I'm sure you've encountered them before. March of Dimes, WIC (Women Infants and Children), "Save the Children", "Make a Wish" foundation. WIC in particular I've even seen them put up huge booths in public buildings like libraries, explaining how they'll help you out if you want to make a child. Does anyone know any dirt on these organizations? I
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I think there are degrees of suffering, and that wealth is obviously not equitably distributed in this world. So I do get suspicious when I see a charity with a highly successful and clearly well funded propaganda campaign, whether it's saving teh chitlins, or taking care of people with cancer. I only begrudge help for anybody who's suffering when doing so also increases my own suffering.
And though it seems obvious, I don't think helping children is the best way to solve the problems that children face. In many cases the children can't be left well enough alone, and often you can help children, but have little effect on the overall situation. Programs that propose ways to fix the system in order to more enable children to succeed (without damaging other people's success), those I can get behind. But programs that throw money or food at children, pay for their institutionalization, ( ... )
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Ah, a humor-joke. Has potential, but sloppy execution. I give it a 2.7.
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What, then, do you propose we do? I read this passage once in an excellent historical novel: "Don't give a man a penny; he may only take it to an alehouse, get drunk, and go home to beat his wife. Better to give him the bread; better yet to give the bread to his children." Good advice, that.
In many cases the children can't be left well enough alone, and often you can help children, but have little effect on the overall situation. Programs that propose ways to fix the system in order to more enable children to succeed (without damaging other people's success), those I can get behind.Everyone has to give a little and lose a little for society as a whole to be successful. I don't regard that as damaging anyone's success. Let us say, for example, that twenty dollars of the taxes I pay out of my check each week goes to ensure that a person can have decent meals for a few days. I'm okay with that. I've been hungry. It ( ... )
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2. Charities and government programs that help children will eventually help us all. Children do grow up.
3. You're a moron.
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I disagree with it not being a good investment. An investment in any person is an investment in humanity, and I simply can't overlook that.
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Wouldn't it be great if we could teach kids how to go to a soup kitchen, or contact friends, or how to trade work with someone in exchange for a meal? Kids can do that if you teach them, and I think that teaching a man to fish has a far greater return than just giving them a fish.
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The tax issue is unfortunate. I'd rather not have my taxes go to public schools or churches, but I guess that's just tough shit. :\
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I'm for it going to schools, however - I plan to start a collaborative arts school someday, and I don't want to be employing a bunch of undereducated morons. Kids being educated actually helps all of us, although of course our school system needs serious reform (but that's a whole other storybook).
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Also for the record I loved March of Dimes to pieces, until they cured Polio. After that they just turned into a generic "save as many sick babies as possible" charity, and I don't really know why they even exist anymore.
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