Isn't most everyone incredibly immoral and selfish?

16 Comments

I often times think that all the money we spend on things we don't need is immoral because we could be saving so many lives by donating to good charities or by choosing a job that benefits the people who are worst off (nearby and abroad).

I also tend to think that everyone knows it but we ignore those thoughts mostly because it's uncomfortable. We want tasty food, deserts, nice clothing, nice vacations, furniture, gardens, beauty products, etc. So it's selfish.

Of course, some people believe that they earned what they have and so should be able to spend the money however they want, but think of the billions of people who won't ever have the opportunity to earn anything near what people in developed countries have? You didn't earn it all, most of it was luck.

What do you think? Seems to me that everyone chooses a minimal increase in pleasure and comfort every day over deciding to help those who are in desperate need. Which is immoral and selfish.

No, at least 25% of people try very hard to do what they can for others	8
Yes, almost all people are immoral and selfish	5
It's more nuanced	3
I'm not sure	0

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Comments ( 16 )

yasss

6 years ago

hmm, interesting point, Have you ever tried to see the good in people though? they do all have it if you look hard enough. Who are we to judge anyway?

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Rich_Guy

6 years ago

You and your bleeding heart have things backwards. People in rich countries, workers, management and owners, all have an easy time creating wealth for themselves because they KNOW how to do it. The system teaches workers, managers, and owners how to do their respective jobs more efficiently. It is not a moral question of deserving. It is a motivation question of creating and working smart at all levels.

That said, most charities are a scam. But I donate an occasional thousand dollars to the Bed Nets for Africa charity. I am in the elite 1% so the money is merely pocket change. They get my donation because disease, famine, and pestilence increase at exponential rates. This causes better return on my donation. Personally, I don't fucking care if Africans are poor and dirty. They are entitled to vitamin A, folic acid, iodine, and iron. Beyond that they are ignorant cannibals.

You sound like a whiny bleeding hearted emotional thinker. Go study Math and stop being ignorant.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  6 years ago
  
  Honestly not sure if you're a troll. If you are, you're a good one.
  
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  - Rich_Guy
    
    6 years ago
    
    Thank you for the vote of confidence. I sincerely hope plebian readers increase their understanding of economics, and wealth management by reading my comments.
    
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dickwashington

6 years ago

i thank white god every day im a white guy from america best thing thats ever happened to me! that being said im not found of giving money to someone i can't see. ill help at the soup kitchen or give someone money in their hand! i would rather help all the poor puppies and kitties then people anyday!

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  6 years ago
  
  Have you ever cared about people?
  
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  - dickwashington
    
    6 years ago
    
    did you read? i said i would help at the soup kitchen or give homless guy a dollar in his hand rather then give it to a blind charity! animals are innocent and can't help it they don't deserve anything bad to ever happen to them!
    
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TheJesus

6 years ago

Dad says that in 1 to 80 years or so it's not really going to matter anyway, so enjoy it while you can.

He also said money is made out of paper, and then something like "if they are so distraught about it, why not just give it up". I didn't really know how to answer that one. :/

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[Old Memory]

6 years ago

Meh, I wouldn't say so. If we lived to save rather than enjoy ourselves then who would really want to live, working your day to day job with no real pay off for your life?

I'd definitely say people are apathetic and desensitized to it but at the same time I'd say it's not our responsibility to try save people at our own expense. You might think differently and that's fine, I'd even say it's moral but iI wouldn't say it's immoral to notbe moral, it's moreso just the middle ground.

Id say it's a sad truth that we could do more but we aren't obligated. I don't know if you're at the age of having adult responsibilities, you may well be, but I remember thinking like that when I was quite young. Not saying it's immature to think that as an adult but maybe a tad unrealistic.

But hey, if you lead a life or plan to of helping others then more power to you.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  6 years ago
  
  You took that to an extreme. I didn't say that you would have to abandon every non-essential thing, but simply that we could do so easily and save many lives in the process.
  
  I'd say it is immoral. It's not much different than seeing a child drowning and deciding not to save them because it's going to inconvenience you. Children are literally dying but we are so numb to it because it's not in our faces and we all sorta think that the very poor are just less important.
  
  It is not unrealistic at all. Consider this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Diuv3XZQXyc
  
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justbecause11

6 years ago

I don't know about you, or anyone else for that matter because it's none of my business, but I don't have a lot of crap I don't need. The people suffering in other countries is because of their government and me, or anyone else, giving them money isn't going to change that.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  6 years ago
  
  Actually, a lot of the diseases and problems people are suffering from can be met with effectively by giving money to charity https://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/Learn-More/Common-Objections-to-Giving
  
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  - justbecause11
    
    6 years ago
    
    Do a little more research. You should find that almost one full cent of the money that's donated to most charities actually goes to those for whom the charity was set up. There are exceptions, yes, but be very careful.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      6 years ago
      
      I'm surprised I got voted down for such a simple claim. I did do my research. That site is devoted to finding which charities are effective and it explains how.
      
      https://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/Learn-More/What-Makes-a-Charity-Effective
      
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      - justbecause11
        
        6 years ago
        
        I'm not saying that all charities are bad, not by any means. There are plenty of charities that do some good. The link provided some good information, however, a great number of charities hide what they actually do with the money that is donated. You can research and find information to support what ever side of an issue you want to support. I'm just saying that there are very few charities that actually put the money where they say they put it. Again, a number of the countries that charities try to help, don't want the help. They want the citizens oppressed so they keep control. Also, I don't believe it's selfish for people to want to keep the money they earn. I agree that many people spend money on shit they don't need.
        
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manwiththegreengloves

6 years ago

I think charities only exist to perpetuate their own existence.

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Are You Normal?

Isn't most everyone incredibly immoral and selfish?