Charities are like bandaids

Usually in the debate on how to "end" poverty the two arguments I often hear are the following:

SIDE A: "The less fortunate should be the ones to alleviate themselves from this problem which they go into in the first place!"
SIDE B: "We, the more fortunate, should help the less fortunate out of their poverty as it is the right thing to do!"

There are always cons to each of these arguments.




Side A is often the argument of those who I believe are quite sick of always giving and donating to those less fortunate because it seems like the situation doesn't really change/get better despite efforts being made. It's this line of thought wherein one also assumes that the less fortunate are already so used to living in financially unstable/terrible conditions that they don't make an effort to turn things around (despite all the help they are given). It's a very "Fuck this shit" argument (if you ask me) which you could counter by saying "But the less fortunate may not have the capabilities/resources to do this".

Side B is the polar opposite argument to the prior side. People who argue within this line of reasoning are quite noble if you ask me, though sometimes quite full of themselves. I say the latter remark due to this question: "Who died and made us saviors of the poor?". Think for a moment about all those Western campaigns that are directed at alleviating poverty in the Middle East, in Africa, or in Asia? At first you'd think they're doing the right thing, trying to end poverty and all with these huge charity foundations and such but ask yourself, "Do they really know what's best for these countries?" In relation to that, by arguing with Side B, ask, "How would you help them? How would you really know whats best for them when you are not less fortunate?". It's the logic of, "because we are better off, we should give to the poor, but then how would we know what the poor whats when we do not live in the same conditions as they do?". As in, we know what makes life easier for us and all but can we really presume that by giving them food, clothes, and a good education they'd use it like how we envision them to use it? It's so easy to say we should educate the masses in order for a better future because we are educated to begin with and we see education as the golden key to a golden future. This argument may have its flaws but sometimes it seems better than being indifferent and doing nothing, right?

I've lost enough idealism and enthusiasm in the human race to believe that poverty can be completely solved. The most I see is that you can lessen its magnitude and its spread as a disease to people but you can't fully get rid of it. There will always be those less fortunate and those more fortunate and those who are in between. Though I would like to say that everyone is fortunate one way or the other about something. /hintofidealism

Personally the most I do to try and help things out is giving my change to street kids and treating them to some fish balls once in a blue moon when I'm feeling up to it. I work with how I feel right now and I don't really see myself trying to significantly do something about eradicating poverty other than finishing college and hoping I'll go somewhere where I get a job and do something with my life and being financially stable before giving back to the community. Apologies world, but the most I'll do right now with regards to helping poverty just falls to that (and no, I'm not at all happy with myself by admitting that). And with regards to charity organizations and giving to charities I'm not going to berate them but I will point out that I don't believe that they really work. I appreciate the efforts they are making in helping out the less fortunate and fixing the poverty situation but again, does it really do anything? Does it really change the entire situation? I do believe that it changes the lives of certain people touched by luck and love to receive these donations, however looking at things from a macro-level I can't say that charities dot he job of ending poverty/significantly lessening it.

Give or take a couple more years of study and education maybe someone will someday figure out the formula to the problem. Until then I'm stuck with working with my mood levels of giving and working to security and stability before I revisit some solution.