A selfish man defeated by millions of selfless men
According to Goodwins Law reaching this point means the debate is now over
/thread
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive
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