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It is selfish, and I would say that is ok. Yes, it might be more altruistic to help someone you have literally no connection to, but perhaps it is more rewardin

It is selfish, and I would say that is ok. Yes, it might be more altruistic to help someone you have literally no connection to, but perhaps it is more rewarding to help someone near you, who has suffered unfortunate loss or difficulty, achieve a life that is closer to being as fortunate as your own. It's a real understandable difference from helping someone in a different country and a different culture who you can't identify with and will never see. And yes, it's a little selfish, and I think that's ok.

Jensson 5y ago
Its just indulgence letters all over again. People paid a lot of money to the church to try to clean their conscience when they could instead have used the money to lift a ton of people out of poverty. So the actual cause doesn't matter, what matters is what those around you think is important, and to them burning money by sending it to the church was more important than actually doing as Jesus preached.
- darkerside 5y ago
  Meh. It's a bit cold-hearted, but if I help a person that I never actually meet, I think you can also argue that this is a simple indulgence letter, instead of making a tangible change that you can see with your own eyes. I don't think you're wrong, I just don't think your statement is any more (or less) valid than its inverse.
  - Jensson 5y ago
    It is a matter of culture, we shouldn't praise those who throw away money on mostly useless things since then we encourage more people to throw away money instead of using it well. So even though you say "it helps a little bit, that is praiseworthy!", that is the problem! If they are to throw away money then we can at least try to incentivise better use of it. I agree that giving away money is a good thing, but praising those who give away money to mostly useless things that is a bad thing. The bad person here isn't the one who gave money to a guys car, it is the people who praise that person for giving away money for the car that are the problem, we should praise those who actually helps rather than those who just makes sacrifices.
    - watwut 5y ago
      This treats people who help a little worst then those who don't help at all. In such system, doing nothing at all is best strategy for everyone.
    - darkerside 5y ago
      Are you responding to the right post?

Jensson 5y ago

Its just indulgence letters all over again. People paid a lot of money to the church to try to clean their conscience when they could instead have used the money to lift a ton of people out of poverty. So the actual cause doesn't matter, what matters is what those around you think is important, and to them burning money by sending it to the church was more important than actually doing as Jesus preached.

darkerside 5y ago
Meh. It's a bit cold-hearted, but if I help a person that I never actually meet, I think you can also argue that this is a simple indulgence letter, instead of making a tangible change that you can see with your own eyes. I don't think you're wrong, I just don't think your statement is any more (or less) valid than its inverse.
- Jensson 5y ago
  It is a matter of culture, we shouldn't praise those who throw away money on mostly useless things since then we encourage more people to throw away money instead of using it well. So even though you say "it helps a little bit, that is praiseworthy!", that is the problem! If they are to throw away money then we can at least try to incentivise better use of it. I agree that giving away money is a good thing, but praising those who give away money to mostly useless things that is a bad thing. The bad person here isn't the one who gave money to a guys car, it is the people who praise that person for giving away money for the car that are the problem, we should praise those who actually helps rather than those who just makes sacrifices.
  - watwut 5y ago
    This treats people who help a little worst then those who don't help at all. In such system, doing nothing at all is best strategy for everyone.
  - darkerside 5y ago
    Are you responding to the right post?