Poll - do you care about poverty (1 Viewer)

[ButterflyFish]

Hey everyone,

after discussions about the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign, I was wondering who here cares about poverty.

So, how much does extreme poverty affect you? Im not asking if you agree with the mph campaign or not, I'm just asking how much you care about poverty.



Thanks 4 voting.

 

[Generator]

Why just extreme/absolute poverty in the 'developing' world? What about instances of relative poverty within countires such as our own?

 

[davin]

i care about no one beyond myself as i am the only one that counts.

 

[Mongke]

i care about no one beyond myself as i am the only one that counts.

i dont understand this humour... are you embarrassed or just bored?

 

[_dhj_]

i care about no one beyond myself as i am the only one that counts.

Don't know if you were trying to be funny, but I'm actually this sort of person...

 

[Mongke]

Don't know if you were trying to be funny, but I'm actually this sort of person...

many a true word was said in jest.

 

[Lundy]

Call me a callous bitch or whatever, but I don't give the issue much thought. And when I do - I admit - I don't really care. Perhaps it's because I'm just sheltered in my comfortable middle class surroundings and have never witnessed abject poverty for myself, or been affected by it in any way.

At least I don't pretend to care, like the majority of those who buy those silly armbands.

 

[ButterflyFish]

Call me a callous bitch or whatever, but I don't give the issue much thought. And when I do - I admit - I don't really care. Perhaps it's because I'm just sheltered in my comfortable middle class surroundings and have never witnessed abject poverty for myself, or been affected by it in any way.

i wont call you anything... this is what i wanted to find out. well... sorry guys... im going to raise the topic again...

edited: because i didnt want to start the mph arguement again.

 

[davin]

well, wait, are we talking about a case where a whole society facing poverty, like third world countries, or are we talking about just the lowest classes within a given society? as the two are very different

 

[Mongke]

i wont call you anything... this is what i wanted to find out. well... sorry guys... im going to raise the topic again...

what do you think would be the most effective method of getting people to care?

Experiencing it themselves
learning more about it
the makepovertyhistory campaign
reading about real situations... novels etc?

well its a frame of mind thing, so i dont think any of that would work unless you wanted it to unconsciously.

 

[ur_inner_child]

I feel most won't, considering here, we are students. We're pretty poor, and probably racking up a fee now.

I myself, supporting myself, paying rent etc and have no parents to help me, I am not about to donate or help those in another country because I am having a hard time surviving myself.

I feel this mentality will go on, considering the price of living is very expensive, and yet to go on the rise. More people are opting for sharehouses even in their mid 30's.

That being said, when I am at work, I will always donate as a company, as a whole. It seems that if you didn't, the rest of the office won't, so you need to make the group feel obliged to look less selfish. A general observation I've come across.

And so forth.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I care about poverty, but i'm busy trying to make a difference in my own country

 

[ButterflyFish]

well, wait, are we talking about a case where a whole society facing poverty, like third world countries, or are we talking about just the lowest classes within a given society? as the two are very different

the poll is about third world countries, but feel free to post your opinion about either

 

[ButterflyFish]

I care about poverty, but i'm busy trying to make a difference in my own country

ok kool. I repect you opinion.
Wheras me, i think that in australia we have so many more oppurtunities. that is why i tend to be more passionate about the people who have no oppurtunity to get themselves out of the situation.

maybe because poverty is 'real' (for want of a better word) for me... i dont see it like, i want to fix my country first - me, i just want to reach the people who need the most help, who dont have basic human rights... i just see it like the global community, instead of each separate country. Plus i feel guilty because a lot of 3rd world poverty is caused/made worse by the 1st world.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

We live in a bunch of different nations, before we can begin to help out others we need to help out our own country... or the population of australia will not do anything much to help others, nor will the government.

 

[Mongke]

ok kool. I repect you opinion.
Wheras me, i think that in australia we have so many more oppurtunities. that is why i tend to be more passionate about the people who have no oppurtunity to get themselves out of the situation.

maybe because poverty is 'real' (for want of a better word) for me... i dont see it like, i want to fix my country first - me, i just want to reach the people who need the most help, who dont have basic human rights... i just see it like the global community, instead of each separate country. Plus i feel guilty because a lot of 3rd world poverty is caused/made worse by the 1st world.

dont feel guilty, that wont help anyone. but i totally agree with what youve just said. we should start at the bottom and work up. the only problem i have is not guilt, but in many of the countries that are poor its the result of a corrupt Government that siphons off all the relief aid to by new cars.

good post tho!

 

[Mongke]

We live in a bunch of different nations, before we can begin to help out others we need to help out our own country... or the population of australia will not do anything much to help others, nor will the government.

so you want utopia in Australia before you act? good luck with that!

 

[ur_inner_child]

what do you propose we as a society should do, butterflyfish?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Yea I'd also like to point out that 'relief aid' etc... and charity increases hasn't really done much at all for the people of africa. There are deeper problems that can't just be fixed by people giving away their money to some charity.

so you want utopia in Australia before you act? good luck with that!

It's not a matter of having a utopian australia it's a matter of the will of a nation to do things for other nations - that's the real fight. Nothing will be done by giving more charity, it's just a way for people to clear their own personal conscience... it actually does nothing.

 

[Generator]

ok kool. I repect you opinion.
Wheras me, i think that in australia we have so many more oppurtunities. that is why i tend to be more passionate about the people who have no oppurtunity to get themselves out of the situation.

maybe because poverty is 'real' (for want of a better word) for me... i dont see it like, i want to fix my country first - me, i just want to reach the people who need the most help, who dont have basic human rights... i just see it like the global community, instead of each separate country. Plus i feel guilty because a lot of 3rd world poverty is caused/made worse by the 1st world.

You seem to be ignoring the fact that there many here in Australia caught in what would best be called a relative poverty trap - the fact that an opportunity exists isn't enough to just in effect trivialise what is an a structural issue facing some segments of Australia's population.

In saying this, I do realise that there is a need for different people to focus upon different issues, and I am happy to see that there are many who are more than willing to act in favour of countering third world poverty.