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

[JoesshittyOs]

Once again, that doesn't really happen anymore.

In which case my argument boils down to; No, because I need my money and I don't care.

Absolutely, that's your choice. In my first post I said it was ridiculous to try and guilt trip people into giving money.

I was merely saying that if you are willing to donate to charity, than don't let the thought that it's going to some warlord stop you. Because it's not.

(Oh, and maybe volunteer somewhere if you have the time but no money)

 

[Thaluikhain]

Everyone here can say, oh, can't do hit for em, so fuck em, and then turn around and decry every fucking injustice that has EVER occurred in America. Oh that kid had his arms chopped off? That sucks, wheres my Vita? OH MY GOWDSSSS!!! A COP SHOT A BANK ROBBER IN AMERICA THAT HAD SURRENDERS!!!?? BREAK OUT THE PITCH FORKS!!!

Can anyone explain why America is tantamount the to great Satan, but the murderers and rapists in other countries get a free pass? And before anyone says In America it's the government hurting the innocent, I Rawanda the government sponsored Military systematically rapes and slaughters innocent women because they are not from the ruling tribe.

In the US, US citizens are being killed. US citizens are, broadly speaking, part of "us". Well, except for the ones which aren't, but nobody cares about them[footnote]Many OWS supporters were shocked and appalled by the actions of the police. The OWS supporters who weren't white, not so much[/footnote].

People that live in a country I can't find on a map, who don't speak teh good england, who are an exotic colour I'm going to compare to foodstuffs[footnote]Preferably foodstuffs with an association with slavery[/footnote]...if they exist at all, they are the them.

Any nation that exists in the media/our minds solely as as a hellhole we should all care about isn't somewhere we are going to care about. The US, however has appeared in the media for other reasons, we've got actual reasons to care. Same way the guy in the movie that gets killed off has to look a picture of his family so people see him as some sort of actual person, I guess.

 

[Monkeyman O'Brien]

No. I mean sure it sucks to be them but there aint shit I can do so why torture myself over nothing?
Besides, even if we send money to them and even if they do get it instead of the "charity" swallowing it or trying to force them to convert to religion X to get food and water (yes, some of them have been known to do that) then what? They can not afford to feed themselves. Yet they keep having more and more fucking kids.
So if I give them money then they will not learn. They will just think they are so much better off than the others in their country so they can afford to have kids, then they pop out a dozen or so and stretch resources until they have nothing to eat. So since they are not and never will be self sufficient I think the kindest thing to do would just be sent over a big ol batch of cyanide rice and fix the problem once and for all.

 

[Zakarath]

Yeah, it sucks to be them, but I've gotten somewhat acclimated to the concept that life sucks for a large portion of humanity. Plus, I'm in college with no money and a nice hefty pile of student loans. So I have my own finances to worry about.

And even once I get out, small gestures like sending a few dollars towards relief just seems insignificant. And I also have to ask if I really want to see Africa modernized. Certainly, it would help the conditions of the people there...

...At least, those who are still above water. The global climate is already trending towards disorder enough without another continent being brought forward into the industrial age.

 

[JamesCG]

Do I feel bad? Eh, a bit.

Do I hate the whole "Y U SO PICKY ABOUT FOOD, THERE ARE STARVING KIDS IN AFRICA" thing? Yep! I can dislike food if I so choose.

Sure, they have a horrible life, and it's probably going to be horrible for a long time to come. But as a few people have already said, I'd rather spend my own money on me. I'm sick of ads from the CCF, etc, trying to guilt me in to donating-especially around christmas time. Guilt tripping me is not going to get me to donate.

Summary; They have it rough, but I'd rather spend my money on me.

 

[DkLnBr]

I try, but with all those "look at these poor starving children. pity them. PITY THEM!!!!! now, for just a dollar a day..." kind of commercials forcing it into my face all the time have made me desensitized to it. Plus being a pessimist, I wonder how much money actually makes it to the starving, puppy-faced children, those five minute long commercials must cost a fair bit to make (not to mention air time)

 

[BushMonstar]

I often think about how much money it took to get everything and everybody included in a basic ad like that, followed by post-production, and think: Why didn't they just use that money to feed kids? And there's the fact that there is a general lazy attitude in many countries that need this. That needs to be fixed. I'm not a person who's at a point where I could donate money, but I still think that these commercials rub me the wrong way, appealing with "This kid and many others need food, for ___ you could feed them", instead of saying facts.

 

[emeraldrafael]

not enough to donate money. I feel bad, but they play it so often now, I actually start to smile and laugh at how often its played.

 

[Jovip]

Do you care about the starving kids in Africa? Why?

Do in care, Haha, hell no. Why? because i believe every single civilation had to carve it's own way out, that meant suffering pain, and tons of shit that was the least bit indulgent. But all our mother countrys did it. African civilation apparently hasn't, i mean the parts which weren't colinized by england, the ones who stuck to tradional beliefs. This will sound extremely rascist, but i have no real concern for human life so alright. Natural selection, they are dying. let em, Really wanna help em out, alright, teach em irrigation, farming tecniques, engineer wheat that grows in the environments they live in, teach them, don't give to them, otherwise they will never learn. And with the whole schooling thing, i have so many issues with that, because it is skipping the entire "survive then thrive" theme of existence, they can barely survive, make ends meet with their dirt hut an 17 brothers and sisters....(seriously...i'm sending condoms) They don't need to know pre-calculus. you know what they need? Fucking survival life lessons, how to do everything. Why hasn't someone bought them a shovel, to dig a damned irrigation system to the village. Better question, why build a village 5 miles from the nearest water source. Thats just like smokers with lighters, water isn't a once in a while thing, it is a daily put it in your mouth and swallow or you will die type deal going on. So really, i said let em die out, bring in a morally relinquished merc squad to speed up the process if you have to. Yes i know i'm a terrible person but whatever, thats what i think. You did ask.

Do you actually do anything about it? Why?

I'll send them 20 packs of condoms, 10 shovels, an idiots guide to architecture and construction. Then maybe a gps, you know, scout out somewhere better to live. And don't tell me they "can't just move" what? gonna miss the exetremly touchy flys of the dirt pit home?


Also, my question, why in the hell do those kids not swat the bloody flies on them in those commericials? i mean...thats just lazy. kill the damned thing, make it go away, throw rocks at them, don't just sit there and look cute into the controlling and scary christian white womans camera device.

 

[dobahci]

Any nation that exists in the media/our minds solely as as a hellhole we should all care about isn't somewhere we are going to care about.

You know, this just reminded me of a quote from a movie that's somewhat relevant. It was from the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda.


Paul Rusesabagina: I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.

Jack: Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?

Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?

Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners.

 

[Freddyqaqualung]

I do feel kind of bad, but in general it doesn't really inspire the passion that it's probably supposed to inspire. For me, it's hard to feel anything about it just because I literally can't empathize with their situation at all as I've never had any experiences even remotely close to what they have to deal with.

 

[Tanakh]

Do I feel bad? Yeah. But:

Do you care about the starving kids in Africa? Why?
Do you actually do anything about it? Why?

Care? No
Do something? No because I don't care.

IMO if you care you would do something, otherwise it's just a way to shield yourself from the guilt.

 

[trollnystan]

I do care, but like you OP I'm not in the best place financially. (<--grave understatement)

One thing I have done, though it doesn't have anything to do with starving people directly, is put 25 USD in a Kiva account. I lend out those $25 dollars out to a project I think could use it, wait for it to get paid back and then loan the money out again. If I eventually have to replace those $25 in case the loan doesn't get repaid then I'll do that, but so far I've been lending out the same 25.

It makes me feel good to imagine I'm chipping in to help someone get a leg-up in life. I mean, I may be considered poor in my country but compared to people in various developing countries I'm practically living in the lap of luxury. It's all about perspective in the end.

 

[enzilewulf]

Of coarse I do. I think it sucks that in a age of advanced technology that we can't do anything to help them. Not like our government gives a shit anyways. Unless its in American interest (I.E oil) then you bet were not going to have anything to do with the region except express our meaningless pity. Shit it's the same thing were seeing with Syria, thousands are dead by government crackdowns and the whole UN is being hesitant on giving military aid due to China and Russia. We should already have given opposition forces aid and air support. World police my ass.

I know that trailed a bit off topic at the end but it outlines the same problem, America ain't gonna do shit since we hold no interest, irregardless if human lives are at risk. Go Americur.

 

[Quaidis]

No one complained or gave sympathy when I was growing up half-starved and constantly looking for scraps. Why should I feel for kids on a completely different part of the world? It completely evades my monkey sphere.

Of course I don't give money to them. My money goes towards buying ramen and getting a roof above my head.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Don't really care as there's nothing I can do to fix it. They need to work so they have a brighter future, change their government, make jobs, 25 cents a day is not gonna do that for them. Libya changed, Egypt changed, more countries should follow their examples.

 

[wetfart]

Is it bad that they're starving? Yea.

But ... well there's no way to dance around this so I'll just say it. What they need is meaningful agricultural reforms, not a handout.

 

[SadisticBrownie]

No. call me a bastard, but I actually don't care about much outside of my own life.
It's the same with random deaths. If I knew them, I'd feel at least some emotion towards the event, but if not, then I couldn't care less.

 

[Helmholtz Watson]

I know you have all seen at least one commercial about the starving kids in Africa, or the parent-less kids in Africa, or some kind of "feel bad about these kids who have it pretty bad" commercial. What I'd like to know, is if you actually feel bad about it.

You'd have to be a pretty cold bastard to feel absolutely nothing or a complete dickwad to say "well they shouldn't have been born in Africa then!", and I am sure you are neither. But what do you feel about the poor/starving/destitute/homeless kids in Africa?

Whenever I see those ads/commercials, I feel a bit bad for them and think "well that sucks to be them =|" but then my realism kicks in:
- I am in perma-debt right now due to a student loan I keep adding to
- There are other things I can do to support people closer to me (like homeless people in my city for example)
- I am very skeptical about whether any money donated to these ad agencies that help these poor kids actually gets to them

I do feel bad for these kids that have it rough, I feel bad for most people who have it rough; it is a basic human emotion to have empathy for people suffering. But whenever I see these ads, my morality just shrugs and says "well, nothing I can do about it" and go back to doing whatever I was doing.

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

At the moment I'm more concerned with whats going on in Tibet.