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Offline 'andersom'

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #30 on: September 28, 2014, 07:23:40 AM »
It's like people who complain their government doesn't provide enough hunger aide to Africa, but they don't personally provide any aide to Africa.

An individual could easily be too poor to be able to provide anything, for anyone. Your point?
See it a lot. This is so terrible, hopefully the rest of the world will do something about it. Makes more sense to just say it's awful, rather than bash others for not caring enough. Am assuming people truly too poor probably don't have electronics and internet access, so not sure of your point either.


Poverty is a weird thing. Nowadays, in my country, you are almost obliged to have internet access, or you will have no money at all. There are barely offices within traveling distance, for someone to apply for jobs and such. There are barely actual people available to help people out. It all has become internet business, and that tends to go wrong more than once.

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Offline 'andersom'

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #31 on: September 28, 2014, 07:25:30 AM »
It's like people who complain their government doesn't provide enough hunger aide to Africa, but they don't personally provide any aide to Africa.

An individual could easily be too poor to be able to provide anything, for anyone. Your point?

I would not have the faintest idea how to provide aide to Africa personally. I can donate, sure, but that is something different.
Used to have a friend who did missionary work is third world countries. She care a lot more than me.
Being a missionary, or an NGO worker is a calling for the few. Doesn't say others are not caring. There are other things that need doing and caring too.
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Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #32 on: September 28, 2014, 07:34:00 AM »
Poverty standards are weird, yes. Truly poor people probably don't reside in he western world; most probably do in fact have something to give. The US has enough farmland to feed a lot of starving people, but farmers are paid not to plant a portion of their farmland, to keep our own economy stable. The government could just as easily pay them for the fruit of that land, and donate that food to Africa, or the farmers could do that themselves. The money the farmers receive and the amount of produce in circulation would still be the same, but their would be excess food going to somewhere that needs it. 'The world' doesn't really give a crap about Africa, but individuals sometimes care, like sweet little boys who take action.

Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #33 on: September 28, 2014, 07:38:22 AM »
It's like people who complain their government doesn't provide enough hunger aide to Africa, but they don't personally provide any aide to Africa.

An individual could easily be too poor to be able to provide anything, for anyone. Your point?

I would not have the faintest idea how to provide aide to Africa personally. I can donate, sure, but that is something different.
Used to have a friend who did missionary work is third world countries. She care a lot more than me.
Being a missionary, or an NGO worker is a calling for the few. Doesn't say others are not caring. There are other things that need doing and caring too.
Am honest enough to admit I don't really care, otherwise I'd do something. Won't make noises of outrage about how other should do something, so people might think I care. It's like the discussion we had the other day. If truly caring what my government is doing to help Africa, might write a congressman or something. Something, anything, something other than noise, but I don't.

Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #34 on: September 28, 2014, 06:39:27 PM »
It doesn't frighten me. The simple reason being that every time there's a new disease spreading in the world, the media blows it out of proportion and makes it look a hell of a lot worse than it actually is. They use fear tactics to get our attention.

Remember mad cow disease? Bird flu? Swine flu?

Where are they now?
If it weren't for the infected people being brought to the US, doubtful it would have been in the news in such magnitude. You're right, fear tactics and sensationalism.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/09/05/how-ebola-the-kardashian-of-diseases-is-stealing-attention-from-illnesses-that-kill-more-people/

Offline bodie

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #35 on: September 28, 2014, 06:41:04 PM »
That was a first for me - donating via text off a TV advert.   I encourage the urchin to express his feelings about everything,  so am really pleased that he cares about kids in Africa.  He says stuff like  "They won't be able to do their school work if they go blind, will they Mom?"

I deliver parcels and goodie bags to homeless shelters on xmas eve and this year the urchin is going to come.  I thought about it last year but i went alone.  This year he really wants to come.   I have had some criticism about this, especially from my own mother  "what if he catches headlice in one of those places?"   Which is typical of my mom who's favourite saying is 'charity begins at home'.   I don't share that view and always followed my Dad in such matters.  He would say that unless you have the fortunes of Richard Branson and can afford to buy your own island then you should be concerned about others in your community, country and the world.  He would say that anyone can succumb to disease or be a victim of crime.  The disease he was referring to was AIDS.  If he were alive today he would probably say the same thing about Ebola.   Anyway I am not forcing the urchin to come, he wants to and i think it will be a good experience.

I tend to be more involved, or more committed if there is a personal connection.  Before I was a mother i sponsored a Burmese girl to go to school for four years.  Her name was Po Po.  Her Dad was in prison and her Mom was very poorly.  She was nine when i started and had younger brothers and sisters to look after as well as her Mom.   

I contacted OWFI a while ago  (organisation of womens Freedom in Iraq) because of a post that i think was made by Adam.   I am still in touch with them now.  They have never asked me directly for money although there is a 'donate now' button on the website but they do ask me to write to various people and organisations and even governments.  I do this gladly.  I have always avoided women's organisations and feminist movements but these women have violence coming at them from all angles.  They do have a fight on their hands.  Part of the reason I do this is guilt because I supported a government who actually made their lives much worse.  The Iraqi wars have taken their husbands and then the government installed by the 'allies' promptly took away any rights they had fought for under Saddam.   There was a group of Yazidi women in Mosul who met once a month in secret, and I volunteered to send them messages of support which were then translated and read out at the meetings.  This was part of an initiative to bridge the international gap and was apparently a source of comfort to these women to know that they had worldwide support.  No names were exchanged but messages would be signed by  unemplyed, France. /   cartoonist, The Netherlands.  /  journalist, USA  /  and i was   mother, UK.   The best thing was that these women wanted to ask us questions.  The questions they asked were a real mixed bag.  Mostly stuff like what kind of house we live in,  etc but the best one was a description of some make believe story they told to their children to make them go to sleep and asked what stories we tell to our kids.  We were going to get the chance to ask them things the following month but all correspondence with these women stopped abruptly.  I learned later that ISIS had taken Mosul and the Yazidi were amongst a few groups who were targeted by ISIS.  Some of them had been driven away, many of them raped and tortured and some were executed.   I don't know what happened to the group of ladies i was connected with. 

I can't really explain why I feel so pig sick about these women i didn't even know.  To this day i remain as baffled as hell to the outpouring of grief that went on when Princess Diana died.  ??   I just couldn't contain my indifference over her death.   I can't explain it any more than i can explain why i feel for the things i do.   

I don't think i have ever told an individual that they should donate to charity.   There have been plenty of times in my life when i haven't either.   I don't always give for altruistic reasons,  not when i look closely.  I can also see multiple 'jon' type adverts and not feel motivated.  Or, i can see something on the news and be driven.   I do believe I have every right to voice an opinion, to question and to challenge the decisions my government makes about aid.   The budget they use is public money.  I use my twitter account to tweet MP's and government departments all the time.   

As for the urchin, yes he is very caring at times.    He is very well up on 'current affairs' and no longer watches the kiddies TV in the mornings but has taken to watching Sky news with me!   He tackled me the other day because I threw a plastic bag in the bin.  I was given a lecture about reusing things and recycling.  I do admit that I am not as green as i should be!  I do struggle to 'care' that much but it is good that schools are inserting such thoughts at an early age.

He is not all sweetness and light however and spent the whole swimming lesson on the bus because he said the 'f' word  on his way into the baths.   :zoinks:
blah blah blah

Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #36 on: September 28, 2014, 06:51:14 PM »
this year the urchin is going to come.
That's really awesome. Mom raised me doing a lot of charity work, and have logged a lot of hours on my own as an adult. Never have been one to give money, but time, effort, and belongings, yes. Mom drug me into the nitty gritty of it too, homeless shelters, battered women shelters. Had a fortunate life, but she taught be poverty and abuse through observation. Did volunteer work with the kids, but not the same type as mom did with me; maybe being too protective in that regard, and life has presented a circumstance thus far which made me wonder if the nitty gritty would have been a beneficial experience. Learning lessons by observing rather than learning the hard way by living them.

Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #37 on: September 28, 2014, 07:11:50 PM »
Which is typical of my mom who's favourite saying is 'charity begins at home'.
In later years, am finding myself to be more in agreement with this. Went cold turkey a few years ago and haven't looked back. Still willing to donate possessions, but very stingy about my time. Maybe simply because life now affords me the luxury of time to be selfish about my time, now that those I actually prioritize don't so much need it.

Offline odeon

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #38 on: September 28, 2014, 10:20:50 PM »
It's like people who complain their government doesn't provide enough hunger aide to Africa, but they don't personally provide any aide to Africa.

An individual could easily be too poor to be able to provide anything, for anyone. Your point?
See it a lot. This is so terrible, hopefully the rest of the world will do something about it. Makes more sense to just say it's awful, rather than point out how others should care more, or wishing other would care more. Am assuming people truly too poor probably don't have electronics and internet access, so not sure of your point either.


I don't know if it was real compassion,
Yes it is, and very beautiful.

If we all cared more, they would certainly be better off than before. OTOH, regardless of how much a couple of individuals care, Ebola will remain out of control unless those nations with the resources and the know-how decide to help, for real.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

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Offline odeon

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #39 on: September 28, 2014, 10:22:21 PM »
It's like people who complain their government doesn't provide enough hunger aide to Africa, but they don't personally provide any aide to Africa.

An individual could easily be too poor to be able to provide anything, for anyone. Your point?

I would not have the faintest idea how to provide aide to Africa personally. I can donate, sure, but that is something different.
Used to have a friend who did missionary work is third world countries. She care a lot more than me.

Missionary work is sort of selfish, though, isn't it? Sure, they may help out but they basically want to shove Jesus in people's throats in return.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2014, 10:25:04 PM by odeon »
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

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Offline Jack

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #40 on: September 28, 2014, 10:34:06 PM »
If we all cared more, they would certainly be better off than before. OTOH, regardless of how much a couple of individuals care, Ebola will remain out of control unless those nations with the resources and the know-how decide to help, for real.
Africa has a lot more deadlier problems than ebola. The only reason leader of other nations will ever care, is due to not wanting it to spread to their own nation.

Missionary work is sort of selfish, though, isn't it? Sure, they may help out but they basically want to shove Jesus in people's throats in return.
Not sure; she was a teenager and didn't even speak their language, so probably not a great deal of throat shoving on her part. Though don't personally believe in altruism, so maybe some selfish motivation involved, even if only for the warm fuzzy of feeling good about herself. Still, caring more than me, which admittedly is not at all.

Offline Arya Quinn

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #41 on: September 29, 2014, 03:56:17 PM »
It doesn't frighten me. The simple reason being that every time there's a new disease spreading in the world, the media blows it out of proportion and makes it look a hell of a lot worse than it actually is. They use fear tactics to get our attention.

Remember mad cow disease? Bird flu? Swine flu?

Where are they now?

Mad cow disease led to very drastic, and needed reactions, to avoid it becoming massive. Otherwise it would have spread out of control, and there is no cure.
It changed thoughts about what to feed animals too.

It still wasn't as bad as the media made it out to be.

Offline 'andersom'

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #42 on: September 29, 2014, 10:25:47 PM »
It doesn't frighten me. The simple reason being that every time there's a new disease spreading in the world, the media blows it out of proportion and makes it look a hell of a lot worse than it actually is. They use fear tactics to get our attention.

Remember mad cow disease? Bird flu? Swine flu?

Where are they now?

Mad cow disease led to very drastic, and needed reactions, to avoid it becoming massive. Otherwise it would have spread out of control, and there is no cure.
It changed thoughts about what to feed animals too.

It still wasn't as bad as the media made it out to be.

Without the drastic reactions, it could have been worse than the media made it out to be.
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Offline odeon

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #43 on: September 29, 2014, 11:00:20 PM »
If we all cared more, they would certainly be better off than before. OTOH, regardless of how much a couple of individuals care, Ebola will remain out of control unless those nations with the resources and the know-how decide to help, for real.
Africa has a lot more deadlier problems than ebola. The only reason leader of other nations will ever care, is due to not wanting it to spread to their own nation.

Which is an excellent way to motivate them.

Quote
Missionary work is sort of selfish, though, isn't it? Sure, they may help out but they basically want to shove Jesus in people's throats in return.
Not sure; she was a teenager and didn't even speak their language, so probably not a great deal of throat shoving on her part. Though don't personally believe in altruism, so maybe some selfish motivation involved, even if only for the warm fuzzy of feeling good about herself. Still, caring more than me, which admittedly is not at all.

I don't believe in altruism either. Of course it's about her feeling good about herself, but I'm sure Jesus was a part of it too.

As for not speaking their language, she wouldn't have been the first missionary with that particular handicap. Never stopped any of them.
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Offline odeon

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Re: Ebola
« Reply #44 on: September 29, 2014, 11:01:09 PM »
It doesn't frighten me. The simple reason being that every time there's a new disease spreading in the world, the media blows it out of proportion and makes it look a hell of a lot worse than it actually is. They use fear tactics to get our attention.

Remember mad cow disease? Bird flu? Swine flu?

Where are they now?

Mad cow disease led to very drastic, and needed reactions, to avoid it becoming massive. Otherwise it would have spread out of control, and there is no cure.
It changed thoughts about what to feed animals too.

It still wasn't as bad as the media made it out to be.

It was considered to be a very real threat then. It wasn't just the media.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

- Albert Einstein