Portfolio 2: Singer on Poverty

1. Are we obligated/have a duty to give to poverty?
-This speaks to the question of the lawyer. "Who's my neighbor?" The same person who believes that some people are not their neighbor would ask if they had an obligation to give to poverty.
2. Why should I give up my luxuries?
-This question relates to the logic of, "What would I get out of helping others?" Martin Luther King said the correct question was, "What would happen to them if I don't help?"
3. What are considered luxuries?
-Singer said that any unnecessary things such as buying juice when you can drink out of a water fountain is a luxury and we should give those up. 2 silver coins was a acknowledged luxury of the Samaritan, and he dutifully gave them up to help the beaten man.
4. What do we owe as individuals?
-As said before you owe as much as you can offer without putting your life in jeopardy. Instead of buying name brand sodas, buy generic. The Samaritan offered as much as he could, he also did not offer more than necessary. Knowing the beaten man would be better soon, he did not pay for a month's rent, rather a couple of days.
5. Do you recognize that the poverty situation is an unfair bad thing?
-Like the Levite and the priest acknowledging is the first step in helping. The Levite and Priest did not acknowledge the beaten man as their neighbor, so they did not help him. In today's society if people do not recognize that poverty is bad, then what motivation do they have to prevent it?
6. Why should distant people matter as much as those close?
-In Jesus' story Jesus purposefully said the beaten man was naked. This was because you then could not determine what class he was from. The Levite and Priest, not knowing this ignored him and failed to help. The point Jesus was making is that it does not matter what class, location or person is suffering, you should always help.
7.Is doing nothing as bad as harming someone?
-Simply ignoring a beaten man or a struggling nation is as bad as intentionally inflicting pain. The Levite and Priest's lack of action is equally as bad as a group practicing genocide. This is because the Levite and Priest were capable of helping the beaten man.
8.Where should we devote energies?
-We should devote our energies to opportunities that present themselves. The beaten man was an opportunity to practice compassion, and the Samaritan recognized this. A drowning person in a well is an opportunity and it is morally right to help this man. Even if it is no benefit to you.
9. Should I let my emotions dictate if I help?
-Yes, you should. The Samaritan could relate to the beaten man because he was an outcast as well. Therefore he acted with sympathy and compassion towards him. Today, we should find similarities in the poverty stricken people and therefore become moved to help them.
10. Shouldn't we all have equal access to world's resources?
-Yes, seeing that everyone is our neighbor and therefore everyone is human, we should treat everyone equally. Although the radio said that equality might jeopardize our resources.