Do you feel bad about "the starving kids in Africa" ?

[DeltaEdge]

I think it sucks that they have it so bad and that they were born into it with no choice in the matter. Do I feel bad for them, yes, that's just me being sympathetic. But do I feel bad about them in a near guilty sort of way, no. As sad as their circumstances are, I am not the one who gave them this poor life, nor am I responsible for them. If I really cared about them, then I would be donating every single extra cent that I don't need to survive, to give to them and lower my standard of living to the point that I am living off of ramen noodles inside of a shack or beg to stay with my parents in the basement, to make sure that I am doing absolutely everything that I can to help them. We also have people who have it bad over here. I would probably donate to the people over here who need it before I send the money overseas to a child who needs it unless their circumstances were so dire, that they will die and I actually know that my money will directly save their lives.
Frankly, I might care enough to donate some money eventually, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't choose to buy a video game over donating to them. We all do the same, we don't spend every waking our giving, and we make a choice not to give and use the money on ourselves when it could be going towards them. If someone decided to ridicule me for helping both myself and them, then I would probably stop giving altogether because apparently giving some isn't enough if we still have more to give.

 

[Right Hook]

My questions for you are:
Do you care about the starving kids in Africa? Why?
Do you actually do anything about it? Why?

I feel bad about "the starving kids in Africa". I feel bad about people suffering in general, I suppose those African kids are just the standard answer but I feel bad for anyone who is suffering due to a lack that could be filled. I may not be the person suffering but I like to believe that in some way all humanity is connected, whether you realize it or not, when one suffers we all suffer, it is at least a mentality I wish more would consider.

As for what I do about it...not much, not much. I'm not really in much of a position to do a damn thing, I guess I could donate my five dollars to some random charity that might help them but that isn't going to solve a damn thing, the problem will continue. What I do is try to spread awareness and enlighten others, eventually if we work at it we might turn humanity from the cruel, selfish beast it is into a caring race that actually deserves the consciousness it has been given. I hope someday we don't live in a world where a small number can hoard riches effectively destroying the balance of the planet and letting these people die while seeing nothing wrong with it and actually being treated as heroes. I think we are a long way from that time and I am just one man so there really isn't a whole lot I can do beyond yell into a void of uncaring souls.

I guess it is important to remember that the world owes you nothing, they were unlucky to be born in such circumstances and I was more lucky to be born were I was. I am not guilty of a crime, also suffering is relative, I know it is hard to believe but someone can mentally suffer more from having their car break down than a kid may from not having food for a week, it doesn't make it anymore right or wrong, it is just something to consider.

 

[kaizen2468]

I do feel bad for them. It's awful. But I'm not going to feel bad all the time because of it.

 

[Jaeke]

*sigh*
I think in a book called Tuesday's with Morrie it says that "Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did we would do things differently."

I think that can be applied to this, everyone knows that there's thousands if not millions of helpless suffering people, but if they really believed it enough to care, we wouldn't have the problem, not to mention like 90% of the supplies,food,money etc. that goes to these "charities" never ever even gets to the victims anyway.

 

[spartan231490]

I don't feel bad for them. Not in any meaningful way anyway. I mean, I pity them, but I have no desire to go out of my way to help them. There will always be people dying all over the world, and I'm sorry, but their need doesn't entitle them to my help. If I worked my ass off to get it(i.e. at my job) I'm going to keep it.

 

[Torrasque]

I had one of those die-hard "think of the childrens!" types of girls in my high school who would always be talking about how much she wanted to go to Africa, and how we should all donate a dollar a day to feed a kid in Africa.

And let me guess, she thought that Africa was a country?

No, but I knew a different girl that thought Africa was a country xD
Shock and surprise: she was a very popular girl.

 

[Torrasque]

My questions for you are:
Do you care about the starving kids in Africa? Why?
Do you actually do anything about it? Why?

I, um.. can't even tell you the jolt or pain that races upward across my heart or the chilling feel going down my spine whenever I see those commercials. I've actually watched a whole commercial/ad about helping kids in Africa.. I cried. A lot, had to place my hands on my face to stop the tears.

No kidding, it's almost one of the top 5 saddest things in the world.. starvation. Whenever I feel hungry, to be honest.. it's hard for me to do much because I use up energy quickly doing activities like jogging and baseball (not often but I mostly jog.) Knowing what they have to go through, eating left overs or scraps.. having barely any food at all at such a young age.. *shiver*

Also the comments are depressing. I won't judge people who don't care or judge those who don't feel sorry for them- yet it's sort of depressing like I said because if everyone was giving and considerate then it'd be an easier world. Not saying the members on here aren't nice because I bet most do a lot for relatives or friends yet just saying reaching out is all. Everyone's got struggles but it wouldn't hurt to donate $5 a month to those charities.

Oh and you can trust them, there is no way they're keeping the money to themselves... they are a charity/organization that live off with their personal funding while using all the donation money to actual kids who are starving. Otherwise they'd get in deep trouble for lying about what the money's used for. I'd rather trust them then trust EA or Bioware who pretty much makes the best of games out there (not saying they're the top but everyone loves Mass Effect and so forth.)

I won't lie- I am not donating to the starving kids in Africa. That is why I can't bear to watch an ad.. because I am jobless right now so I have no money. Not going to ask for money just to donate.. I want to earn and give a little at each time. I already give blood, but it's not enough. I want to do more.. so eventually getting a job will finally make me feel happier once I start to donate. That, and I also wanted to donate a bit to animal shelters since I volunteered for one over 2 years. Let me tell you- It's sad as crap when you have to help put dogs down. Or a few cats.. especially seeing adopted animals return to the shelters because for some reason the owners decided it was to much or they didn't like the dog/cat and want another instead. That is cruel, to my sense.. it's like giving a child false hope of being adopted but then being put back in a foster home because it's not what the owners wanted overall. Mm.

Lol Caramel, I knew you would eventually post. This kind of topic is right up your alley! (no sarcasm intended)
I'm sorry if this topic upset you, I really am, but I'm glad that you responded. I never try to get certain people to respond, but you are one of the few people I really wanted to weigh in on this topic.
So thank you

 

[an874]

I do feel bad and my reaction is usually to change the channel when I see these ads come on tv. I know that may not be nice, but 1) I have my own problems 2) It's not like I haven't done my small part for charity (I donate blood or money to the Red Cross when I get the chance) 3)I have doubts about how well served the children are by Save the Children or by anyone other than the Red Cross (they're the only humanitarian group I fully trust other than the Salvation Army) 4)The problems in Africa run deeper than any charity work could hope to put a dent in.

 

[Olas]

I do like to think of all the starving children while I gorge myself...

But seriously, I don't care in the slightest. I don't see a reason to worry about something that's completely out of my control (I don't buy that "everyone can make a difference" cliché), doesn't affect me in any way unless I allow it and is caused by the lack of said children's parents self control. Therefore I have no reason to feel guilty either.

It may not be your fault that there are starving kids in Africa, but it's not THEIR fault either. I mean, sure, someone's to blame. But none of those kids had any say in where they were born, or what circumstances they were put into. You just got incredibly lucky.

So why are they none of your responsibility? Why are the concerns of other human beings not relevant to you? Because they have no connection to you? Why is that significant? Why does their proxomity to you make their needs more or less relevent?

It seems like your argument was simply engineered to prevent you from feeling guilty. What if you had been born in a starving African nation? Again it's pure luck that you weren't.

I have an idea, how about we support causes that can help to develop impoverished countries. Perhaps once we fix these problems, these nations will be able to CONTRIBUTE to the rest of the world. Besides, our grandchildren won't have to sit through the same annoying TV programmes anymore.

 

[Thespian]

I couldn't care lss to be honest. Not in the slightest, I got enough of my own problems to think about theirs, whilst mine may not be so bad, they are more pressing to me. I'm selfish, so sue me.

This is what I'd say if I didn't have a knee-jerk reaction to better my image even online.

>_>

<_<

 

[Claptrap]

I might get hate for this, But no, Not really, Why? Because if it's so bad over there then stop having kids and forcing them to go through the same thing you did, If they really cared they wouldn't have kids.

I mean, I do feel sorry for the kids sure, It's not there fault, But even then, me donating money will have very very little effect.

 

[JMeganSnow]

I feel bad FOR people who suffer--provided they don't deserve it. I don't feel bad ABOUT it because it's NOT MY FAULT.

The fact that I'm NOT starving to death does not mean I'm somehow RESPONSIBLE for the state of the people who ARE.

 

[chuckman1]

Yes I do care and I want to do something about it, on a big scale by becoming a major world leader and providing aid.
No I do nothing about it because I need ever penny I get (not as much as them but still).

 

[QtheMuse]

As someone who wishes the government could euthanize and sterilize people I have no sympathy. People starve due to over population, laziness, and just plain not enough natural resources.

Redistributing wealth for food is bullshit and everyone should know it. When I see it I just say oh well, may their death be quick and painless and better them than me. Its a cruel world out there and if you don;t look after yourself you need to assume no one else will do it for you.

 

[Da Orky Man]

I always think that those adverts are rather misguided.

Yes, the situation in Africa is dire. However, the idea that we must 'save' them is entirely wrong, both from a practical and moral perspective; those adverts almost portray us as needing to be some kind of benevolent society, which is both wrong on the level of we're hardly a benevolent society, and by the fact that its sort of passively elitist of us.

In the long term, simply feeding African children simply won't solve the problem. What we really, REALLY need to do is educate the children, not as a secondary but rather as a top priority; the best way to stop children in Africa starving is to help them help themselves. Truth is the mass poverty in Africa is often large not due to arid lands or whatever, but rather the utter incompetence of their governments; educate the people, and they won't have to 'rely' on those governments as much.

Which is why I have much more respect for a charity such as One Laptop Per Child; education should always be a priority in any situation.

Yes, this is what I think of every time I see a 30 second advert. All of that.

Indeed.

edit: oh by the way, its worth noting that in the past 50 years, despite all the doom and gloom in Africa, there are only six nations in the world who's circumstances have worsened. The average lifespan in almost every single country in the world, including those in the continent of Africa has improved dramatically in the past 200 years.

Progress is being made. VAST progress.

Pretty much this. People forget just how much progress is being made everywhere, not just well-off areas like Europe and America.

And something I've always wondered is where all these starving children are coming from. If you can't afford to feed children, then don't have any. I would appreciate it if someone could postg to tell me why this is the case.

 

[Ledan]

Not really. I think its terrible and all, but since i dont personally know them i cant feel bad for them...

As for anything ive done, I used to live in Africa (Zambia, Kenya, Sudan). So when we had charity events in our schools we knew it went directly to the people, because the school was organizing. We also went once and taught at one of their schools, another time helped build a house, direct charity events were all around.
Was also a member of another school based charity in Sweden, where we raised money to pay for school for 12 kids, and invested in different villages (giving them water pumps and such).

From first hand experience I can also say: yes, there are starving kids in africa, but not all of them are. People there can be pretty happy. (also most people dont live in mud huts).

 

[Ledan]

And something I've always wondered is where all these starving children are coming from. If you can't afford to feed children, then don't have any. I would appreciate it if someone could postg to tell me why this is the case.

I might get hate for this, But no, Not really, Why? Because if it's so bad over there then stop having kids and forcing them to go through the same thing you did, If they really cared they wouldn't have kids.

1.The church (catholic, protestant, muslim) bans contraceptives, abortions, and condoms.
2.Contraceptives and abortions are expensive.
3.Lack of education.
4.Promiscous society, many husbands have many women. In Kenya for example it's ordinary for a couple to each have a "spare wheel" partner.
5. People have sex, you cant stop that. Without any of methods of control, which are forbidden or not known, people have loads of kids. You cant just say "Oh! all they need to do is stop having kids".
If there were more functioning and uncorrupt goverments in Africa, most of these countries wouldnt be starving.

Plus, I can't help the feeling that part of the blame lies sorely on them. It's not a hard thing to grasp: if you don't want your children to starve, STOP HAVING CHILDREN. Taking advantage of other people's generousity because you can't control yourself is by no means something to emphatize with.

EDIT: And of course, how are people supposed to know that their kids are going to starve? They work their hardest to feed everyone in their family, then their siblings die of AIDS and they have to take care of their nieces and nephews. Then theres a drought, and the goverment "forgot" to make an emergency plan.

The country can't provide for a lot of people, so stop thinking that having 4 children or more is a good idea. You don't need a higher population, and by having children you're simply sending more people into a world of suffering.I'll start feeling anything at all for them when they start using their brains.

Hm... a lot of this on this thread.