Once upon a time, on this very land, there lived humans who hunted and gathered their food. The men headed out of their huts with spears in hand, ready to catch some fish. The women stayed home and prepared meals for their families. They spent the day preparing for tomorrow’s meal, and spent the night with their family under the moon and stars. The only source of light came from the night sky and the crackling fire beside them. Sure, their life may have been cut short due to the lack of medicine but though short, it was good. They had it really good. They didn’t have a 9-5 job, they never had to stand in a crowded train at rush hour, and they didn’t know what it meant to be busy. Every day was the same as the last - their life had grown into a steady rhythm.
Fast forward a couple centuries - Welcome to the year 2016! As time progressed, so did our way of life. We spend more time with our colleagues than we do with our family. We don’t have time to help our mother cook. If we’re hungry, we just order something on Seamless. We see our friends all day at school, and yet, we continue to text them afterwards. Thanks to all the social media platforms out there, we rarely look up from our phones to take in our surroundings, or notice little changes in the people that live with us. When we come home after a long day at work, we’re too tired to speak nicely to our family. We don’t even bother to ask them how their day was.
The thing that disappoints me the most is that we place our values in the wrong things. I asked a guy the other day what time it was because my phone died, and he said he didn’t know. I pointed to his Dolce and Gabbana watch, implying that he must have known. He shook his head, turned red, and showed me that it was broken. BRUHHHHHHHH.
This is the sad reality of the world we live in today. In “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”, Peter Singer speaks about the responsibility the fortunate have over the unfortunate, especially in famine relief around the world.
“The charitable man may be praised, but the man who is not charitable is not condemned. People do not feel in any way ashamed or guilty about spending money on new clothes or a new car instead of giving it to famine relief. When we buy new clothes not to keep ourselves warm but to look "well-dressed" we are not providing for any important need. People do not ordinarily judge in the way I have suggested they should. Most people reserve their moral condemnation for those who violate some moral norm, such as the norm against taking another person's property. They do not condemn those who indulge in luxury instead of giving to famine relief"- Peter Singer
Upon reading this quote, I pondered for a moment about my own life. I have more than enough clothes at my house than I know what to do with, and I only wear a few of them. Think about your own wardrobe. Do you have stuff that you don't wear? Walk down to your local thrift shop or go around the city, and personally give clothes and food to the homeless. The key to success is to not lose yourself in all the luxuries this world has to offer.
