As Americans, we live in the land of plenty. And by plenty, we often mean excess. Having enough, is not enough. We define enough as more, more than we have, and more than we need. Many of us live according to the following budget:
- Make as much money as you can.
- Spend some of it on your own needs.
- Spend all the extra on your wants.
I am guilty of living this way, and as I shared with you this past spring, I am trying to simplify my life, cut out the self-indulgent excesses, and redistribute those resources amongst those that go without their basic needs being met. I’ve sold one of my frivolous possessions (a 3rd bicycle that was certainly a want, not a need), and I now have $300 to give back to those in need.
As promised, I’d like to invite you (the Philosophy Club) into the redistribution of these resources… how should we do it? Who most needs it? With ownership comes responsibility… what would be the most responsible use of these resources? You decide...
8 comments:
there are just so many directions that this money could go in. with $300 you could even organize a benefit to make even more money. so then the question is, does the money stay within the country or go to another country? or smaller, this state or another state?
That’s what I’m finding… to consume resources in a self-centered way is rather easy, but to decide how to be most responsible with them is many times more complex. That’s why I thought it might be a good exercise for our members.
We can put the funds toward a single purpose, or divide them up, or send each of you a check and you can report back to us in September as to how you best ‘spent’ it…
Let’s hear those ideas!
$300 in quarters, then we put them in all the vending machines!..........Aids in Africa.......RI food drive......
Where is everyone? Well, Annie, you might decide this one with your single vote...
everybody else is on vacation. i'm already back, thus i spend my many hours of free time doing various things like trying to decide how to spend $300 in a good way. I think the RI food bank is probly the best one....it's local and $300 dollars can do a lot there.
RI Food Bank it is...
I like the idea of meeting local needs before going elsewhere, and meeting needs doesn't get much more crucial than feeding the hungry.
Thanks for the input.
Hey Evan,
I'm sorry to hear that you're moving away from our school and club... I just got back from a vacation in Maryland, so I'm pretty much free to hang out this next week (Aug 26th-31st) before school starts.
E-mail me: b i s k i t b y @ y a h o o
If anyone else is interested in joining Evan and I, shoot me an e-mail...
-mrb
i'm very sorry that i haven't been able to read this in so long. i've been very busy being a camp counselor this summer, and then moving straight to new york.
one fun thing about new york is that just about every other person needs your money and is in no way shy about it. so what's more valuable than money? (i hesitate when using the word 'valuable') right now, i've been thinking it's time.
if someone asks you for money, give them a hug and a kind word.
i guess my solution to this "extra money problem" is to work less and spend more time with people. i guess we'll see how it pans out.
i hope everyone has a good year, and good luck with the philosophy club.
love,
david ernest corner.
p.s. i'm taking a course called "terrorism, nihilism, and modernity". i'll be sure to share any interesting tidbits with you all.
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