The Singer Solution to World Poverty
5/17/11
English 302
Matthew Falloon
The Singer Solution to World Poverty: Response
I find Singer’s essay to be very thought provoking. Although I disagree with Singer’s rationality, I think his ideas about people’s priorities are completely correct. Singer does a good job of putting those priorities and real necessities of life into perspective. I like the amount of pressure Singer puts on the reader to donate money, and the reasons he uses to support that pressure. The first part of Singer’s article when he goes into talking about a Brazilian film in which a woman hands over a child for money believing that he is going to be put up for adoption only to find out afterward that he will be murdered for his organs. Singer explains that only upon rescuing the boy is the woman considered a good person and member of society. Had she done nothing to help the boy, audiences would be angry and upset about the film. Singer believes, however, that had the woman left the boy, she would be no different than any average American who spends money on material possessions not necessary for life instead of donating it to a charity. I agree with Singer’s opinion to a point. I do not think that the woman having not saved the boy is the same as a person not donating money. The woman had the chance to directly help the boy. Donating to charity is an indirect form of helping others. Many charities do not even send the money to where they say it will go. I believe that directly affecting someone’s life is far more important and compassionate than indirectly sending money. Most people who send money to charities only do so to justify themselves and make themselves feel better about doing a good thing. The second part of Singer’s article which interested me is the story of Bob. I assumed this story would be like the film, however, in this story Bob already knew what would happen to the child. A child was playing on the train tracks and a train was coming. Bob could
English 302
Matthew Falloon
The Singer Solution to World Poverty: Response
I find Singer’s essay to be very thought provoking. Although I disagree with Singer’s rationality, I think his ideas about people’s priorities are completely correct. Singer does a good job of putting those priorities and real necessities of life into perspective. I like the amount of pressure Singer puts on the reader to donate money, and the reasons he uses to support that pressure. The first part of Singer’s article when he goes into talking about a Brazilian film in which a woman hands over a child for money believing that he is going to be put up for adoption only to find out afterward that he will be murdered for his organs. Singer explains that only upon rescuing the boy is the woman considered a good person and member of society. Had she done nothing to help the boy, audiences would be angry and upset about the film. Singer believes, however, that had the woman left the boy, she would be no different than any average American who spends money on material possessions not necessary for life instead of donating it to a charity. I agree with Singer’s opinion to a point. I do not think that the woman having not saved the boy is the same as a person not donating money. The woman had the chance to directly help the boy. Donating to charity is an indirect form of helping others. Many charities do not even send the money to where they say it will go. I believe that directly affecting someone’s life is far more important and compassionate than indirectly sending money. Most people who send money to charities only do so to justify themselves and make themselves feel better about doing a good thing. The second part of Singer’s article which interested me is the story of Bob. I assumed this story would be like the film, however, in this story Bob already knew what would happen to the child. A child was playing on the train tracks and a train was coming. Bob could