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Why wait for the government to get its act together? Why aren't you spending your own money on those things right now? Pick your favorite organization and wri

Why wait for the government to get its act together? Why aren't you spending your own money on those things right now? Pick your favorite organization and write a check. Or, even better, get involved and give money directly to those in need.

KirinDave 8y ago
Because unless everyone simultaneously acts with coordination, these problems are too big and complex to address without some kind of coordination. Even if that coordination is decentralized, it has a cost. Weirdly, no one ever donates to "coordination of cancer fund collection."
- xaqfox 8y ago
  "Weirdly, no one ever donates to 'coordination of cancer fund collection.'" What do you think the American Cancer Society does?
  - KirinDave 8y ago
    Waste most of their donations on scandalous compensation of leadership to solicit high-end donations to continue said cycle.
krageon 8y ago
I can imagine that people would be in a similar boat that I am in: I am charitable, I enjoy giving time and effort to good causes that directly help people (eg volunteer work in orphanages, feeding the poor). When I want to donate money (I am in a position to do that far more than I do currently), I am left with the insight that actually there is no charity that isn't evil in some way. Examples of evil include very high CEO/upper management salaries, stuff like "fundraisers", performing acts of charity that sound good but actually do nothing (or actively harm), etc. Every time I come to the conclusion that it's easy to do good, but practically impossible to donate to something good in an effective way. With the way my life has been progressing and how I suspect a lot of people's lives progress as they age (less free time, more relative income) this effectively means that charity stops out of necessity as time goes on. I would love to have a solution to this, as it does bother me.

KirinDave 8y ago

Because unless everyone simultaneously acts with coordination, these problems are too big and complex to address without some kind of coordination. Even if that coordination is decentralized, it has a cost. Weirdly, no one ever donates to "coordination of cancer fund collection."

xaqfox 8y ago
"Weirdly, no one ever donates to 'coordination of cancer fund collection.'" What do you think the American Cancer Society does?
- KirinDave 8y ago
  Waste most of their donations on scandalous compensation of leadership to solicit high-end donations to continue said cycle.

krageon 8y ago

I can imagine that people would be in a similar boat that I am in: I am charitable, I enjoy giving time and effort to good causes that directly help people (eg volunteer work in orphanages, feeding the poor). When I want to donate money (I am in a position to do that far more than I do currently), I am left with the insight that actually there is no charity that isn't evil in some way. Examples of evil include very high CEO/upper management salaries, stuff like "fundraisers", performing acts of charity that sound good but actually do nothing (or actively harm), etc. Every time I come to the conclusion that it's easy to do good, but practically impossible to donate to something good in an effective way. With the way my life has been progressing and how I suspect a lot of people's lives progress as they age (less free time, more relative income) this effectively means that charity stops out of necessity as time goes on. I would love to have a solution to this, as it does bother me.