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Rank: Valedictorian
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/6/2008
Posts: 552
Location: Kitchener, ON.
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anniepoohh wrote:dude...this is what i spend/plan to spend money on. If you think that they're my sole obsessions/goals in life, then so be it. I don't work my butt off to give my money to some charity/homeless organization (which are essentially just bandaid solutions). If that makes me an evil person, then so be it. It's arguable that the effect you have on the world by spending money on products/services is not as significant as giving that same amt of money to a charity, in the grand scheme of things. I don't agree with giving to charities that only provide band-aid solutions as you've said. I think in many cases (like our current Ontario Works system [welfare]) putting money into such a system could be better used if it were made to actually help the people. However, the idea of helping the community, world, environment, etc. can go beyond donating money to charities and organizations who spend millions on advertising their charity rather than doing something (like the Christian Children's Fund, but that's another story). Quote:It's funny how you can be so judgmental and hateful towards someone who lists shopping, traveling, food, and skydiving as her interests, and at the same time portray yourself to be someone who's sole purpose in life is to work towards the betterment of society. I can only imagine how you treat those who have different religious and/or political interests from yours. It's usually the same as how I've responded to you in the quote above. I don't have a problem when people disagree, but when it gets personal it gets too excessive and loses the actual idea of the debate. Except for religious views: they're stuck in a story book  They might as well go to look for Harry Potter downtown while they're at it.
Carleton University Class of 2012, Honours Bachelor of Arts
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Rank: Student Council
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/4/2008
Posts: 353
Location: COWTOWN
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Quote:I don't have a problem when people disagree, but when it gets personal it gets too excessive and loses the actual idea of the debate. wait...who was the one who got personal in the first place? Quote:I don't agree with giving to charities that only provide band-aid solutions as you've said. I think in many cases (like our current Ontario Works system [welfare]) putting money into such a system could be better used if it were made to actually help the people. However, the idea of helping the community, world, environment, etc. can go beyond donating money to charities and organizations who spend millions on advertising their charity rather than doing something (like the Christian Children's Fund, but that's another story). with all due respect, could you give some examples, because I honestly do not know of one thing I could do, as a 17 year old individual, that I could not call a band-aid solution.
Math/CA Waterloo '13
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Rank: Frosh
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/9/2008
Posts: 27
Location: ontario
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/5/2008
Posts: 87
Location: Edmonton
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jonah wrote:I'm eating less meat. I'm eating more to compensate for you and keep the universe in balance.
McGill Engineering 2010
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Rank: Frosh
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/9/2008
Posts: 27
Location: ontario
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mcgillguy88 wrote:jonah wrote:I'm eating less meat. I'm eating more to compensate for you and keep the universe in balance. you're fat!
Math/CA or Health Sci?
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/5/2008
Posts: 87
Location: Edmonton
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anniepoohh wrote:lol naw just got (overly) enthusiastic while reading The God Delusion i suppose...hehe Richard Dawkins FTW.
McGill Engineering 2010
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 5/5/2008
Posts: 87
Location: Edmonton
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jonah wrote:mcgillguy88 wrote:jonah wrote:I'm eating less meat. I'm eating more to compensate for you and keep the universe in balance. you're fat! I'm not fat. My fur is poofy.
McGill Engineering 2010
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Rank: Valedictorian
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/6/2008
Posts: 552
Location: Kitchener, ON.
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anniepoohh wrote:with all due respect, could you give some examples, because I honestly do not know of one thing I could do, as a 17 year old individual, that I could not call a band-aid solution. But it's that attitude that keeps everyone where we are right now. If everyone thought "I'm only 16" or "I'm only a small-time businessman" or "I just work part-time" then we couldn't get anywhere. There is always things we can do, whether it's starting large charities ourselves or just volunteering for one that already exists.
Carleton University Class of 2012, Honours Bachelor of Arts
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/17/2008
Posts: 57
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"the current economic instability in the US due to the lack of consumer spending is a good thing, and people should continue to not spend their money."
yes. this is absolutely right. what goes up must come down, and it's got a long way to come down. More importantly have you stopped to consider the environmental impact that consumption has on the world? most of the things we buy are not biodegradable and harm the environment, which affects everyone. Since I can't say it better myself, I will simply quote from the person who said it, "Are you comfortable living in a developed world that is walking by on the other side as millions of victims of HIV/AIDS lie dying in the worst conditions on the planet? Is it acceptable to you to live a life of affluence and consumption that is destroying our planet while most of the members of our global family live in poverty?"
"Consumption drives the economy. The more consumption, the stronger the economy. With a strong economy, there is a bigger pie for everybody to take a piece of."
Clearly nobody has ever presented the other side of capitalism to you. Though there may be a bigger pie to take a piece from, this pie is placed on a table in a room where only those with shiny black shoes, a bowtie, a yorkshire terrier on the arm, and a perfectly trimmed moustache are invited to. The rest of the world gets nothing, and the longer capitalism exists, the smaller (and more powerful) this group of people will become, and greater will the gap grow between the rich and the poor. If you're a fan of Marxist theory, you're either a member of the elite class, or working for them. Slavery never really ended, it just took a more discreet form. Consumption ensures that these elites stay in power, so if you want poverty rates to increase and living standards to decrease, keep consumming everyone!
To end on a positive note, "a society based on conquest (capitalism) cannot survive when there is nothing left to conquer (capitalize on)"
University of Guelph '10: International Development, Environmental Governance
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Rank: Student Body President
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 1,711
Location: Wilfrid Laurier University
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Malinka wrote:"the current economic instability in the US due to the lack of consumer spending is a good thing, and people should continue to not spend their money."
yes. this is absolutely right. what goes up must come down, and it's got a long way to come down. More importantly have you stopped to consider the environmental impact that consumption has on the world? most of the things we buy are not biodegradable and harm the environment, which affects everyone. Since I can't say it better myself, I will simply quote from the person who said it, "Are you comfortable living in a developed world that is walking by on the other side as millions of victims of HIV/AIDS lie dying in the worst conditions on the planet? Is it acceptable to you to live a life of affluence and consumption that is destroying our planet while most of the members of our global family live in poverty?"
"Consumption drives the economy. The more consumption, the stronger the economy. With a strong economy, there is a bigger pie for everybody to take a piece of."
Clearly nobody has ever presented the other side of capitalism to you. Though there may be a bigger pie to take a piece from, this pie is placed on a table in a room where only those with shiny black shoes, a bowtie, a yorkshire terrier on the arm, and a perfectly trimmed moustache are invited to. The rest of the world gets nothing, and the longer capitalism exists, the smaller (and more powerful) this group of people will become, and greater will the gap grow between the rich and the poor. If you're a fan of Marxist theory, you're either a member of the elite class, or working for them. Slavery never really ended, it just took a more discreet form. Consumption ensures that these elites stay in power, so if you want poverty rates to increase and living standards to decrease, keep consumming everyone!
To end on a positive note, "a society based on conquest (capitalism) cannot survive when there is nothing left to conquer (capitalize on)" Name one successful country/region EVER in the history of the world that has succeeded under a communist regime. Basically, your post outlines the fact that you have no understanding of economics or world issues. To suggest that consumption is a bad thing is simply ridiculous. Consumption drives the economy, period. Without consumption, there is less wealth for everybody. Thus, living standards decrease as do poverty rates. Furthermore, to suggest that capitalism is a lesser system than communism is equally absurd. Communism does not work. This has been proven time and time again. Also, you do know that Marx was the father of communism, right?
-Stringer
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/17/2008
Posts: 57
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lol, I am sorry if I left the impression that communism was the answer. This was not intended. I was simply making a point of how big of an issue consumption is, and how capitalism is based on consumption. You have basically outlined that you are ignorant toward the flaws of capitalism
University of Guelph '10: International Development, Environmental Governance
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