Summary of the Singer Solution to World Poverty

Mark Sandford Marsh 1

English 200

Mr.Whisnant

Summary

February 08, 2004

Summary of the Singer Solution to World Poverty

Both stories proclaim that you should not spend your money on material or

unnecessary things or wants, but to give them to children in foreign countries that we do

not even know. The fact that Dora did not make enough money and that she could only

make ends meet was a key factor to her agreeing to pick up a child and drop it off at a

so-called wealthy foreigner's house. In return she is given 1,000 dollars to spend at her

leisure, only to be told that night that she gave the child to a children's organ peddler.

If Dora in fact did not at least try to get the child back or locate it, then in every

moral situation she would be wrong. To say that her new T.V. is more important or worth

more than the child would be correct. But the fact that we are so easily interested in

making more money, we seem to let our morals just slip away.

In Bob's case he has a chance to save a kids life and chooses not to in fear of

losing his classic vintage car, along with the savings which he has not been able to insure.

So in reality he would lose everything he owns, in which case he does not want to lose.

This seems harsh, but the fact is that children die every day because they do not have

enough money to feed and clothe themselves. Is it really up to us to support these total

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strangers that we have never, and will never meet even if we did send them money or

food.

Both of these people did something morally wrong, but Bob unlike Dora had a

chance to save a life that he could have easily avoided by smashing his old car. Bob is like

the people who have enough money, but are not willing to send to overseas children. Dora

on the other hand let greed overcome her and put the child in the situation which led to

the killing of the child. A lot of people would still think that Bob is worse between