May 23
We started off today at another cool museum! We saw pieces by Michelangelo and Donatello! We then checked out of our hotel, said goodbye to Florence, and headed towards Arezzo!
Part of our coursework during this trip was to read the first couple chapters of “The Life You Can Save” by Peter Singer. This was a very interesting read for me. Singer’s goal is showing how we can do our part to end world poverty. Singer brings up the ethical question of if you are able to save a child- what is stopping you? What is a good reason for not saving a child’s life? Singer brings up how “most of us wouldn’t hesitate to save a drowning child, however thousands of kids die each day and we spend money on things we take fro granted”. Is what we are doing wrong? Is it bad to spend the money you earn on things for your personal enjoyment while others are suffering?
Although Singer’s argument is compelling, I find it not practical. As I am eating at a restaurant, if I choose to not get dessert and use that money to feed a child in a developing country- that is a great idea however it isn’t actually beneficial to the country as a whole. Being a business major and studying economics- I have learned about concepts such as the multiplier effect and how me spending my money doesn’t just provide me the benefit of what I buy but it also goes back into the pockets of those around me. When I buy a cupcake at the bakery by my house, it helps pay the salary of those who work at the shop, who may be paying rent- which will go to a landlord, who may buy a coffee where I work- which allows me to get paid and repeat the cycle. If I take my money out of this equation and send it to someone outside of this circle, it would be chaotic. Although it is important to be charitable, if we lived in constant guilt for making a purchase that isn’t helping end poverty, we wouldn’t be benefiting anyone in turn. It’s important to help whenever you can, but Singer’s idea of not buying anything you don’t need in order to help people facing poverty isn’t practical in my head. I wish there was a way that we could eradicate poverty in this world; however, the practicality of that is very slim sadly. We can work towards change but I'm unsure if we are able to completely solve the issue at hand.
