Poverty is relevant and relative. It’s about perception… within reason, anyhow. Disparity causes poverty to ‘dawn on’ us.
Our tunnel vision forces us to see charity on an individual basis. By broadening that scope, we *might* find that our help does more damage than good on a society at large.
Not everyone defines hardship the way we define it. Not everyone wants to be like the West.
If I’d never tasted chocolate & you hand a piece to me, I will take it, like it and be happy… but it’s not good for me.
proteanview
Duration : 0:6:0
25 Responses for "Can Philanthropy Create Poverty? (ProteanView)"
proteanview,
…
proteanview,
Perhaps micro-loans are a better idea, they are smaller scale & usually made to the women doing small cottage industries. Also the women will use it more responsibly & the money will not find its way to gambling etc.
I can’t agree that ignorance is always bliss, because some people in poverty are poor because the rich and powerful will not allow them much opportunity.
“Charity” that empowers a large area & number of people, in subtle but powerful ways is the best type.
There will always …
There will always be have’s and have nots. It is perception based ideas of wealth and quality of life. I cried when I had no shoes till I met the man with no feet.
MLK and Malcolm X …
MLK and Malcolm X both said charity was one of the main reasons for problems in the black community.
…which is scary …
…which is scary because that is something we are all blessed with as humans. The level of efficeincy of which they work is unmatched here, because they work for a moral purpose of their communities survival, not for self. All in all it was great to see and hear your opinion, and I am now a subscriber. I leave you with these wise words from Dr Micheal Eric Dyson
”We must never ignore the injustices that make charity necessary, or the inequalities that make it possible”
Protean, I am quite …
Protean, I am quite emotional watching this video, because I have shared these views for months now and it is refreshing to see that someone else share them. I am actually writing an article, being a British citizen from an African background, i was shocked to find that my fathers family lived a wonderful life in the village, because as you have pointed out, they were not aware of their poverty-through a western prespective-, if anything I am time poor compared to them…
thank again for key …
thank again for key topices again i think this has to do with thinking when we do this goods to be people been helped you get praised and its really dangerous because we humans have the tendecy to be outraged when things dont work out. take for instances i got helped and you didnt there’s a tendercy to u to be happy for me or envy me. now this people and celebs that help dont think bout that and dats not good enuff. thank again brov keep on helpin people to build our mind set take care.
I volunteered at a …
I volunteered at a food bank for a few years where I learned that some of the people who do those charitable things have weird motivations. They actually seem to hate the clients and are just there to exert dominance over the poor people. I plan to write an essay about this someday.
I’ve read that, I …
I’ve read that, I didn’t take that message from it, but the more I think about it, the more I think you’re right.
Though I’d say the part set in Paris is more about how difficult - almost impossible - to escape poverty.
Yes, you are making …
Yes, you are making some good points here. Orwell wrote a book called “Down and Out in Paris and London”. It’s about how philanthropy is not always what it appears to be. I recommend it highly.
Many philanthropists do it to satisfy their own feelings of pity.
It depends on what …
It depends on what type of help is offered and if it is further depended upon.
Hense that good old time religion (plagerized like most) story of teaching a man to fish or just giving him a fish.
In todays climate, who wants to teach a competitor to fish in your waters?
CLIMB IN TO AN …
CLIMB IN TO AN FURNACE U SELF HERRFOOL
Other then the …
Other then the disparity, we may also hurting 3rd world economies. If we provide some good or service for free(such as food, school) then we are hurting the economic situation of anyone in that country whose living relied on the sale of that good/service.
We also set the receiving party up for a shock when once we stop providing aid, as they may be unprepared to provide for themselves.
Messing with developing economies can be disastrous and requires caution.
What you’re saying …
What you’re saying here boils down to, “The road to is paved with good intentions.” I’m a big Ayn Rand fan here.
Your a cool guy …
Your a cool guy ProtenanView. hah-
It’s a shame Ayn …
It’s a shame Ayn Rand (real name Alyssa Rosenbaum) wasn’t one of those six million shoved into a furnace.
We need more …
We need more secular organizations willing to help with local causes imo. I help when I can through action, donating clothes & sometimes money.
Interesting take, …
Interesting take, ProteanView. Not sure I agree completely, but certainly partly with you.
You’re right. It’s in Nature that you simply cannot help everyone, and yeah, if, as you put it, you helped only a handful(built them houses, etc) then yeah, you’re right.
I suspect …
I suspect ProteanView has seen too much Star Trek–no violating the prime directive!
That’s okay, I’m a big fan of nerds (sorry to have outed you Protean
)
i agree with every …
i agree with every thing you say, but if everyone has a car dont you think that it isnt so much as a want but a need, because you need to get from one place to another and if society says that cars are more acceptable than walking then places will be more spread out and harder to reach by foot, so needs are determined partly by society. by the way i agree with you.
You are Sooo right. …
You are Sooo right.
I see this when I travel. Sometimes, when people from affluent countries travel overseas, they size up other people using as a yardstick what considered “poor,” in their own countries. This is serious in thought and deed because I’ve seen people in other countries get highly insulted when a visitor talks and acts toward them as if they were “poor,” when in their own countries they might be considered middle class or even rich.
(You’re real smart!)
your confusing me!
your confusing me!
I have thought of …
I have thought of this angle. We were very poor growing up. Dad died + left my mommy with 4 of us, she got 50Cents an hour doing the TOWNS-RICH, Laundry. We ate good, after their big parties we got lots of RICH goodies, nice clothe handed down by them, almost spoiled us even with that help.< I saw China + the cars all piled up in the cities, we did that to them, bicycles keep them healthy, cars cause polution+ a BIG MESS!So we create a mess. WOW! Thanks for insight. Very thot provoking.I’M WHITE
I suppose what I am …
I suppose what I am trying to say is that we have to think very hard about ‘how’ we help: the road to is paved with good intentions!
When we help - and we should - we must consider the local situation, so our help does not ‘tip the equilibrium’ in unforseen ways. We should talk to the locals, to help us ‘forsee’ better…
You are right in what you say!
I agree poverty is …
I agree poverty is very relative. I come from a “poor country” (as they called it), in Europe in the metro platforms they have pictures/images of children from “poor countries” in a very bad “shape” and europeans think oh look at those poor “we are rich” by showing these images we are only increasing the self-steem of europeans (in this case), i dont like my people on those images, why they dont show their own poors???
Xanthippaa
‘Tipping …
Xanthippaa
‘Tipping the equilibrium’ is really the issue. Unfortunately, so many respond, “So, if we can’t help everyone, we shouldn’t help any?” If people are dying of disease, that is one thing, but to introduce Western-style schools to some only introduces disparity and ‘tips the equilibrium’.
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