why dont we all give more?

[Nimbostratus100]

We are all aware that there is so much need in the world, and here in the UK we all have so much, yes, really, all of us, unless you are on the street or literally unable to eat today ( unlikely in UK) then we all do. I am in massive debt, very unwell and possibly losing my job. Yet I know I am so well off compared to many

There are children dying for lack of clean water this morning, while I enjoy unnecessary peanut butter and nice coffee.

I donate to charity - when I feel I can, not so much right now, and volunteer a lot, many thousands of hours over the years, again, not so much right now as I am stuck in bed, but I feel like a good person. I pray for those less fortunate, and raise awareness, etc

But I am aware I am living a privileged life while others die for lack of basic needs, water, antibiotics, food, shelter, and yet I am not particularly disturbed - why am I not disturbed? Is it out of sight out of mind, or some sort of genetic self favouring instinct - "I'm all right jack!" Or is it social acceptance, I need three coats, the cagule doesnt go with my work clothes, etc?

I could have put the money for this peanut butter and coffee into the DEC collection, but I didn't

Its not just me, its all of us, any one of you reading this has at very minimum access to a phone you are putting ahead of the needs of a child that will go blind today due to lack of antibiotics

Whats wrong with us? I know one person could make very little difference, but surely the only reason the world is so unfair is because we all, as individuals are behaving so selfishly.

Anyone else confused by this? Feeling like a good person, but knowing objectively I am living selfishly?

• I CANT change the world

@Cuppasoupmonster

Yep. We should all give as long we’re not in the red! People are just very ‘me and my little family’, not realising the biggest impact on their kids will be the state of the world around them rather than whether they got X or Y toy for Christmas

Its not really true though. there isn’t one “state of the world” there are 1000s, largely depending on which country/area you live in.

@Nimbostratus100 some people in the UK won't be able to eat today , no. Please don't say otherwise.

Not using your car or a bus though? And obviously, off to do charity work

What is the point of giving away all the things and reduce yourself to a miserly life? Yes you may help one person have a hot meal, but the picture is much much bigger.
And my husband did not work himself into the grave (literally- he had a high stress job and suffered a heart attack in his 50s) for me to forsake the hard earned privilege of being able to give my children an excellent education and help them get started in life? I mean when would you stop? We could all sell our worldly goods but that would be a temporary uplift to others. Then WE would be needing help too.
He gave by monthly direct debit to NINE charities. He also raised with three co workers £65k for motor neurone disease. He was heavily involved with social mobility. But we still had a nice house and children in private school. I no longer have his salary and had to downsize to a place half the size and a cheaper area in order to keep them there, and I only give to two charities and our local food bank.
The issue is systemic on a global scale. All the millions raised in charity so far - yet there is still starvation, homelessness and so on. People far more intelligent and knowledgeable than me have tried for years to seek to alleviate these issues, locally and globally. But it requires cooperation from all governments and little corruption.
The very richest can also be generous - not all will advertise this.
If you are already in debt why compound that? Are you looking for a socialist society? I have no guilt buying myself a latte. As you say, it does brighten my day, especially if sharing the time with a friend. I do not see the need to be a martyr.

Yep

Sadly OP you could give everything you have and there would still be people without food and clean water and access to health care. No matter what charities do if there is corruption in local and national government and large international organisations then the situation will never be resolved. Sadly I can't think of a single country in the world where this is not the case.

Until those in power throughout the world are all acting in the best interests of their citizens and not in their own interests things will not change. The world has many resources which are being wasted or funnelled to the benefit of the wealthy and powerful. They are the ones you should be blaming, not ordinary people who are just doing the best to provide for themselves and their families.

So true

There is enough resources in the world to ensure everyone’s basic needs are met. I do think humans are fundamentally too greedy, and too short sighted and I believe these flaws will ultimately bring about the end of the human race within 500 years. The planet would thrive without us !

I often stop and chat to homeless people and will offer to buy food, water, toiletries, etc, if they want it, but I don't give to Charities. Sometimes, and surprisingly they won't want anything but will appreciate that you've taken the time to acknowledge them and to chat with them. Sometimes, it's evident they have mental health issues and shouldn't be on the street, but in care.

But I have often wondered why Polly Neate, the CEO of Shelter, doesn't cap her £135K salary at £50K (you could live nicely with that) and donate the rest to helping the homeless. I assume her salary is paid for out of donations.

Ditto, the other charities.

I disagree; whatever mess we make in another part of the world lands on our doorstep eventually. Climate change, refugees, poor sanitation leading to new viruses, it’ll all end up here at some point.

When I was a teacher at a large secondary school on World Aids Day each year I did Feast or Famine with Year /11. I put a large map of Africa on wall looked up famine rates in each part of Africa and made odds of starving. Children paid money for ticket. Roughly 3 feast tickets and rest had name of part of Africa on. If they drew feast they got the pizza hut feast if they drew a part of Africa they got small bowl of rice with a few bits of chopped veg in. They also had to answer questions on part of Africa they drew. I wanted to show them it is random which country we are born in and it made them open their eyes. All profit went to Aids charity for Africa.

Because as someone from a poor family who was told that if they would work there would be rewards, but there aren’t, I have neither the power nor energy to spare in being the saviour of the world. How much do you think they would care about us here if the situation were reversed? I have my regular donations, but if Britain collapsed tomorrow there are many in these countries who would cheer.

Maybe you mean well, but this post sounds very unpleasant. I'm sure people who care already do what they can.

Do whatever you feel good about doing. But telling others they aren't is not very nice and judgemental.

Because as someone from a poor family who was told that if they would work there would be rewards, but there aren’t
The rewards are all siphoned off by the people at the top, and this continued because it was possible for those in power to fool the people into acting against their own interests. With the internet and mass communication people can collaborate and expose corruption in a way that wasn't possible before, I like to think there is hope for a fairer world 🌱

Generally you don’t get to be mega rich without exploiting /harming people and/or harming the environment to a significant degree, or being part of a family / group which have done / do this. So a lack of social conscience is a pre-requisite for such people.

Because charity starts at home and I will look after my own before other countries, especially with cost of living crisis etc.

Not RTFT but when I had no money, I didn't help charity - I couldn't afford to. Now, I do. It's as simple as that, really, you can't send what you don't have.

I have huge admiration for JK Rowling, who's given so much away that she's no longer a billionaire, and Bill Gates is giving 95% of his away. But the likes of Murdoch and Musk...nah. if they have it's peanuts. It would be like me donating a penny. Greed has taken over.
I read recently that Bezos could give each of his workers $95,000 and he'd still have more money than he did at the start of the pandemic. When will be enough for these people?

What a nasty, victim-blaming thing to say. Struggling to believe anyone really thinks this way TBH.

You’d be better off paying the money you’re giving to charity to paying off debt, saving the interest paid. When you don’t have debt you can give your surplus money to charity.

It’s all a bit handwringing and virtue signalling for me. I pay my taxes, I raise my children to be good citizens, we take care of the environment to the best of our ability (e.g. not driving short journeys, only having one car, composting, reusing and repairing rather than rebuying, etc.) Frankly if everyone who could did that, it would be enough.

Why do you have the impression that there aren’t people in the UK who can’t afford to eat today?

Hmm not sure about bill gates but I think if the wealthy successful people were serious about making the world a better place they would put the wealth to good use directly , not just give it to a charity. Also we all need to be less accepting regarding the inequalities in the world. 90% of resources are owned by 1% people - it’s the 1% who need to give more, not the rest of us !

Because ignorance is bliss !
it amazes me that the leader of our country has no idea how people outside his own elite social circle actually live

the majority of politicians are corrupt / power hungry - anyone wanting to do good doesn’t really fit in !

Exactly this