to be blubbing over those donkey and general animal charity ads but the starving children ones...

[CaptainTripps]

and suchlike leave me cold.

I mean ffs what is wrong with me? It should be the other way around.

Have I got an human empathy chip missing? I feel really bad about this.

[2goatytocare]

I think that people aren't being judged on what they find moving but what they DON'T find moving. My brother was a teen when he visited a concentration camp and he was jarred and most affected by the sight of a pile of tiny babies clothes and h didnt have children of his own.I'm not a particular animal lover but I get upset by the sight of them starving and abused because like children they are helpless and vulnerable. I don't know about people not seeing starving children in Africa as children I certainly do, life can be so unequal and cruel

[SPsWouldCatFishNev]

I'm not moved by either tbh. I will put money in collections tins for both though.

Now the Cancer advert gets to me.

Didn't things affect different people

[OrangeMochaFrappucino]

I cannot understand the mentality that is more distressed by animal suffering than human suffering and I am very surprised to read that several people feel that way. Human suffering is so much more acute and horrifying and I cannot bear to think of the horrors people are forced to endure because of poverty, war, hunger and disease. How anyone could feel more for a donkey than fellow human beings is incomprehensible to me - but the disproportionate level of donations given to animal charities show that a lot of people obviously feel that way. It makes me more depressed about the human race and while I have to choose which charities to support, I will never prioritise an animal charity over a human one.

[curlew]

"It is awful that some children are having to live in such awful conditions but it isn't anything that is purposefully being inflicted on them by other cruel individuals, it is just the way of the 3rd world country they live in, the causes are natural and although it is very unfortunate there isn't anyone to blame for it."

You might find it helpful to look into this a bit- there is rather more to it than appears on the surface. It isn't just the "way of the 3rd world countries they live in".

[Writerwannabe83]

For me, it isn't the suffering itself that triggers the distress, but the cause of it - hence why I'm more distressed by adverts of neglected or abused animals and children as opposed to seeing images of 3rd world countries.

There was a recent bereavement in my family and the 3 family members who were organising the funeral were trying to decide what Charity to ask people to make donations to instead of spending money on flowers (if they preferred to donate of course) and despite lots of suggestions towards human causes the final decision was to choose the Dogs Trust Charity. It wasn't unanimous and I was quite taken aback too. I would have been interested to know how many people donated....

[OrangeMochaFrappucino]

Writer '3rd world' suffering is NOT natural and inevitable. Political corruption, war and exploitation by the rich countries are very much to blame. There is absolutely a human cause. Read about what is currently going on in the Central African Republic where militia are slaughtering people's children in front of them and throwing people to crocodiles. People starve because their natural resources are taken from them, because they are displaced by violence and for many reasons beyond 'that's just the way it is'. I'm not saying that animal cruelty isn't distressing but I find what humans are capable of doing to each other far more shocking.

[Writerwannabe83]

What I meant jelly about the natural causes is when they show images of children having to drink dirty water (for example) and in my head I don't see it as though there is a cruel person sitting 10 feet away drinking a bottle of sparkling water whilst forcing others to only have the dirty water and laughing about it. I know what you mean about the effects of war and politics etc but I just meant that in some situations what some people are having to cope with is just how their circumstances are. It saddens me to think how unfortunate they are compared to others but it doesn't upset me to the same degree as when I see something on the news about children being abused and murdered.

I absolutely agree with the rest of your post about the Militia torturing people, as like I said, that is purposeful cruelty from one person to another which is what I do find upsetting.

Sorry if my post is garbled....it makes sense on my head

[TeaAndCakeOrDeath]

There are so many charities and appeals for hungry children etc and poor vulnerable animals seem to be forgotten a lot of the time

The Donkey sanctuary had an income of over 32 million pounds last year, don't think anyone is forgetting them

I do love animals but when I see hospices (sometimes childrens ones) closing down along with hospital baby care units and food banks popping up everywhere as families cant afford a basic like food, I do question if priorities are right...

[TeaAndCakeOrDeath]

Oh and a link to the charity commission if anyone wanted to check

[Bowlersarm]

Mankind causes suffering to both humans and animals. Animals don't cause any suffering, just pleasure (albeit unknowingly).

I don't think there is a rational explanation as to why some people would prefer to help out with animal charity or human suffering causes or both. It just is. There is no intention of harm or lack of sympathy for those of us preferring animal causes.

Surely it is better to give to some causes/charities so choice, rather than no charities at all, and people shouldn't be judged for where they donate they hard earned cash or possessions.

[Writerwannabe83]

teaandcake - with regards to your last paragraph, I absolutely agree. It's a shame they don't show adverts about this type of thing - you see more adverts on the TV about suffering in other countries than you do about the suffering that actually goes on in our own. We may not have the same problems as 3rd world countries but there are still a lot of people in this Country who need help.

[OrangeMochaFrappucino]

But when those children are drinking dirty water it is because unjustifiable poverty has forced them into those circumstances and that poverty has been created by human greed, corruption and exploitation. It's more complex than one person maliciously inflicting it upon them but it is still as reprehensible.

I am unable to watch such charity appeals as when they do show those suffering children, I think of the mother that loves her babies just as passionately and powerfully as I love mine. Who cradled her newborn and vowed to protect him just like I did. Who feels exactly as I would if I was forced to watch my child suffer and die by degrees in front if me. The agony is unimaginable. I cannot understand the people upthread who state that they can watch that 'unmoved' but can't watch an animal appeal. I could understand finding them both unbearable! But to think people are watching that and thinking 'that's just how life is for those people' but then being distraught by an overworked donkey...I don't get that at all.

[TeaAndCakeOrDeath]

Writerwannabe83 Thanks, I work with families/children in this country (one of the places I work is in an area of high deprivation) and know while we do have a fantastic, free health service and accessible clean water etc, that does not mean everything is 'hunky-dory' on our own streets by far, parents taking turns to eat dinner alternate days to spread the amount of food out for the children etc

[DontmindifIdo]

Well then, I don't find animal charity ads particularly move me, but then I'm unusually unsentimental about animals. I will insist on non-cheap meat that's been ethically reared, but that's a more logical "what's right and wrong" argument than particularly caring. (I'm not sure if that makes sense)

But of the children's charities that upset me, it's often cruelty rather than starvation that upset me more. This thread has made me think about it and I think there's truth in the fact for my whole life, there's been collections for starving children in Africa. There seems to be an acceptance that you cna't just throw money at the 3rd world and expect it solve the problems long term. There will always be another famine, another drought, another natural disaster in that part of the world, and there's enough corruption that there's an element of even if you do send money, it's not going to fix the problem. That it's part of the world that is hard to sustain life so you are only ever going to offer a short term solution, with problems made worse by actions of people in positions of power.

To me, I expect to hear about children starving in Africa, I always have and I suspect I always will. However, I don't expect children to be living in terrible conditions in this country, I expect that as a civilised country with a lot of money and no natural disasters, we should be able to afford a decent standard of living for all children and for authorities to keep them safe, that we can't is something that jars more, and feels more like a fixable problem.

[Writerwannabe83]

Snap, I work with children and families in deprived areas too and totally understand what you mean I see neglected children and abused children (physical and sexual) and when I see what dire circumstances some of the families are forced to exist in, well, it leaves me feeling disheartened that in a country like ours people are being forced to live like this. I admit that my job leaves me feeling very upset at times but at least I know it means that although adverts about dirty water don't move me to tears, I must have some form of human empathy As another poster said up thread, seeing something on TV is not the same thing as seeing something in real life and having to actually accept that such neglect and suffering is actually out there.

[Caitlin17]

I also agree with the posters who said inflicting cruelty on an animal is as bad as inflicting cruelty on a child.

I think I feel that way because what scares, depresses and sickens me is the mindset of the person who can do either and knowing such people exist.

Oh, it may have changed but I believe until recently The National Trust trumped most others.

[AmberLeaf]

Bloody donkeys!

It is awful that some children are having to live in such awful conditions but it isn't anything that is purposefully being inflicted on them by other cruel individuals, it is just the way of the 3rd world country they live in, the causes are natural and although it is very unfortunate there isn't anyone to blame for it

That is not true, the causes are not natural at all.

[TeaAndCakeOrDeath]

Writer I agree too, for all those saying they are not moved by the adverts, its one thing to have the nspcc "little Max has stopped crying because nobody comes" played by actors on the tv which you can turn over/mute, its quite another to have 'little Max' right in front of you sobbing with pain because his feet are hurting (shoes have holes in and feet are wet/cold for long periods of time) or find him stealing food from the kitchen because he's so bloody hungry (Sunday afternoon) having gone without food since his last free school meal

*Both cases I have worked in case anyone thought I was being dramatic

[curlew]

I think there is a lot of ignorance about the causes of deprivation in the developing world. And the impact that our lifestyles and the decisions the politicians we elect have on people in other countries.

[WooWooOwl]

I don't think child abuse is any worse than animal abuse to be honest, although I know that will probably shock some people

Not shocked. Disgusted. Repulsed. Ashamed that humans could feel that way. But not shocked.

woowooowl what an ignorant, offensive comment.

I hope you don't work with children at all.

How bloody naive. I'm incensed and disgusted that anyone could think that.

Why?

I'm genuinely interested in why people think that human suffering is somehow worse than bears or elephants or whatever suffering.

The pain is the same. Their ability do do anything about their abuse is the same. They are equally helpless, and they are capable of feeling the same levels of pain and mental anguish.

Note that I'm not saying that I'm not upset by child abuse. I am. But I am equally upset by animal abuse. It's horrible to see any living being abused and tortured at the hands of someone. Why is that something that disgusts others so much?

[Takingbackmonday]

I am exactly the same.

Animal adverts make me well up; starving children - usually African - make me change channel. I KNOW how awful that sounds and I think it is due to being desensitized; these pictures/videos are everywhere and there is always another campaign. Perhaps something the charities should think about.

[Takingbackmonday]

Just to clarify i don't mean I change over if they are African - that would be terrible! I meant that the appeals are usually for parts of Africa.

[Takingbackmonday]

And I agree with WooWoo

How is it worse? Of course if it's your own child, but why is hurting a child worse than hurting an animal? If anything, animals have less understanding .

[Writerwannabe83]

- good job you cleared that up talking I was just about to reply about your unacceptable racism! Joking obviously

[Takingbackmonday]

Yeah... I care for all starving kids EXCEPT the African ones - Christ can you imagine? Still, people are quick to jump.