The next time you're sad because you can't afford the latest iPod...

[ninwa]

... have a look at this site: http://www.globalrichlist.com/
and see how incredibly lucky we really are to have been born into this society.


$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.
$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.
$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.
$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

[d0minicz]

yeah thats a great eye-opener

[the.watchman]

yeah thats a great eye-opener

Yeah, that's really interesting
That's why we should all give to charities etc.

Anyone here do any music for nursing homes, busking etc.
I'm looking for something musical to do in my spare time (eg. holidays)
I've done busking for charity with friends a few times (about $500 from 5 hours over two days)

[kamil9876]

http://www.miniature-earth.com/me_english.htm

[darlok]

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.
$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.
$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.
$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

Fixed that for you

[ninwa]

Cynical, but probably true. There's no such thing as altruism, but you can use your inherent selfishness for good rather than bad.

[physics]

oxpham (i think thats how u spell it)  is a good one

[enwiabe]

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.
$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.
$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.
$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR the satisfaction of telling people you bought schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

Fixed that for you

But in the end, that selfishness resulted in a net gain for humanity. So you might call that positive selfishness. The release of endorphins of knowing you did a good deed, and having others know it... Is that not that much better than the other gratifying release of endorphins of purchasing that HDTV and watching the new season of <insert TV show here>?

[squance]

oxpham (i think thats how u spell it)  is a good one

Its Oxfam

[minilunchbox]

http://www.freerice.com/

[periwinkle]

 agree with enwiabe, though darlok does have a point; in some cases peoples' "altruism" is merely a false front for getting on their high horses.

 Interesting piece by Steven Landsburg about the subject:
 
  'Giving your all'
 http://www.slate.com/id/2034/

[ninwa]

agree with enwiabe, though darlok does have a point; in some cases peoples' "altruism" is merely a false front for getting on their high horses.

I don't think true altruism actually exists...

[m@tty]

agree with enwiabe, though darlok does have a point; in some cases peoples' "altruism" is merely a false front for getting on their high horses.

I don't think true altruism actually exists...

Really? You think no one helps others without thinking of their own benefit?

[EvangelionZeta]

agree with enwiabe, though darlok does have a point; in some cases peoples' "altruism" is merely a false front for getting on their high horses.

I don't think true altruism actually exists...

Really? You think no one helps others without thinking of their own benefit?

If somebody like that did actually exist, I was would supremely impressed by their mentality.  Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult s a human being not to consider your own interests. =/

[ninwa]

Really? You think no one helps others without thinking of their own benefit?

Yes, I think humans are innately selfish. Even for those who don't expect any recognition/tangible reward for what they do for charity, part of their motivation is still the fact that they'll feel better about themselves.

I'm not saying that's wrong. I think people like that are amazing - the fact that it's doing something for others which makes them happy. But I don't think we are capable of completely ignoring our own needs.