Buddhist Thought

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. - Buddha

"A Toned Deaf Singer"

"A Toned Deaf Singer"

                    

      In the September 1999 issue of the New York Times Magazine, Peter Singer exposed the American consumer to his views with "The Singer Solution to World Poverty". Singer, an Australian philosopher and bio-ethicist, starts this narrow minded essay off with a fictional person in order to make his point about the spending habits of the average American family. Singer uses this criminally minded character in a way that might cause an insulted American reader to put off buying anything new.  He finishes this color blind article by saying that American citizens should give away all unneeded income to help those in need.

    

    Singer leaves no doubt whose shameful actions deserve the most scrutiny. Readers of the New York Times were the original target audience; a left-leaning American college student may find Singer's socialist views relevant today. Singer seems to think that Americans are overindulgent when spending. In this essay, there is also the idea that those who spend money earned honestly are similar to those whose income is earned dishonestly. Singer asks, "...what is the ethical distinction between a Brazilian who sells a homeless child to organ peddler, and an American who already has a television set and upgrades to a new one?"  This hypothetical question is asked and answered in "The Singer Solution to World Poverty". There is little doubt that Singer's essay "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" does a poor job of persuading Americans to donate more of their resources to help those in need.

    

    The first piece of proof that "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" misses its mark, is by the lack of donations that this writer or his fellow classmates gave to Unicef or Oxfam when reading Singer's essay in class. Singer listed both numbers in his essay, yet not one student called either when the article was read aloud in class. Despite all his calls to action within this essay, not one cent was raised by it. Singer seems to suggest that everyone in the US should drop what they are doing and immediately pick up the phone, wallet, and donate. Singer forgets that most Americans live check to check or on fixed incomes therefor extra monies are hard to find and use as donations. Despite this fact, Americans donate top other nation year in and year out! In the March 2008 issue of The Journal of American Enterprise Institute, Arthur Brooks writes that the American people had given close to 300 billion in 2006.

                      

    Singer sees the problem of world poverty through the eyes of a utilitarian philosopher. This vantage point allows only two positions: right or wrong. Such a simplistic philosophy can not be applied so easily here. Let us try to imagine what would happen if every single American consumer stopped spending? First, industry would grind to a halt, causing the U.S. stock market to crash. Companies large and small would cease to exist, and company after company would die. Natural resources would soon become nonexistent. It would not be long until war enveloped every nation. Is this what Singer wishes for this planet or its people? Singer’s argument takes a narrow minded  stance and does not account for the nuances of a global economy.

      

    The illogical and hypothetical example Singer uses to start this essay is most distasteful. Singer introduces us to the Brazilian movie Central Station by the character Dora. Once a school teacher, Dora partakes in the kidnapping of a child in order to pay for a television. Equating her criminal act with American spending habits is like saying murder and prostitution are the same. These are two completely different things, thus, the ethical dilemmas he presents are just as different. Singer seeks to coral support for his position by suggesting Americans are criminal in the way that they lead their lives. This idea is wrong and at the very least, mean in spirit.

    

    This essay seeks to browbeat the American reader into changing their ways. Judging from the lukewarm reaction to this piece by the class, it is obvious Singer has failed; the utter lack of impact in class was clearly visible. Therefore, we must question the overall impact it had. The fact that world poverty still exists is obvious, but American spending habits should not be held up as an example of moral misconduct. The fact that Americans lead the world in donating proves the country is doing its part. If there is one place Singer is successful, then maybe it is by showing how complex issues cannot be shaped or understood so easily from a philosopher and bio-ethicist. This is an issue that cannot be understood so easily. Therefore, Singer's solution is no solution at all. Finally, Singer comes off sounding like a tone-deaf vocalist who falls short of hitting the right note in "The Singer Solution to World Poverty".

Buddhist Thought

To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. - Buddha

Buddhist Thought

It is fairly obvious that most of us are confused intellectually. We see that the so-called leaders in all departments of life have no complete answer to our various questions and problems. - J. Krishnamurti

Photos I've taken of recent note