I donated 10$ to charity. Am I part of the real problem?

[Rapture]

This has been on my mind for the past two weeks. I was heading for lunch at my college when I passed by a small group of people accepting donations for charity. The money given would be used to buy wood, water, and basic supplies/necessities for people in poor areas of the world. A noble cause, sure, and after discussing with one guy there I placed 10$ into the bucket. I didn't do it out of pressure, only that I know the money would go to aid someone less fortunate than myself.

However, even before I made the payment and during the two weeks since then my mind has centered on a sole prospect: I may be part of the real problem. Giving poor people food and water isn't really fixing the issue here, you're simply sustaining people. A better use of the money would be to help develop their countries/areas or attempt to actually pull them out of their self unsustainability. Maybe it sounds cruel, because in the short-term people who may have been fed or given water will die, but in the long run they'll ultimately prosper and will have the capabilities to care for themselves.

It's like the old expression goes. Give a man to fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime. All I really accomplished by donating that money was encouraging people to stick to the short-term solution.

As for me making this post? Chalk it up to some thoughtful boredom. Tell me what you guys think if you have any thoughts or responses.

[Vulgotha]

This has been on my mind for the past two weeks. I was heading for lunch at my college when I passed by a small group of people accepting donations for charity. The money given would be used to buy wood, water, and basic supplies/necessities for people in poor areas of the world. A noble cause, sure, and after discussing with one guy there I placed 10$ into the bucket. I didn't do it out of pressure, only that I know the money would go to aid someone less fortunate than myself.

However, even before I made the payment and during the two weeks since then my mind has centered on a sole prospect: I may be part of the real problem. Giving poor people food and water isn't really fixing the issue here, you're simply sustaining people. A better use of the money would be to help develop their countries/areas or attempt to actually pull them out of their self unsustainability. Maybe it sounds cruel, because in the short-term people who may have been fed or given water will die, but in the long run they'll ultimately prosper and will have the capabilities to care for themselves.

It's like the old expression goes. Give a man to fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime. All I really accomplished by donating that money was encouraging people to stick to the short-term solution.

As for me making this post? Chalk it up to some thoughtful boredom. Tell me what you guys think if you have any thoughts or responses.

That's the thing. Individuals who would rather enable these people to fend for themselves as opposed to keep them dependent are cast as "callous" "cruel" and "uncaring. Because, in the short term, it denies them the funds which they have become so readily reliant upon. It terminates the present welfare state and violates the status quo.

Like restructuring welfare so that they must show up for actual jobs- like paving roads, cleaning up trash, carpentry, etc. Making them work for the money and possibly teaching them a trade or some sort of skill for them to use... But politicians just hate to hear this idea. I wonder why?


Rapture, you and I both know that this isn't really about helping the poor. It's about keeping them dependent and ensuring that a voting base stays exactly in the precarious position that they're in. So that they can further bolster this class-warfare mentality that "I have not because of how much you have". It's all about votes. Power.

There's a difference between accepting that poverty will always exist... And that current poverty levels are simply unavoidable and the only solution to the problem are these extremely lax government aid programs.


It's like forcing a child to stop eating so much candy and have some greens. The child will pout and cry because the vegetables taste terrible and aren't sweet. But the long term is he will live a far better life and have fewer health problems. Not that he cares- immediate gratification and doesn't exist and he has to actually put forth an effort to be healthy. He focuses his anger at the parent (the provider\enforcer giving him the food)... In contrast to the child's affection and pleasure by enabling his horrible lifestyle.

[Inzane2050]

Bring a man a fish and he shall eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and we shall eat every day.

[Vulgotha]

Make a man a fire and he shall be warm for a night. Light a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

[bash]

Bring a man a fish and he shall eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and we shall eat every day.

If you don't give him the fish he'll die before he can learn how to fish.

[Inzane2050]

If you don't give him the fish he'll die before he can learn how to fish.

Fishing takes like a day to learn.

[Thorzilla]

Fishing takes like a day to learn.

He was being metaphorical, much like you were until now

[Inzane2050]

I was still speaking metaphorically, lol

[DarkVincent07]

I see what you are saying, but its hard to completely change a countries view on things and teach an entire country to build sustainable lives for themselves.

In terms of what you put money towards, there is nothing wrong with that imo. But my family do things a bit differently, my mum each Christmas puts $40-$80 towards something to help people create lives for themsevles. By buying a family a goat, for milk + it can carry goods etc, or a group of animals so people can start a farm, a bunch of crops to start growing vegetables, or even a fish farm. speaking of teaching how to fish, buying any of these things, sure the unfortunate receive them, but they also get taught how to use them efficiently.

Sure its not going to cure poverty by any stretch.. but we feel that it does more than just give out random funds

[ERC1980]

NO OP, there's nothing wrong with what you did.

You were being human.

i've donating cash as well to charity (donated $10 for the japanese tsunami relief efforts) and give money to homeless when i can (most of em ask for small change anyways).

one thing i never do is ask homeless what they will do with their money. It's none of my business.

better to help them live a day longer than let them die on the street like animals.

[Inzane2050]

I donated to the Japanese relief efforts as well!

[ERC1980]

I donated to the Japanese relief efforts as well!

were're both winners as well as everyone else who showed compassion for the japanese in their time of need

[DreDayDetox]

and you should also question how much of that $10 actually goes to helping that person, or very little of that $10 goes to that person and the rest is used to spend on another charity event campaign somewhere else...I agree with what you said that helping them develop for long-term, instead of temporary, short-term problems..

[podsaurus]

I understand what you're saying. If it were possible for me I'd for over to where ever people are living in poverty and actually build them a house, help them get a job or something. There's always the cliche that the homeless will take the money, buy booze and drink themselves into oblivion. I don't think donating money is bad but the better alternative would be to take more aggressive action and actually do something. Know what I mean?

I always (unless I really have no extra money) donate when asked in a store or somewhere else. A couple times I didn't even pay attention to what the clerk said the donation went to. I heard 'donate' and automatically said yes. I walked out of the store having no idea what I just donated to. Lol

I also donated to the Japanese relief effort.

[ex nihilo7]

This has been on my mind for the past two weeks. I was heading for lunch at my college when I passed by a small group of people accepting donations for charity. The money given would be used to buy wood, water, and basic supplies/necessities for people in poor areas of the world. A noble cause, sure, and after discussing with one guy there I placed 10$ into the bucket. I didn't do it out of pressure, only that I know the money would go to aid someone less fortunate than myself.

However, even before I made the payment and during the two weeks since then my mind has centered on a sole prospect: I may be part of the real problem. Giving poor people food and water isn't really fixing the issue here, you're simply sustaining people. A better use of the money would be to help develop their countries/areas or attempt to actually pull them out of their self unsustainability. Maybe it sounds cruel, because in the short-term people who may have been fed or given water will die, but in the long run they'll ultimately prosper and will have the capabilities to care for themselves.

It's like the old expression goes. Give a man to fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime. All I really accomplished by donating that money was encouraging people to stick to the short-term solution.

As for me making this post? Chalk it up to some thoughtful boredom. Tell me what you guys think if you have any thoughts or responses.

I don't think that's cruel at all. Maybe some of it would go to helping them eat while they are being trained, but if they can't ever help themselves, then they will always be dependent on aid that might not always be there.

That's the thing. Individuals who would rather enable these people to fend for themselves as opposed to keep them dependent are cast as "callous" "cruel" and "uncaring. Because, in the short term, it denies them the funds which they have become so readily reliant upon. It terminates the present welfare state and violates the status quo.

Like restructuring welfare so that they must show up for actual jobs- like paving roads, cleaning up trash, carpentry, etc. Making them work for the money and possibly teaching them a trade or some sort of skill for them to use... But politicians just hate to hear this idea. I wonder why?


Rapture, you and I both know that this isn't really about helping the poor. It's about keeping them dependent and ensuring that a voting base stays exactly in the precarious position that they're in. So that they can further bolster this class-warfare mentality that "I have not because of how much you have". It's all about votes. Power.

There's a difference between accepting that poverty will always exist... And that current poverty levels are simply unavoidable and the only solution to the problem are these extremely lax government aid programs.


It's like forcing a child to stop eating so much candy and have some greens. The child will pout and cry because the vegetables taste terrible and aren't sweet. But the long term is he will live a far better life and have fewer health problems. Not that he cares- immediate gratification and doesn't exist and he has to actually put forth an effort to be healthy. He focuses his anger at the parent (the provider\enforcer giving him the food)... In contrast to the child's affection and pleasure by enabling his horrible lifestyle.

Isn't that more of a Biblical thing to do as well? I mean the poor people in the Old Testament had to actually work for gleanings so they would have food. It wasn't just given to them. I think handouts ruin people. Too many people abusing the system because they don't have to do anything.

[Tutankhamun]

I think you did the right thing to give to charity, if it was something you wanted to do why think about it further to begin with? You wanted to do it, you did it. Nothing more to it imo.

As for underdeveloped countries getting out of their situation, that is more tricky then we think. It is not that underdeveloped countries are not trying, rather the opposite is true, but forces out of their control don't want them to succeed. So I say give charity if you want to and fight the powers at be at the same time, only way things can improve.

[spyrde]

Nice post,. . thanks..

That was a nice post too man. Thanks brah :')

[Beast of Bourbon]

I never gave a cent for charity and i never will.
Those poor folks wouldn't give a shit about us if the situation was reversed.

Merry Christmas! Everyone is trying to wring a few bucks out of us!
For Africa, for Asia, for India, for South-America, for Orang Utans, for Whales, for the new desk of the Unicef boss, the list goes on and on.
How could i justify that i donated for one thing but not the other?

[podsaurus]

That was a nice post too man. Thanks brah :')

Thanks for the sweet post bro! :'D

I never gave a cent for charity and i never will.
Those poor folks wouldn't give a shit about us if the situation was reversed.

Merry Christmas! Everyone is trying to wring a few bucks out of us!
For Africa, for Asia, for India, for South-America, for Orang Utans, for Whales, for the new desk of the Unicef boss, the list goes on and on.
How could i justify that i donated for one thing but not the other?

Well if the situation were reversed I would expect you to never complain about your situation and needing money. Treat others as you'd like to be treated is what I think. I give money when I can to charities and if I were in their situation I would really appreciate any money they can spare.

I'd rather help people than say no and stomp them out. If I could have gone over to Japan and help pick up and clean all that debris and crap laying around I would have.

Of all the things that humans beings do we come up with more ways to destroy and harm each other than anything else. I go in the opposite direction. That probably makes me a sucker but I refuse to sink to that level, telling people that they're basically worthless.

I'm not trying to go after you Beast or anything I'm just saying.

[Funeralfog]

so how do you know that money actually goes to charity?

[mickice]

Some people in this world are happy living on handouts. Aslong as those handouts keep coming they see no reason to change or improve.
Stop giving the hand outs and life becomes a sink or swim situation, which I see as a better solution.

[Dave-The-Rave]

That's why I don't give any charity anymore, its not being used properly.

[[DT]]

We donate quite a bit, but mostly to charities/non-profits that support medical efforts/research (St. Jude, Cancer Foundation), and also do runs/rides [in support of the same], lend our services pro bono, etc.

[The Black Wolf]

I donate to Red Cross whenever I get a chance.

I know some of you guys don't believe in God and Christ, but I do. I believe in this situation you ask yourself, What would Jesus do? I feel that Jesus would still donate and give the people chances, as many chances as possible. It's like a drunk man who can't stop drinking. You try to help him stop and go into rehab. He may fail many times, but you keep trying, you keep giving him a chance.

I know this may sound dumb to you guys, but that's what I believe in. As for charities and organizations not using the money right, that's where you have to do research. You find the charities are do right with the money and support them.

[Bigdoggy]

I will just put in my 2 cents on this before I go back to the group of people. right now I am upstairs and I have 25 people in the house. lol

Anyway. If a government suppresses their own country, they are going to have to rely on those handouts. That's why it's good to donate because it's not so much the people but their own government that is screwing them over.