Analysis Of The Singer Solution To World Poverty By Peter Singer

Autocratic Plight for World Poverty

We spend our money gratuitously. Americans revolve their economy around consumerism. "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" argues that people should donate a significant portion of their income to the poor. The author poses hypotheticals and questions whether the reader will give what they don’t need. The imaginary settings, though weak and petty, are thought-provoking and grab the reader’s attention. Yet in the self-centered society we live, not only are our spending habits necessary, but Peter Singer’s arguments are a turn-off and work to dissuade rather than encourage donations.

Singer opens his arguments with Dora, a character in the Brazilian film Central Station, deciding to sell a homeless child

The idea that an imaginary character deciding to save his car rather than a child’s life compares to someone being responsible for the death of an actual child for not donating money is preposterous. His idea that the consequences of inaction result in the death of a child is wrong. I would argue that this particular child would die anyway. Our prosperity has little to do with someone else’s misfortune. We are not directly or indirectly responsible for a child’s death due to

Rich people control everything and that simple idea is aiding and abetting the status quo. Early on, he asked that everyone donate two hundred dollars. Singer proved that it was enough to save a child’s life by using well-studied research. Yet he continues to argue that everyone donate any extra money to charity. This is such an autocratic assertion. Not only is such a demand derailing for anyone who feels the least bit philanthropic, but it also ignores how economics work. Reinvesting money in an economy is what will create a job in order to save future families from poverty. Sending money without a return to a rich non-profit will simply enrich the wealthy. The fraction of a penny that a family might receive from a donation may save them for a day, but if already destined for a morbid ending, you cannot simply rescue someone by donating to a large organization. You can, however, save future families by investing that money in an already well-established economy, where you receive something in return, in order to help create future