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Zucas on 02 February 2010
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mrstickball said:

I don't think your reading my responses properly.

There *is* a cause of the problem. I will highlight it for you:

Irresponsibility

If in case you don't know what that is, it is something that people partake of that is gender, race and religion-neutral. It causes a large amount of problems in society.

I already told you, and will say it again: the best answer is to develop sustainable living practices in communities and people. I've said that at least twice, and you still say I am not getting to the root of the problem. That is the root of the problem. As others have said, if you give people - American, Hatian, Black, White, Mexican, European - simple aid such as food and water, you can create a blowback effect. If the people are recieving aid that they are unaccustomed to, they can and will develop a dependency on it. The welfare system in America, prior to reforms in the 90's was a great example - although welfare is a good idea, some people developed a dependency on it that were otherwise fit for work. Likewise, when food aid has been given to some African nations, it has increased birthrates well beyond sustainable practices which results in more death and famine. I'm not saying all such aid is bad, but you can never use it as a permanant solution.

You must:

  • Give quick aid when it is absolutely, desperately needed (e.g. Haiti)
  • Give sustained aid in terms of education and sustainable practices when accepted by communities and governments (which is rarely the case, unfortunately)
  • Ensure responsibility by aid-recipients to utilize aid in ways that will sustain benefits

For example, you can look at countries throughout the last century that were brought up from 3rd world status due to responsible citizens and government. As stated, Korea is a great example. South Africa is getting there. Chile is rising to be a major Latin American figure of governmental responsibility. We need more nations like those. But for those examples, you have Zimbabwe, Argentina, Laos and many others who squandered their gifts through political and cultural corruption.

 

So going back to the core issue, its a lack of responsibility on a lot of peoples' shoulders:

  • Irresponsible governments in undeveloped/impoverished countries that are corrupt and power-hungry that steal from the poor and do not re-invest tax money into building infrastructure and education
  • Irresponsible governments in developed countries that have corrupt politicians that steal from constituents and give money to others without ensuring the viability of the projects (again, social welfare systems and foreign aid to dictators)
  • Irresponsible citizens of underdeveloped/impoverished countries that do not leave the country, or hold their corrupt leaders accountable for their major problems. In America we had corrupt leaders at one time, we drove them (the Brits) into the sea. Even then, many countries revolt only to put another corrupt person in power.
  • Irresponsible citizens of developed nations that don't check in on their charities ensuring they are reaching sustainable goals in impoverished countries. Likewise, some are irresponsible and simply do not give of their time/money to help others.

Wow, nice to know someoen can critically on such deep issues.  Actually, for the most part I agree with about everything you say.  Things I've actually already stated in the thread nonetheless, and in the post above but indeed very good points.  Obviously very well thought out.

Only issues some might hold with this (although not I as I think this is the best way to do it), is that this doesn't taken into account the human condition.  Well basically, nature vs. nurture.  If indeed humans are a product of their envirnoment (what I think) then if you fix the environment to have sustainability and good character you will have an ideal world.  But if there is a notion of human nature, what if humans are naturally greedy and selfish. 

Like Hobbes did in Leviathan, might have to setup a part of the world to balance out that human nature.  Or maybe I'm simply misinterpreting what you are saying as you might think there is a human nature, but obviously there would need to be something that even controls humans.  Maybe control is the best way to have an ideal world.  Oh well I'm just rambling now.  Good post.