6 ms·

For me, however, his main criticism sticks: band-aid solutions may make first-worlders feel good about saving 10-year-olds in Nepal, but they remain band-aid so

For me, however, his main criticism sticks: band-aid solutions may make first-worlders feel good about saving 10-year-olds in Nepal, but they remain band-aid solutions — necessary, but not sufficient.

option_greek 13y ago
And what would the alternative be ? The health problems of these patients seem to be so varied that I don't think a one shot fix it all solution is possible. And what's more, the ratio of suffering eased to amount raised is probably much higher than Cancer or other high profile diseases faced by first world.
- wildermuthn 13y ago
  Universal health care for every person on Earth?
  - ph0rque 13y ago
    That's their long-term vision: Watsi’s model could lead the way to some kind of cross-border universal medical care system
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
tlb 13y ago
No one project is ever going to save the world all by itself, so be careful not to extend that argument to rationalize never giving at all. I just now donated to re-setting a rice farmer's broken arm so she can keep farming and feed her family. That feels like more than a band-aid to me, and presumably to her.
- wildermuthn 13y ago
  True. But sometimes the opposite occurs: charity replaces justice, band-aid solutions replace systematic change. Having satisfied one's psychological need to feel like a do-gooder, the urgent desire for real change evaporates.
  - tptacek 13y ago
    Bearing in mind that you're an abstraction to me and not a real person, so there's a limit to how personally you should be able to take this comment (I don't even know you by reputation on HN): (a) Have you recently given to something like Watsi and (b) were you already trying to involve yourself in real social change for the rural poor? Or are you like the rest of us, mostly concerned with "first world" problems and in no meaningful way already engaged with the problem? If it's the latter: better that we should get you to cough up some bandaids.
    - wildermuthn 13y ago
      a) a homeless person lives in my spare bedroom b) . . . rural poverty isn't something I focus on, no . . . but as regards systematic health care reform . . . I do not own health insurance, but belong to a health-sharing plan, somewhat analogous to using a credit union instead of a bank . . . not necessarily a solution to world-wide health coverage (or rural poverty), but perhaps a step in right direction. Band-aids and system solutions ought to go together, and I'm open to learning more about how to do both better.

option_greek 13y ago

And what would the alternative be ? The health problems of these patients seem to be so varied that I don't think a one shot fix it all solution is possible. And what's more, the ratio of suffering eased to amount raised is probably much higher than Cancer or other high profile diseases faced by first world.

wildermuthn 13y ago
Universal health care for every person on Earth?
- ph0rque 13y ago
  That's their long-term vision: Watsi’s model could lead the way to some kind of cross-border universal medical care system
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

tlb 13y ago

No one project is ever going to save the world all by itself, so be careful not to extend that argument to rationalize never giving at all. I just now donated to re-setting a rice farmer's broken arm so she can keep farming and feed her family. That feels like more than a band-aid to me, and presumably to her.

wildermuthn 13y ago
True. But sometimes the opposite occurs: charity replaces justice, band-aid solutions replace systematic change. Having satisfied one's psychological need to feel like a do-gooder, the urgent desire for real change evaporates.
- tptacek 13y ago
  Bearing in mind that you're an abstraction to me and not a real person, so there's a limit to how personally you should be able to take this comment (I don't even know you by reputation on HN): (a) Have you recently given to something like Watsi and (b) were you already trying to involve yourself in real social change for the rural poor? Or are you like the rest of us, mostly concerned with "first world" problems and in no meaningful way already engaged with the problem? If it's the latter: better that we should get you to cough up some bandaids.
  - wildermuthn 13y ago
    a) a homeless person lives in my spare bedroom b) . . . rural poverty isn't something I focus on, no . . . but as regards systematic health care reform . . . I do not own health insurance, but belong to a health-sharing plan, somewhat analogous to using a credit union instead of a bank . . . not necessarily a solution to world-wide health coverage (or rural poverty), but perhaps a step in right direction. Band-aids and system solutions ought to go together, and I'm open to learning more about how to do both better.