Ethics Question

G

Granite

Joined
Dec 28, 1999
Messages
73
Recently I was showing a friend some of my rock climbing gear (I have nearly $3000 worth, and yes, I use it all
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) Then my friend asked me how I felt about spending so much on a hobby while there are countries where kids die of starvation before they turn five. (We had been having a discussion on the ethics of wealth). I didn't really have an answer, so I thought I'd ask you all the same question in relation to your knife purchases.
Something to think about...

 
Give me a BREAK!

Its not your fault that those kids are dying!

Your on a one way train to sending some girl in Bangladesh $29.95 a month!

Uggh...
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Later,
John

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Skeleton walks into a bar and and says "give me a beer and a mop."
 
Good question.

I never thought there was anything wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor and I detest people who pander to our guilt to milk us of our hard earned money.
I am all for helping others but only if I am sure that the help I provide, whether financial or otherwise, goes to the intended recipient and only if I am able to provide for myself and mine first.
 
Go here, press a button and Feed the Hungry, then go enjoy your stuff. You may also want to give this to your friend, but if he has a computer doesn't he feel guilty when there's thousnads of people without clean water to drink?
http://www.thehungersite.com/
 
The person who posed the question is merely jealous of the fact that you rock climb and you devote yourself to the sport and is willing to use any two, non-related issues in a way to make you feel bad.

You work, you get paid. You spend, you give, etc.. I don't see a problem with that. I do see a problem with people who don't work, get paid, and splurge their money.

[This message has been edited by fmann (edited 01-28-2000).]
 
I am 60 years old and that question about how you liked spending all that money on your hobby is beyond my way of thinking.BTW do you know the difference between an orange?; 0

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have a"knife"day
 
Granite...

Actually it's a good question!

Heres how I handle these situations...

Being an artist full time,,sheath maker part time,, I come across these types of situations monthly.

I get calls from groups like Cancer, Childrens Wish, PETA (Yaa Right)Heart and Stroke,, You name it,,they've called me...

I have a yearly set limit as a budget.. Usually I go over it big time. I prefer to give to local groups, whoever it may be,
hospitals, homeless shelters,church groups, womens shelters and everything in between...

Now what gets me are these TV ads for "Feed The Children". Have you guys ever wondered how much just One of these TV Spots Costs? Even to a Charity Group!!

I'll tell you it's Big Money!!

For every dollar you send in,,only pennies actually get used for Real Help...

The money I donate will stay in my country first, and locally before I send it to some banana republic to feed someone else's kids while the Higher ups in their own G'ment,,live high on the Hog...

I do more than my fair share to help the needy in Canada,, the last thing I'm going to feel guilty about is buying knives,,or for that matter anything else my family wants or needs..

Granite.. Do what you can for people around you,,then you have No reason to feel guilty about your hobbies or your knife buying habits!

ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
As soon as the rich give me some of their money, then I will consider giving some to the poor. :-)

Jim
 
Granite I'd feel better about donating money to the local ASPCA, at least then I'd know the money did some good and didn't line some scam artists pocket.

Jake
 
Well I did this thing in high school for extra credit, I send a box of supplies to people in some crap hole third world country about 2 years ago and they keep on sending me and my mom a bunch of crap in the mail including videos.

it makes me wonder on where the donations actually went
 
Yes, and I'm sure youre "friend" is such a goody goody sumaritan type himself! Like he never rewards himself for his hardwork. Anyway, If I HAD the extra money, I'd be much more concerned with donating to groups in MY OWN country before I worried about anyone else. Ya really think there are people in other non-third-world countries who give a damn about starving people in AMERICA? Well before I get too heavily into the whole ethical/bleeding heart, hippie/potentially somewhat religious side of this issue, I'm checking out for now. Not really that big of an issue to be concerned with in my opinion.
 
The answer to the need of others is not to deprive ourselves of things, as if there is something BAD about enjoying good things that others lack. Enjoyment is NOT bad! It is our responsibility as humans to ensure that others can enjoy things too. Group happiness is even better than individual happiness--this is why we drink beer in groups, why senior knifemakers teach junior ones, and why we have knife forms that we can post on TOGETHER to share our experience.

For ways to enjoy good things and help the needy, look at the web site store Chai cutlery, run by our own James Mattis . . . where you can simultaneously buy knives and donate to the needy! Way to go, James!
 
Normark!
PETA is a good cause...It stands for...
People Eating Tastey Animals!
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In the long run, luck is given only to the effecient.
-Helmut Von Moltke
 
As mentioned above, I give to local causes, causes in which I know where the money is going. Why does a charity group pay their executive board hundreds of thousands of dollars? I just don't get it.

Besides, you're already sending money to these impovershed countries. Every time Bubba and his cronies write a big fat aid check to some small, starving country, that's your tax dollars at work!

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.

[This message has been edited by DonL (edited 01-29-2000).]
 
Granite, we're all responsable for our own actions. You should do what you feel is right, and not go by what others say. Like the song says, "You gotta go up to meet your maker, you gotta go there by yourself"!
Take care! Michael

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
Folks,

We are already helping the least developed. Your labor fuels the global economy. To the extent that you produce goods in services beyond those available in the third word you create progress. There is a lag, but the third world does evolve.

I see this every day in my industry where we are tripping all over ourselves to develop some of the most modern up to date communications systems ever deployed. Where, why the second and third world of course. Thats where there are new markets to conquer - and the competition to get in there is fearce.

So as you see, you have already got it covered. About the only thing that keeps the third world from joining the first world is the local political situation; and, no amount of steaks and potatoes will ever cure that.
 
Assuming that any wealth you may possess was aquired without coercion,you are the only person in the world with any say on how it might be spent.Anything else is unethical.
 
Assuming that any wealth you may possess was aquired without coercion,you are the only person in the world with any say on how it might be spent.Anything else is unethical.
 
A lot of this is just making excuses. While you make excuses precisely zero dollars of your money are going to help the needy. Many of the charities are really pretty good at getting money to the needy.

In this land of opportunity you often figure you're supporting laziness if you give money to people who don't work. It is a comfortable point of view to extend this to all people in need. It avoids having to look for worthy causes. As a Christian I'm called to look for places to be of service with my energy and my money. Even if some of it goes astray I'm not off the hook.

So you decide how much of what the Lord has given him, you're going to give back. Then you look where to give it. The national average for charitable giving is around 2 or 3% (not counting taxes). The Old Testament tithe (good for Jew or gentile) is 10%. Some consider that just a starting point.

So I put my charitable giving first in line, then I pinch pennies until they squeek. Doing that I can still buy anything I really want. I guess my wants get adjusted some in the process. I know I'm real happy with where my first money is going.
 
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