Today we discussed the rest of Peter Singer's argument.
During World Poverty Part 1 we put together a list of concerns about Singer's argument. They were:
1. We don't think the money we donate will actually reach the needy.
2. Most people don't donate their money, why should we?
3. So I'm never supposed to have fun again?
Being a good arguer, Singer had already anticipated these concerns and addressed them in the second part of the essay.
1. (We don't think the money we donate will actually reach the needy.) The $200 estimate was made with the knowledge that there are sometimes dictators that hijack supply planes, administrative costs, embezzlement, etc. All of those eventualities were accounted for in the $200 estimate.
2. (Most people don't donate their money, why should we?) Basing your morality on other people's morality is fallacious. It's called following the crowd. You alone are responsible for your own morality.
3. (So I'm never supposed to have fun again?) Think about it this way. Every $200 you spend over your needs could have saved a child. What is more valuable, $200 or the life of a child. At the beginning of the argument you agreed with me that the life of a child is not only more valuable than $200 but more valuable than a million dollar car. Life is more important than stuff. Therefore, every time you spend money on a luxury, you have chosen to not save a child's life.
During the course of our discussions the main concern we voiced that Singer was unable to answer was: "Give me the hard numbers. Show me that my money will make it to the needy." Since Singer was writing for The New Yorker, he wasn't anticipating an audience that would want lots of numbers to go through. Had he been writing for a more academic publication he certainly would have included the numbers.
The most interesting thing about the discussion to me was that everyone in the room agreed that a life was more important than stuff (and that, by extension, a life was more important than $200), but that everyone fought against applying that principle in a practical way. No one was willing to forgo their X-box or their new prom dress to save a life.
