Go to the web site:
http://therotarianmagazine.com/culture-on-not-being-scrooge/
"On not being Scrooge" - this article appears in the December issue of Rotarian magazine. It is written by Frank Bures - read the article and make a response. Keep in mind that your initial blog is expected to be about two pages in length (write it in a Word document first to help determine length and also save it in the event your blog should delete accidentally on the site). Your responses to peers should also be at least 3/4 of a page minimum. I noticed that some are getting short. You are expected to critically respond to two of your peers.
"Wealth isolates. Big houses. Big cars. No need to ask favors of people." I believe that this quote from the reading, "On Not Being a Scrooge" is much more profound than it initially appears. For it is true. For many - but certainly not all - individuals, as their wealth expands, so does the distance between them and other people. As people begin to invest in their newfound wealth, they become less interested in other individuals, and more interested in material possessions. This of course causes them to become isolated from other people, as their services are no longer of value. And how sad it is that many people are so heavily reliant upon the favors of others that the moment their wants are quelled, the other individual is no longer relevant. It shines a whole new light on the meaning of relationships - on what is valued and what is not. In the end, if you are satisfied with your possessions, will you still value your relationships? Or, perhaps, will you become disinterested in the other person, as they now have nothing of value to offer?
ReplyDeleteIn addition, when one becomes so engrossed in material possessions and finds no need to ask the favors of others, they often develop feelings of superiority. In possessing all that is longed for, an individual no longer requires the humility to implore the aid of others. They will find no need to promise anything in return, as no one has provided anything for them. There is a certain hesitancy to asking for aid from another, as there will always be a certain fear of "pestering" another by asking their help. However, many times it is necessary, and requires great meekness. When an individual's wants have been quelled, they lose this need for humility. This lack of humility of course leads to its opposite vice - pride. Often times, wealthy people will view themselves as superior to another in that they do not require such humility, and should instead be the providers - those who are asked of.
On the other hand, there are many wealthy individuals who choose to give away many of their possessions, in hopes of maintaining their humility, and providing for the needs of others. There may still be no need to ask for favors, but in answering to the pleas of less fortunate individuals, these wealthy people are proving their compassion. In extreme cases, wealthy individuals will give up their every possession, in hopes of considering themselves a beggar. These people see the beauty in asking of others, and of being content with the least.
When it comes to the poor versus the wealthy, I believe that it is wrong to label one "more charitable" or "more compassionate" than another. It is true that many wealthy people choose to simply live for themselves, seeing themselves as superior, and allow their hearts to turn cold. Unfortunately, there are many people who use their wealth as a display, and choose to invest in material things, proceeding to flaunt it to the world as an attempt to prove superiority. However, there are equally as many wealthy people who use their wealth for the good of helping others. Countless celebrities and icons take the time to invest in charities around the globe, and contribute much time and effort in addition to their donations, making them both charitable and compassionate. It seems that there will always be these various types of people in the world - those who ask and those who are asked of, those who possess and those who cherish, those who care and those who do not. In the end, it is not who asked, and not even those who received who will be commended. Rather, it is those who answered the pleas of the countless individuals who possessed the humility to implore.
Mary, I agree with the fact that the wealthy develop a feeling of superiority. I never thought of them being the providers, but since they are the ones who have the money, I guess they are. And, maybe people should be asking them for favors because they are the ones who are capable of granting them. But, I think it would be better if they just offered it. If they have the wealth, why not spread it around to the less fortunate? I think your right; its because the more fortunate people have pride. The pride causes them to make people come to them; not them to other people. However, there are people who just generously give out their money to people. I think that people who do that have a reason that the other wealthy people don't have. Maybe they know someone who has been affected by a disease, or was in the same situation that someone else had been in. Because of this, they sympathize with people and want to help. I think that is the different between people who want others to ask them, and then people who give freely.
DeleteI never really thought about the point that wealth gives a person feelings of superiority. However, this is very true. When someone does something well or has more than others, naturally they are going to feel superior over the other person. When someone is wealthy, they feel superior instead of working to help others attain financial stability. As we know, pride is one of the seven deadly sins and it can be seen why it is in this situation. Many wealthy people would rather collect their money just for status instead of giving to charity or helping other people. These acts of charity also give us pride but in a different way. When someone hoards their money and shows off their wealth they have pride in their belongings and worldly possessions. However, when someone donates their time and does charity work, they are able to take pride in themselves and what they are doing for others. It is easy to see which is the more rewarding of the two acts. This is why it is so confusing to me why people with money do not help others more. Just yesterday I was in Altoona shopping and I was sitting on a bench watching people go by. There were many people who were heading out the door with numerous large bags full of their purchases. They all walked passed an elderly man who sat by the door ringing a bell for the Salvation Army. I found this deeply saddening because society is becoming more and more concerned with worldly things rather than truly beneficial causes.
DeleteHow often do we find ourselves idolizing celebrities and athletes who have more money than they know what to do with? When you stop to think about it, it becomes a ridiculous thought. How often do we see people like Kim Kardashian, who literally became famous for doing nothing, being idolized for their beauty rather than what they do to help others? It is a mind boggling idea to think of these people as superior. I remember hearing a story once of a man who went into a church and donated a good deal of money and smugly walked away, as he showed himself as being a superior person for having money. Next, an elderly, poor woman donated a few cents and the church. The people of the clergy were more impressed by the old woman's donation though than they were by the wealthy man for they knew that the woman gave all she had to the church. Why do we not idolize humans like the old woman? This I feel is because the media does not normally go around promoting these stories like they glorify Kim Kardashian's beauty. It is disappointing, but it is life and how we premiere the situation is up to us as well.
DeleteBeing wealthy can be both good and bad. It is definitely true that wealth can keep a person healthy and satisfied to some extent, but there is still something missing. Sharing, especially during the holiday season, makes people happy. It is important to appreciate what you have and use it to help others.
ReplyDeleteWealth usually comes from hard work. People often comment on how others need to get jobs if they are poor, or that they spend their money on drugs and alcohol. However true this may be, helping the homeless and less fortunate is completely necessary. Since hard work was put into the fortune a person has, they do not have to give it all away. They need to eat, go to the doctor for checkups, pay the bills, and support family or friends in order to be healthy enough to help others first. Some luxury is also okay, one just needs to know when it is enough.
When I was twelve, my mom made my older brothers and I go to this "King's Table" dinner with my cousins. We had to serve the poor townspeople dinner, and our parents were not going to come. They decided we needed to do it on our own. It was so scary! People that I saw walking downtown everyday would not stop eating. They were starving and cold but I did not even realize it. We had to walk around with clothes and blankets to give to people, and they were gone before we got to everybody. Even though I had nightmares about these people, this taught me that even in a small town like Ridgway, people suffer and need our help.
More aspects to take into account are the problems of everyday people. Especially towards the Christmas season, individuals have so much on their minds that it is hard to think about others. When the poor and homeless are not directly outside of a person's house, they are not remembered. There are other things to worry about, and as the article said, little reminders can go a long way.
It might sound terrible, but I cannot think of the last time I thought about the starving children in other countries. They are dying while I am enjoying everything I need and more. Mission trips have always appealed to me, but as soon as my mom told me that I was going to Kentucky to help the dying people, I became upset. The idea of helping is always strong in the minds of individuals even though it is hard to accept when giving the opportunity. This most likely happens because we are ashamed of ourselves. Giving away the little money that I earn in a year seems like a huge task, but I always feel great after I do it. I know that I helped someone and it is important to me.
When I was in St. Leo school, we had a mission family. Every week we would collect donations from the classrooms to help a poor Spanish family that lived in a tent thrown over a tree. It was nice because they sent us letters and the organization took pictures to send to us. We knew that the people we were helping were real, and it meant a lot. We continued this for my last three years of middle school and they might still be helping that family today, but I am not sure. By the time I graduated, the donations from our children helped them build a house with strong walls and a roof. It was only four rooms, but it was a big deal to them. They had a Christmas dinner for the first time that year. This type of story makes you think, and I just remembered about the mission family by writing this blog.
This article is just another little reminder that we all need. We have enough to share with the less fortunate. This "sharing" might not even be money; talents are also important to share. This holiday season, it is important to put our problems aside and think about others. It might seem impossible when we are doing school, homework, sports and other activities, and spending time with our families, but there is always time.
I think that is great that St. Leo's had a mission family! Last year, my Spanish class did something like that. It was called the pulsera project. We sold bracelets made by poor Latina women and children for $5 apiece. We ordered over 2,000 pulseras (bracelets), and sold them to kids all around the school. By the end of the sales, we raised around $5,000. The money we raised was put toward building a church and a school in Nicaragua. It felt so nice helping other children to get what we have now! After the sale, they sent my Spanish teacher homemade maracas with our names and school carved into them. They even colored it red and blue! We also got a letter that we were one of the biggest selling schools in PA! I'm not sure if Spanish 4 sold them again this year. Since I'm not there, I don't know what progress they made on building the church or the school either, but since it was a year in October, I would assume that they are done by now. But it felt so nice helping people! I guess if you are looking at things on a bigger scale, America is like the wealthy people, and Nicaragua are like the poor the people. Some Americans like you and I gave freely and wanted to help those people. Yet other Americans just like keeping their money for themselves. Even if I ever became rich, I would still give back. I have always loved helping the community and interacting with children. I always tell my parents that if I would ever marry someone who had money, I would still work and volunteer. If you have been given something, you should spread it around!
DeleteGrace, I can also relate to the story about your mission family because my family does something relatable to this. For the past seven or eight years my family sends money to a poor family in Chile. When we started doing this we would receive letters and pictures from a girl who was eighteen years old. She lost her parents and was struggling to get by. Over the course of the next two years she sent many more letters explaining to us that she had gotten married and was expecting a child. The family was homeless and working as peasant farmers. The young girl had two more children over the course of two years. Last year we received a letter from her explaining that she had saved all the money we had sent her and was able to buy enough material to build a small house and was able to send her oldest son to school. She also bough her own animals and was making a living from selling them. My family was very happy when we heard the news of this. I wish more people could experience the feeling we had when we heard that we had made that much of a difference in someone's life. It is a much better feeling than any possession could give someone. If more people could realize that these types of charity are possible and that they really could make a difference the world would be in much better condition. To this day we still receive letters from that woman from time to time explaining that her children go to school and have a good life because of a small action that we did.
DeleteThe rich are different than the standard, middle-class Americans. I think that is very evident when you compare their lifestyles. Money can change people; I have seen it in many people I know. The reference the author makes to F. Scott Fitzgerald shows this. In the book the Great Gatsby, he shows how money can change people. In the book, Jay Gatsby falls in love with the rich and beautiful Daisy Buchanan during WWI. However, he has to go back to the war and asks Daisy to wait for him, and wait for him to get money so he can marry her. But eventually, Daisy gets no word from Jay, and gives up. With her parents pushing her, she decides to marry Tom Buchanan, heir to one of the biggest fortunes in America. Eventually, Jay makes his money bootlegging liquor during prohibition and investing in the stock market. He gets word that Daisy is now married, and has his heart set on winning her back since now he is rich and could marry her. But the money and Tom has changed Daisy. No longer is she the girl Jay knew before WWI. Tom cheats on her all the time, but she stays with him because she likes the money and lavish lifestyle. But what kind of life is that? Sure, Daisy could be happier with Jay, and she knows that as they began to have an affair, but she still stays with Tom. So, why it is that she stayed with Tom when Jay had all the money that Tom had? She worried about what the people would think if she divorced one of the richest men in America.
ReplyDeleteThe point of the book is that the rich have different worries than the poor. Daisy is worried about what the people will think if she divorces one of the richest men in America. However, that is quite trivial when you look at what other people have to worry about. Some people have to worry about where their next meal will come from, how to pay their bills, and how to afford a home. They have to worry about affording a car, let alone what name brand it is. Rich are more concerned about status and brand, while lower class people are more focused on functionality. The rich are able to lead longer lives, but not necessarily healthier. I don’t agree that the wealthy always live healthier lives. Sure, they have enough money for healthcare, but the expensive food they buy is not always healthy. This is seen when looking at the causes of death in the rich people of the past. Many have died from heart attacks (Steak and Champagne isn’t always the best for you),while the poor have died from deficiencies and malnutrition.
And while the rich are caught up in the worries of the wealthy, they forget about the world around them. They don’t worry about the starving children in Africa, the money needed to treat cancer by St. Jude, or the other ugly and unpleasant happenings in the world. Many times, the rich think that it is the people’s fault they are in the situation they are in. Maybe they could reverse it by putting in some hard work and making some money to have a car, house, and food. In some cases, that is true. But other times, people cannot change the situation they are born into. They need help to reverse things and get back on their feet. The rich could help those people and give them that money to get back on their feet, but many times they choose not to. I think that this is the general rule for people who are born rich.
People who had to work for their money are a different story. They know the struggle they had to go through to get where they are today. Those kinds of people can sympathize with the poor and know what they are going through. They donate their money now that they have it, and they are not oblivious to the problems in the world. In the selection, I think that those are the kind of people that the author would call “Bob Crachit (s)”, and the more oblivious rich people are the Scrooges. And the rest of us? I guess that just depends on how we spend our money and what are ideals are.
Olivia, I agree with you one some of your points. The example of the Great Gatsby is excellent because it does show the differences in the culture. Some of my most memorable moments from the movie are the ones when they travel through the three different stages of wealth. We are exposed to all social classes. The wealthy are people such as the Buchanan's who are the richest. We then see Nick Caraway who is most likely at the lower end of the working middle class. Then, my favorite example is of the poor when they show the men digging. The transitions demonstrates the social standards and gives an idea about each of the classes. Many believe that the wealthy would not associate themselves anywhere near the lowest class. However, this is incorrect because Tom's mistress is from the lower class. As for Daisy, she is well aware of the affairs, but she is unable to leave for fear of publicity. She is forced to stay with Tom until the day she dies.
DeleteI do not believe that all wealthy people are like this. I personally know people who are very wealthy but do not isolate or flash around their money for the whole world to see. I believe their are more wealthy people who are involved with charities and funds because they believe it is a good cause. I believe it is wrong to accuse the rich of not knowing or showing compassion for the world's problems. Yes, there are some who do ignore, but their are many that choose to act.
Oval I storngly agree with one of points. The one I agree with the most is about how some wealthy think the situations others encounter are because they did something to be in that situation. These thoughts are passed around my house on a daily basis. For the most part, my fa,ily has a lot of issues. These issues are money, time, and basically more money. Bill come in after bills. My mother is currently the only one working in my house at the time. She has been for over a year. We have issues with money becuase of that. Having issues with money leads to more issues and her worring. Sometimes people get upset with my mom when she calls them and tells them about some of our hard times. They don't want to hear about them becuase it is a burden to liaten to them. They want nothing to to with the situation itself. My mom just wants support. Most of these people come from our relatives and it's really sad. It's not like my dad wants to have Cancer, not work, and have many medical bills becuase of that. He would love to not have to deal with these situations anymore. Many times my mom tells me that people will not truly understand how I feel until they go though a hard patch in their road also. Until them I will continue to put a smile on my face and pretend people aren't that cruel.
DeleteOlivia, I completely disagree with you. First of all, The Great Gatsby is not a suitable analogy because it is fiction. It is not based on a true story. Sure it may have happened, but it would be a better analogy to have used something from the genre of nonfiction. Second of all, I see you are heavily stereotyping wealthy people. Wealthy people do not care less or have any less sympathy to the world around them. For example, look at Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. They give back to society so much. Also, I know a lot of people who qualify as wealthy, and they are FAR from selfish. They give so much to charity. Just because wealthy people may buy luxuries, does not mean they do not give to charity. Sure, that person may have a Rolls Royce visible to everyone around them, but what is not visible is the amount they donate. It is unfair to assume just because they buy luxuries that they do not also give back to society. It is also such a stereotype to put in about steak and champagne. Just because somebody is wealthy does not mean they drown themselves in champagne.
DeleteLet's face it, money rules our lives. It is why we pick our careers and what our lives revolve around. It is a heartbreaking thought, too. We let money so often take over our happiness and what we enjoy. How often do you find yourself thinking, "well, my life would be better if I had this item." or "I could do so much more if I had X amount of dollars,"? It is sickening how much we revolve our lives around the amount of money that is in our bank accounts. I believe, however, no matter how much money you have, there is always an amount that you can give back to the community or the poor. We are in charge of our thoughts when it comes to money and what we do with it. I know for one, I enjoy the money I have. I work extremely hard in order to have money to spend and pay for the things I enjoy doing, such as dance. The goal is to find a healthy median between Scrooge and free spender and no matter how difficult it may seem, it is always a possibility.
DeleteBeing in a catholic school, many people describe us all as being wealthy. One can tell the difference between the people who need reminders of the outside world issues, and ones who might not even know their family is wealth because they are down to earth people. The ones who need reminders of world problems are down to earth people, but they needs reminders of those issues. Some studies show that people who are not wealthy are truly happier. Around Christmas time, some of the wealthy really do come out and help the people who are not that wealthy.
ReplyDeleteSome wealthy might lose track of the issues of the world. Much like the author of this article, he didn't think about the homeless guy's life until he passed them and his daughter said something to him. It's like the cliché saying "put yourself in their shoes." One might have to look into their life style and see exactly how it is. Some wealthy people are very open to sharing money with those who need it. These tend to be the people to automatically see they way others live and feel the need to help.
Wealthy people might stray to far away from society and become lonely. They might lose their friends over being selfish or many other responsibilities. The not so wealthy might be happy and a closer knit family. This could be because they have to work together in order to make it thought the hard times.
I have know of many times where many wealthier people come together and help many of family's throughout the town. I see this often happen durning the holidays. These are the hardest times for family's who struggle with money. I see the wealthy help family's who have kids to ensure they get what they want on their Christmas list and even more. I know of a grope who makes a Christmas dinner for family's and they drop it off at their door step wearing a Santa and elf outfit. I know of these because this was my fa,ily last Christmas. Many individuals knew about our struggle with money because of all the medical bills in order to make my dad better than he was. These people truly couldn't be more down to earth. The only thing I wish is that they didn't do it annonmysously. I would love to thank each and everyone of them what they did for my family.
The craziest thing about this is article is that I did the same exact thing to my father on Friday when we were going though Erie. We later than did stop and help them out, but you can say that my father could have been Scrooge and I could have been his Jacob Marley.
Often times, when a person is given all that they could ever desire, they tend to take these things for granted. An incredibly wealthy person who chooses to spend his or her money on material possessions seldom stops to ponder a life without these things - a life where money is scarce. When a wealthy person is able to provide for their every want, they tend to appreciate it less. On the contrary, those who find themselves lacking money are generally required to work harder for that which quells their wants and needs, resulting in their heightened appreciation. When things are not simply handed to an individual, priorities are determined. For example, a wealthy person may desire a brand new car. Under most circumstances, they would have no problem purchasing a car while still providing for their needs. This would most likely result in a lack of appreciation for both the car as well as the various forms of nourishment, as little is needed to provide for these things. Likewise, a person who is not as wealthy may also desire a new car. However, they may find themselves unable to purchase the car until they find an extra job. So they proceed to do this, working day and night in hopes that it will provide them with what is needed to purchase a new car. When they finally make the purchase, chances are they will be filled with pride and accomplishment - both of which would be lacking if the individual were to simply go out and purchase the car. What we work harder for, we tend to appreciate more. I believe that many times, wealthy individuals seldom find themselves struggling to provide for their wants and needs, resulting in their lack of appreciation.
DeleteMadison, I agree with you. Some wealthy need a reminder that its the holidays, and they should help out. Lots of wealthy people do help out. I think it is really nice when people who are more fortunate then others help out in the community. Most people find the rich to be heartless, but they are human beings too. Rich people get a bad rap when it comes to helping out. The reality is that they do care about the outside world. They help out a lot. Even though my family is by no means rich, I always enjoyed watching my dad go from house to house back when we lived in Aliquippa. It was always funny to have kids ask if that was my father wearing the costume. I would usually say that I didn't know. But then my father cross us up, because he would go and give the costume to some other dad. Then he would come out and Santa would come out, and we would all be amazed. Sorry, I hope that story made sense. But still, my father and our neighbor did not have to wear that costume. I feel like rich people would never do this. We need more people who would be willing to wear Santa costumes and do other stuff for kids in the community. It does warm my heart (I know its amazing, I have a heart) to know that people still do that.
DeleteMany people see the troubles that others may be having during the holidays. Many people know how expensive the holidays can be, especially for parents who want their kids to have what they want for Christmas. Nowadays, toys for children can range from 20 dollars to well over 100 dollars. It is really hard for parents to give their children what they want for Christmas, especially if they do not have the money. During the holidays, many of the "richer" people want to help out those who do not have the privilege of getting gifts for their children. Around the Christmas season, our church has this charity called "the giving tree," where the people of our church take a card with a Christmas wish from a boy or girl, and the people get the gift for the child. The Christmas season really brings out the charitable side of people.
DeleteWealth is a mindset in addition to an economic qualifier. Someone who is wealthy will place values upon items differently than someone who is middle class, and those who are middle class will place different values than someone who is considered poor. The objects they place value may be material, such as food and shelter, or seem to manifest themselves as qualities and feelings, such as safety or happiness. Someone who is rich will not value food for the sake of nourishment; they will value food based on taste and quality. A homeless person does not have such values upon their food. They value food as a key element to their survival, and do not care how it tastes or is presented to them. The value one places on material goods will be greatly affected by the economic conditions a person finds themself inhabiting. The base needs of human beings are valued less by the rich than the poor. This is because the rich take their basic needs for granted. They do not have to worry when their next meal will be or even if it will occur at all. They know they have a roof over their head at night, heat in the winter, and clothes to wear. The poor value these necessities because they do not have them. Having a surplus of an object or knowing that it is readily available decreases its value.
ReplyDeleteThe mindset wealth gives to people allows them to forget the troubles of those who are in need. When someone is surrounded by luxuries or even simply well provided for, it is easy to forget that others do not have the same opportunities. It is easy to forget that someone is hungry while one eats a good meal. However, when the wealthy are shown videos or photos of suffering, they will take action. Exposure to a problem prompts action, whereas general knowledge allows it to fade into the background. This could explain why middle class people and low income people seem more generous than the rich. Because they know the problems that are faced by those in need, they are more willing to take action to help others. All types of people will take action to help their fellow human beings, but some need to be reminded that their help is needed. Those who see suffering are reminded by it, but those who are sheltered from it need occasional reminders of a different sort.
The "Scrooge" mindset is often not something that someone willingly becomes. Compassion is an inherit characteristic of humans as a species, and denying the instinct to help others is difficult. Becoming a "Scrooge" is an unconscious act, helped in part by modern culture. Gaining wealth and material possessions has become the center of American culture, and many people pursue these ideas as a way to happiness. However, they soon find that they are removed and unhappy, and attempt to change. This change does not seem like a transformation. Leaving the ideals of modern culture seems to be accurately represented by the picture in the article. When one decides to leave the "Scrooge" mindset that is so readily available and accepted, one has to sneak out the back at a dead sprint and never look back. Leaving this mindset can be hard; one may not even know that they have it. A "Scrooge" may not see anything wrong with the way they live, and need someone to tell them how they are acting. These "Jacob Marleys" appear in unexpected ways, revealing one's true way of life. Leaving the "Scrooge" mindset will also push one outside their comfort zone. However, once the comfort zone is abandoned, people will discover entirely different worlds, and be able to make a difference in others' lives.
It is true that the values determined by an individual alter depending on their wealth and social status. For a wealthy person, the quality and presentation of a meal may be imperative, whereas a homeless individual may value a meal simply because it is a meal, as you said. The values of possessions in general are often perceived differently by the wealthy and the poor. Wealthy people tend to take their possessions for granted, as they are not required to work as hard for them. Those people who are not wealthy, however, often find more value in quite simple possessions, as they are not capable providing them as easily. Relationships, also, are often viewed differently by both wealthy and poor individuals. Many times, we see poor families who are completely dependent upon one another, and could not imagine their lives without one another. This is usually because family is all that they have. Wealth and material possessions are but a dream in the lives of many poor individuals, so they choose to seek happiness in one another instead. On the contrary, we also see wealthy individuals who choose their wealth and possessions over those that they love. They often see a distorted portrayal of love, blinded by sports cars and diamond rings. Of course this is not true for every individual, but it is definitely common. Many wealthy individuals see themselves as superior, and reason that other people "need them" far more than they need other people. This is a very dangerous thought, one that may lead to the total destruction of a relationship.
DeleteAshley, while I agree that it is easy to take what you have for granted, I do not think this automatically transforms you into a "Scrooge". Many people use their wealth to help others who are less fortunate. There are countless examples of this. I have learned about many celebrities who spend lots of time and money to help others. Justin Timberlake organized a concert to benefit Shriners Hospital for Children. Lance Armstrong created the Live Strong Foundation to fight cancer. Liam Hemsworth and his brother Chris are involved with an Australian childhood foundation. There are countless others, including One direction and Oprah Winfrey, that contribute millions every year. These examples are about people who get recognition but there are countless others who do the without recognition. They give because they care and because they feel it is the right thing to do. They feel blessed and want to share their blessings with others just as Jesus taught us. he said, "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."
DeleteWealth can isolate people from the struggles on the streets. As I view New York City from my hotel window this morning and as I walked the streets yesterday, I saw all types of wealth and all types of poor. New York City is one of the best examples for illustrating the barrier between the poor and wealthy. I saw people in the streets begging for money and people selling items on the side walks while simultaneously witnessing the wealthy, with their big, furry hats and fancy outfits parade through the theater district. As I soaked in the sights and sounds of the city, I was struck by the diversity of the people. I saw the complete spectrum of wealth in America. It was amazing to see the differences between all the types of people. Times Square is a great spot to just sit back and people watch. It can provide free entertainment for hours! New York City contains some of the wealthiest people in America as well as some of the poorest citizens in America.
ReplyDeleteMany times, the wealthy are isolated from the less fortunate, but I do not believe they are all deliberately trying to isolate themselves. I believe the poor tend to stay in the action to help draw in money, while the wealthy stay near their business areas. When the two worlds collide like they do, two things can happen. The wealthy can ignore the poor and walk by the homeless on the streets as if they do not exist or they can be moved with pity to take action and help. My younger brother was inspired to spring into action when a poor man was begging on the street. He asked my parents if he could share his pretzel with the man. Other beggars were more scary looking and my family tried to avoid interacting with them. I experienced first hand both reactions to this diversity. Yes, separation and even isolation may occur, but that does not mean the wealthy ignore the less fortunate or become unaware of the problems in the lower classes.
I believe this article is a little bit of a hasty generalization because not all wealthy people live in mansions, flaunt their money for the world to see, or ignore the less fortunate. I personally know several examples of people who are very wealthy. These people do not live in mansions and do not isolate themselves from the rest of the town. These people donate money to businesses, schools, and many other places which may need the assistance. They live very modest lives as well. The examples go completely against what this article states. The article claims that the wealthy isolate and ignore those of a lower class. The several wealthy people I know are some of the nicest and most generous people around. They choose not to isolate themselves and flaunt their money because they do not believe money is the most important thing to life, which it is not. Rather, these people devote their time to help their families and others within their community. They use their money for the good of all instead of using it to satisfy their selfish desires.
Of course this is not the same for all wealthy people. Some wealthy people do flaunt their money around to "show off". These people believe they are better than the rest because they have money and the others do not. I saw countless examples of this last night when we attended a Broadway show last night. Many ladies were prancing around in their fur coats, adorned with jewels, trying to impress everyone. I had to laugh at the irony of it all, because they were at the theater to watch "Les Miserables", a show about the poor people of France revolting against a wealthy government that was ignoring their needs. However, it is unfair to generalize that all wealthy people are snobs that ignore the hardships of others less fortunate than themselves. There are different kinds of wealthy people, just as their are different kinds of poor people.
The isolation of the rich from the poor does not occur on purpose. These two groups do not interact based on other factors. The rich and the poor do not live in the same places. While they may live in the same cities, they do not live in the same areas of those cities. New York City is a great example. The rich live in completely different neighborhoods than the poor. The rich and the poor also do not frequent the same areas. The rich attend to their jobs, their homes, and go out with friends. The poor roam the streets. These factors influence the interaction of these two groups of people. Because they do not frequent the same areas, there is very little chance for their paths to cross. However, there are some times when the two groups will see each other. Both groups walk through the city, and may see each other on the sidewalks. The limited amount of interaction that is to be had in this setting influences the way they view each other. The wealthy may not notice the poor because they are absorbed in other matters, or may not care enough to pay attention. The removed appearance of the wealthy gives the poor the impression that they do not care. Basing their entire opinions of each other of this limited interaction creates unrealistic views, and obscures the reality of the situation. The rich do care about the poor. They donate money to charity and give their time in order to support those organizations.
DeleteThe scenario presented at the beginning of the article is very relatable for me. I have been in the same situation many times. I have gone to New York City three times in my life and as most people know it is filled with homeless people. I would always yell at my mother and boyfriend when they would give money to them. How do you know if these people really are in need? Then again, what if they were in need and I just walked right past them. I have thought about this often and get sort of upset with myself. I don't know how I could just walk right past someone who could potentially be in need. Especially when I think it could be me in their place. On my latest trip to New York, I continued to let the others around me give whatever they wanted to the homeless. The article makes a very valid point when it states that the positive feelings toward giving and service are heightened around the holidays. This time of year inspires feelings of generosity and care in everyone, but why can't this be put into action all year round? I think the reason for these feelings around the holidays is because they are brought to the forefront of our mind. It is not often that there are so many movies and songs that have the topic of being charitable. It would be nice if these things could be broadcasted all year round but that is sort of unrealistic. It seems like people only want to be charitable around the holidays and then forget about the needy the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteMany times you hear that money can't buy you happiness but I am unsure of this statement. I agree with the author when he says that money can help you live longer and have a better quality of life. How can you live life to the fullest when you are constantly worried about financial problems? I believe that people who don't have much money can still have a very good and happy life. However, do these people truly have as good of a quality of life as people who can have almost whatever they want? This I am unsure of. Throughout life you always hear that money can't but you happiness but I think that it does enhance our experiences in life. For example, a person who has money can travel the world and do things of that sort but an individual who is struggling to get by is not going to be able to do this. Therefore, money does not necessarily by you happiness, it just gives you many opportunities to experience happiness. This is why it is so mind boggling to me that they wealthy are not more inclined to help the people around them in need when they realize how much better they could be making someone's life. I have also thought very often about how having money gives many individuals different character. Many times people who have a lot of money will flaunt it or give off the persona that they are better than everyone around them.
They also forget that there are needy people around them who are in need of their financial help. However, there are also many people who are financially gifted and do not show this at all. I know of money people in this area who are very well to do and they dress and act like common people and you could not tell this just by looking at them. Even though there are many opportunities that wealthier people have, many opportunities can come from being in the lower social classes. As the article says, wealthier people are isolated and do not need to depend on others. Human beings need other humans. People of wealth could very well be missing out on these opportunities with others that makes life so much more interesting. I agree with the article when it states that people of wealth forget what it is like to not be wealthy. This is a common thing because all of us forget what it is like to be in other people's shoes. We all remember middle school when we looked up to the high schoolers or had crushes on many of them. In reality, we idolized them. Now that we are the ones in high school, many of us make fun of the middle schoolers and don't even give them a second glance. This situation can be paralleled to the situation between the wealth and the poor. Christmas time has always been a time for giving and caring about others. In an ideal world, this could happen all year round. However, everyone lets themselves get wrapped up in their own life instead of thinking about the other people around them. We need to take a step back and look at everything from a bigger viewpoint and realize that there is more to this world than just ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThere is more than enough for everyone to have what they need in this world. The test is not getting it, the test is sharing it. Yes, it is hard to work for money and a good standard of living, but it is much harder to give it away once the hard work is put in. It is sad that we do not think about other people. If this life really is a test, I am sure that I am not doing too well. I have a lot of things that I do not need, but I want to keep anyway. When the church basket comes around at mass, I skip more weeks than I give. I have clothes that I do not wear, but they still hand in my closet unused. There are scam organizations that simply want to rob the gullible people of their problems, but that will not ever count against the person who gives them money. The person sharing what they have will not know that it is fake and they will think that they did a great favor for many individuals. It is the people cheating them of their money that will suffer from guilt and lies. As hard as it is to trust people, the wealthy and poor all have to share what they can with who they think needs it the most.
DeletePeople often call the rich heartless. They have no respect for others. In reality, many rich people do care about others. They will give charities, and they volunteer for work. The reason many people do not think that rich people do not help out the community is that they refuse to see the good they do. Think about it, how many articles do you see about rich people donating to charity. The only articles I ever see are about how rich people did not donate, or something along those lines.
ReplyDeleteI believe the graduated income scale that the US government uses may have something to do with this. I recommend you watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6HEH23W_bM
If you do not watch the video, I understand. It is merely 5 minutes long, so I suggest you watch it. In a nutshell though, rich people pay more than the middle class, by percentage, in taxes. Even though the middle class had every opportunity to become rich, the most successful at becoming rich have to pay more. This does not seem fair to me. It does not seem fair to rich people either. Some of these taxes they pay go to charities. So the rich people think that because they pay higher taxes than everybody else, they also give a lot to charity.
Another problem that is plaguing this nation is fake beggars. I have experienced this problem firsthand. I have been to Pittsburgh many times to watch sporting events. As I walk to a sporting event, I see beggars asking for money. I usually feel very bad. But when I look closely I can see that they may be wearing nice earrings, have car keys, or just have some other indicator that they may not be poor. I feel angry. These people are trying to make a quick buck off of generous people. I do not give to street beggars anymore, because of this. And people call me heartless and other names for not giving to street beggars. But I will not give to street beggars out of fear of giving to a fake beggar. People living off the street can go to a shelter for the homeless. I donate to those. So these people cannot have my money until they go to a place where I can trust my money is being used properly.
Another common complaint is that athletes do not give enough to charity. Consider this, the average football player plays for 7 years. They make an average of $1.3 million per year. $9,000,000.00 is enough to keep the player comfortable throughout life. You know, the final 41 years of their life. They’ll maybe give about $600,000.00 to charity throughout their life. This will leave a player about $8,400,000.00 to live their life off of and give their kids the best chance at life. So I hope that makes some people see that not all of an athletes’ money ends up just being wasted. It helps them live. Some football players definitely need to give more. But some athletes cannot afford to give more.
I am by no means a rich person. I do give generously to charity I think. And by the way, I said throughout this that I give my money to charity. So before you all bash me because I do not give money to charity, I just want to say that that is the truth. I give my own money. It is not my parent’s money, or just family money. Money I earn goes towards charity. I hope this helps people understand why I defend rich people sometimes. Some people say that if we just taxed the rich more, all of our problems would just go away. The reality is that if we take all of the rich people’s money, it really would not get us very far. It would barely pay off any of our national debt. And if the government solely relied on this pot of money to run, it would only be able to run for 6 days. So rich people cannot just give more and make all our problems go away.
I completely agree with you, Nick. Many people get so caught up in envy over the fortune some people obtain in their lives, that they overlook the good done by these people. For instance, Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world, has donated over forty billion dollars since 2005. I also get annoyed by people who go on welfare or beg for money yet do nothing to change their situation. To change their situation, they could further educate themselves or apply for jobs. I know a plethora of business owners, and I never hear them say that they have so many excellent applicants to chose from. Instead, I often hear them discussing how nobody can pass a drug test or nobody wants to work diligently. The problem is not getting a job, the problem is people and their work ethics. I feel as if people grow accustomed to having money handed to them on the side of the street. I feel as if the handouts deteriorate their desire to actually work for their earnings. I also like to group welfare in with this. It is so easy for people on welfare to take government handouts than to actually work for themselves. Instead of being happy they are getting the means to provide them food, many of them blow it on cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs. Instead of just handing people hard earned money, they need to get motivation to do it on their own. Sure, maybe they should be given guidance, but they should not be given the full package.
DeleteI tend to disagree with how this article formed. As a frequent traveler to the beautiful city of New York, I have grown highly accustomed to seeing people in the streets begging for money. I do not feel obligated to donate money to them due to the lack of knowledge. In my many trips to New York, I have witnessed too many of these homeless people using their donations to buy frivolous things and drugs. Many of the beggars are bluntly honest and will even say they are using the money for weed. My uncle comes from the country India, but he lives in New York City. He can recount multiple times he donated money to the people in New York and how it turned out to be a scam. Not only is donating money to many homeless people in New York a scam, but he has always warned me about donating money to "helpless" children in India. Businesses in India actually hire parents to "rent" their children, especially ones with deformities, to beg oblivious tourists for money. Instead of the money going to the children, the businesses take the donations as profit.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that wealthy people have less tendency to donate to homeless people from a lack of empathy, but from an appreciation of hard work. My dad has instilled this idea of working for my possessions since I was born. My dad for instance had to work hard for everything he owns. He started his business from the ground up. When his business first began, many times he could not even afford to go out a night with his friends, but this pushed him harder and harder to reach for success. This struggle many business people endure is why I believe many business people are so reluctant to hand over hard earned money to citizens sitting in the street. It is not from a lack of caring, but from their effort of working for everything they now have. The average panhandler will make more an hour than those working for minimum wage. For me, as a girl working in the kitchen of Pinecrest Manor, I know that kind of irritates me.i have compassion for people for not being as fortunate as others, but the fact i put so much effort forth into completing my tasks at work to my full potential while others are making more by sitting around honestly upsets me. Not to mention, the fact a homeless person already costs taxpayers an average of 40,000 dollars a year. Those working are already paying to support these people.
I would also like to say I believe this article tends to give researchers a bad, fictitious image about wealthy people. I know many wealthy people who give endless sums of money to charities. Many times, people get a false image in their head about what wealthy people are like. Often times, when people imagine millionaires, they imagine a plethora of luxurious items and mansions, although this can be correct, only around twenty percent of millionaires drive new cars and the most popular brand among millionaires is a Ford. Although there are a few wealthy people who may contradict this, there are also middle-class and low income people who give their income level a bad name.
I do agree with donating and making the holiday season jolly for everyone, but I disagree with the emphasis this article puts on people of high income. Income should not have been a factor at all when writing an article about how to not be Scrooge. The emphasis on money only exists as long as people make it exist. This holiday season, everyone should just be thankful and merry instead of worrying about what other people are getting or giving.
"Wealthy" is a stereotype. The word itself conjures up images of luxurious cars, sprawling houses, and other expensive possessions. People imagine the wealthy wearing fancy clothes, eating delicate foods, and regarding those of lower income in a condescending manner. This stereotype is not only ridiculous, but also inaccurate. When wealthy people are thought of in this way, it degrades them, and reduces their humanity. Just because someone is wealthy does not make them a snob. Wealthy people give their money to charity and spend it wisely, just as people with other levels of income do. Many celebrities organize and create charities, or donate to ones that have already been established. Shakira created an organization to help Hispanic children that live in poverty, and uses her wealth to provide them with clothes and an education. J. K. Rowling donated so much of her wealth to charity that she is no longer considered a billionaire. Countless other actors, actresses, and wealthy people make and donate to charities. In spite of this evidence, wealthy people are still thought of as snobbish or miserly. Stereotyping the rich is petty, and people should not be judged by their wealth.
DeleteI love the different approach that you took to this article, Lauren. There are different ways to make a great holiday season without money. Visiting the poor, lonely, sick, or just an everyday person can mean a lot. There is no money involved, but the people are satisfied. This is the type of thing that needs to happen because it is true in most cases that the people with money have worked very hard to get where they are.
DeleteI also went to New York City with my family a few times, but the homeless people really do affect me. I walked past so many people on the streets, and some of them were not even asking for money, they were just laying there. It made me wonder what they did to get to that state. Drugs and alcohol is a likely answer for many of the homeless in that city, but for others it is not. I gave some people money as I walked by and my mom told me that I was not going to be able to help every homeless person in the city and that it is hard to trust them. I really did feel awful passing by them. Everyone always says to give the homeless food or good clothes. They say that the homeless have to be lazy to not be able to find a job in a place with so many opportunities. I honestly feel bad for those people because they had to have been raised in a terrible environment, where all of those things were okay. I still do not know what to do and who to trust.
Lauren, I actually completely agree with you. Poor people can do so much to increase their livelihood, but they choose to just sit in an alley. I know lots of them are poor by some extenuating circumstance, but there are lots of opportunities in our country. Some people just need to get up off the ground and look around. Opportunity is everywhere. If they cannot get a job, they should start their own business. I mean, there really is no excuse to sit in poverty. So therefore, it is not the wealthy people's responsibility to just give them all their money. Lots of wealthy people started with nothing, just like these people. Heck, Apple started in a garage, and I got the opportunity over this last summer to speak to the woman who owned the dorm where Steve Jobs crashed when he had nowhere to sleep. Steve Jobs was basically broke. By the time he tragically passed, he was worth over $10 billion. So I have little sympathy for the poor if they do nothing about their situation. I absolutely despise people who are poor and just complain how its all the rich people's fault. I know I will probably end up poor someday, but when I do, I am going to fight and somehow someway I will at least pull myself out poverty. That is what these people should do.
DeleteNo one really wants to think of themselves as a “scrooge,” but at some point in our lives, we all eventually act like a scrooge. It may not be just in ways that one would refrain from giving money to the poor. It could also be in ways such as giving a ride to someone like a hitchhiker. Not becoming an organ donor after you have become deceased. Being considered a “scrooge” is not a good thing for many people.
ReplyDeleteMy mother simply refuses to give any rides to hitchhikers. I understand if they look really unruly and as if they were going to kill us, but my mother has seen several people walking with their thumb up asking for a ride, who look totally normal, and she still refuses to give them a ride anywhere. For example, my mother and I were in the car and we were heading up this mountain when we saw these two guys with a broken down truck, and it was absolutely down pouring on them. They rushed to the side of the road to see if my mother would pick them up and she just kept on driving past them. I asked her why she did not pick them up, but she refused to answer me. I have never really understood why my mom did not pick them up. To tell you the truth, I find it really uncatholic like that she did not pick them up. All they were looking for was a ride because their truck had broken down. There is always the fact that they could have been like ax murderers or something like that, but my dad was also in the car with us. If anyone does not know my dad, I can personally tell you that he can be terrifying if he wants to be. So the fact that she did not even think to give these guys a ride really concerns me.
Another way that one could become scrooge like is refusing to become an organ donor for when you become deceased. I know that I am personally guilty for having committed this act of scroogery. I knew that I wanted to become an organ donor when I went to take my permit test, but when they asked me if I wished to become and organ donor, something must have come over me because I just said no. I remember reading some conspiracy some time that stated that if one becomes an organ donor than the people in the hospital will try less hard to save your life. The thought must have come over me when they asked me if I wanted to become an organ donor. I knew that this conspiracy could not possibly be true, but I guess that I just wanted to be sure that the people would try to save my life as much as they could. I now realize that this was really stupid and selfish of me. Even if the people in the hospital did not try as hard to save a life of an organ donor, I still should be happy to donate my organs. I now will try to change the fact that I am not an organ donor when I go to take my actual test for my license, I am going to ask if I can change my status so that I will become an organ donor.
There are many was that one could be considered a “scrooge,” but one of the most known ways to become a “scrooge” is to refuse to give money to the poor. There are so many conspiracies about why one should not give money to the poor. I personally remember one that some might believe to be true; do not give money to the poor because all they would do is use it to buy drugs or alcohol. This statement could be true for some people, but not everyone is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Some homeless people are actually just that, homeless. Just because some homeless people do drugs or are addicted to alcohol does not mean that every single homeless person does. Unless one personally knows that homeless person, how could they possibly know what happened in that persons lifetime. Another method that could be used to avoid the homeless person from using the money that was given to them for drugs would be to simply give the homeless person food instead of money. This way, they cannot use money to get alcohol or drugs because no one gave them money.
I do not think that anyone would personally want to be called or known as a “scrooge.” There are many different ways that one could be considered a “scrooge,” and not just by refusing to give money to the poor.
Hitchhiking was so popular back in the day when our parents were young. I can recall multiple times when my father had told of stories where people pick him up. when ever I see a hitchhiker on the side of the road I always tell my parents to pull over and get them. Yeah sure if they are scary looking I'm not going to say anything. But most of the time you don't hear of mass murder scenes happening becuase of hitchhikers. When my dad says no to picking them up I always fire right back and say people picked you up when you were doing the same thing. He usually come back and says times have changed. But should people good will changed also? I don't think so. I feel as if people need to be more helpful these days.
DeleteWhen I got my license the guy asked me if I really wanted to become and organ donor. I said yes. He gave me a look that basically said really? Even though he didn't say it I said right back to him I can possibly save a life one day. He then took the look off his face and took my picture for my license.
I once heard in a Lana Del Rey song the lyrics, "Money is the anthem of success." The sadness comes from the point that a lyric in a pop song can summarize modern day societies view on money. When we get older and we are forced to choose what want to do with our lives, we have to look at money as one of the main reasons for our decision. We end up feeling so reliant on money that we over look the simple joys in life and the good things that we should be doing for others. We soon become so blinded buy money that we do not see what is needed to be seen, much like Scrooge.
ReplyDeleteScrooges poor social skills and lack of holiday cheer comes from heartbreaking childhood experiences that involved his lack of money, so as he slowly grew older money became something more important to him than the reputation that he was forming by being a harsh, cold, and cruel individual. We all have a bit of Scrooge in ourselves (some people have a little more than others), whether we want to admit to that fault or not. We all love money, we all want to be successful, but do we want to choose that over happiness?
The biggest problem that I feel modern society is faces today is that we feel as though the happiness in our lives is defined by how many commas are in our bank account. We do not see the how our money can benefit the less fortunate in the world, we do not see the amount of money that can be translated into cans for the local food shelter. We see how many new, name brand bags we can buy or what the price is on the new television we want. I am not saying that this is every person on planet earth, but I see a lot of people that exhibit these qualities.
Another thing that was stated was the lack of empathy for those who have a lower income and are, quote on quote "doing nothing, but sucking up the states welfare." I can tell you from witnessing the situations, these people do exist, but not everyone who has food stamps is a parasite. For example, I work in a grocery store and I see an extremely wide variety of people on a daily bases. Some of the people who come through my line look extremely rough and have food stamps, but it matters what they do with it. Some people do their best and come from their jobs to by food for their kids and family members, and other people come through, and honest to God, buy fifty dollars worth of ice cream. I love listening to the stories that people tell me about being a single mom with two kids and working two jobs in order to pay for her kids to have a good life. I do not degrade the people who are in those situations, however it makes it hard to see the justice in the system when another group of people is allowed to buy all junk food with their money. I just try to see the good people over the bad in the system.
Now, what can really be done to change the world? The answer, whether we want to believe it or not, is that there is next to nothing that can be done to completely fix the issue. Someone will always be poor, someone will always be homeless. However, we can help improve the issue by donating to shelters and giving some of our money, basically we can help by not being a Scrooge.