We tend to throw around the word "poverty" a lot nowadays but do any of us really bother to think about it? I mean, do any of us think about its effect on the world and on us as humans? I for one, don’t! I mean to be totally honest, I very rarely think about the one billion or so people living in absolute poverty around the world!
Not to place too huge a blame on western society but its probably western culture and education that has left me and others so apparently callous and uncaring. Yes, schools teach you about poverty and how massive a problem it is but you don’t hear any teachers or the government telling us go help, no, of course not! This would not benefit the economy!
But then, is this massive issue of poverty something which can be solved with a few extra helping hands? I really doubt it!
Almost one half of the world’s population live under two dollars each day – what an absolutely pitiful amount! How did we, as a species, let it get so bad? Surely evolution is not just about survival of the fittest, surely there is some instinctive drive to help others! If there is then how on earth did we let it get so bad? What happened!?
Maybe we should all pass the blame on to ignorant generations of the past and then forget about it, or maybe it is, in fact, the governments fault (isn’t everything!?)… Maybe every single person on the planet is to blame, even the ones living in poverty! I don’t’ know!
I just don’t know what we can do to fix this mess! Maybe it’s all beyond repair!
What about giving to charity? Does that help? I’ve not given much to "charity" in my life, I don’t see the benefit! Actually, you know what I really hate; it’s the general ethos and concept of charity. What do you feel when you give to charity? Altruism? Commitment? Pride? Honour? Humility?
Face it! Giving to charity makes you feel good, it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside as if you’ve really helped someone! But have you really helped anyone, or have you, by giving that tenner at the church collection, actually fuelled an already burning fire of dependency – the dependency which poverty-stricken countries now have on the western world!
I’m not against charity but I would just like to know where my money is going. I would much rather save up some money and go and help do something real instead of blindly giving money!
I don’t know the answer, I don’t think anyone does. But then it’s not about any single answer – that won’t fix anything – the only thing which has a hope of helping is if we all start to give a damn and do our bit to help out, including me!
I am sorry for this post being so negative. The subject of poverty really is a nasty one; there is no easy way to be even a tiny bit positive about it. It’s a very horrible thing to have to think about! Hopefully “Blog Action Day” has helped in gaining something other than pity and hatred; hopefully BAD#08 has helped, just a bit, to raise awareness, not of poverty, but of the collective realisation of our responsibility towards those who suffer because of it.
Okay, enough bad news, let’s do something about it! Let’s get up and do something tiny each day to help the poor! Have a look at this list for some good ideas… Let’s be positive, happy and excited about this – otherwise it’s not going to work!
What is "Blog Action Day"?
Have a look at this video to get an idea! –
Thanks for reading! Please share your thoughts with me on Twitter. Have a great day!