How do you justify your not "doing more"?

I’m retired. I just need to work part time to pay for my food.

Your question is painting with a mile wide brush and your use of “we” lumps everyone together and that is just not fair to the wide variety of efforts people put forth. Many people are extremely charitable on a personal level….I witness it all throughout my community. Some give all that they can spare and have done so their whole lives. I also see others that work extra hard at seeing just how much they can take from the system. I feel the benevolence of our country as a whole is tops in the world and despite those that take advantage of our generosity we keep giving. If more is needed our in the word…we as a whole do find a way to give more.

@Cruiser Hm, that’s not what it’s supposed to sound like. I love humans, and I think we can be wonderfully charitable. I wasn’t being sarcastic when I said that most of us try to be good, I think we constantly give our best efforts. I’m just wondering why we think we do enough at some point. I live in an apartment. It’s not big, but it’s big enough. I eat the food I like, I have two expensive dogs, I buy books I want to read and take a bath when I want one. I own a computer, a mobile, comfortable furniture, kitchen stuff I don’t need and clothes I don’t wear often.

I do donate and I try to give up time to help others. But…I could do way more, and the closeness of Syrian refugees is driving it home.

@longgone I have been drawing parallels in my mind between the way the US turned a blind eye in the early days of reports of the Holocaust and the way the refugee crisis is being ignored – at least in the country. We get inured to suffering if it is not given a face. The picture of the dead toddler – which I have not wanted to look for – seems to have spurred some attention over here to the crisis. I plan to raise the issue with my UU congregation to see what we can do in terms of a fundraiser or sponsoring a family. But no – we don’t do enough.

By doing enough in the first place

I do what I can, mindful of my obligations in my personal life. I speak up when I sense injustice, I work on being generous to strangers. I reach out to those who need a hand when I can.

I ask my self regularly if I can do more, and if I can, I do. And “we” can do more. But some of us are doing as much as we can.

It’s all too simple. Just occupy yourself with other matters. It’s when the need is there in front of you, that things get dicey.

I agree with @Cruiser, your wording is harsh. I see where you posted that you didn’t mean it that way, but all my hackles jumped right up.
I do stuff. My conscience dictates what I do, and for whom I do it.
I certainly don’t feel that I need to “justify” what I do to anyone.

That said, of course my heart hurts when I hear of each new horrific humanitarian crisis. Child soldiers in African warlord armies. Refugees from crises all across the globe. Haitian earthquakes, tsunamis in Asia, refugees turned away from Australian shores, Hitler, Pol Pot, the list is endless and horrific.

I probably don’t do as much as I could or should, and I’m sure that I don’t do nearly as much as lots of other people think I should. I do a lot locally, my community has needs as well, and I put some into the larger world crises.
Is it enough? Never.

@janbb That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about, yes.

@canidmajor That’s one thing which may raise hackles, you’re right: When I wrote “justify”, I didn’t think of other people being involved. I’m arguing with myself over this, no-one is telling me to do more. I certainly am not telling you, because I truly believe we all already are doing as much as we can. That’s what I’m interested in. How much can we do, and what tells us we can’t do any more?

I’m thinking much of it may be cultural. We get taught that there are certain standards, and those are normal for our part of society.

@longgone “I truly believe we all already are doing as much as we can. ” I am not trying to be argumentative or nit picky and really do appreciate this post you took the time to write and comment on.

I for one don’t think we are doing enough and I am including all of mankind. Very few people dedicate their time and resources to do more. My own personal example was when my boys joined Cub Scouts. I would go to the pack meetings and see these parents who worked a full time job, were raising their kids like I did and I vividly remember thinking how on earth do these people find the extra time to do all this extra stuff they had to prepare for each meeting and scouting event. I sat on my hands at the back of the room knowing I did not have the time to help out. 2 years later I was leader of our den and in Boy Scouts I ran outings and was recruiting chairman. I didn’t create 3 more hours in the day…I just traded time sitting on the couch, prepared for scout activities on my break time at work to be part of an amazing time of my sons life. Just hearing them tell me I am the best dad ever for doing this made that extra sacrifice worth it. I get the same warm fuzzies every time I volunteer.

Back when fresh out of college and barely a dollar in my wallet… me and friends would collect winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves and around Christmas would drive to Lower Whacker Drive in Chicago and hand out these items to the homeless that lived there. That cost us nothing but a bit of our time that made a difference in a few dozen peoples lives.

Watch this video and then ask yourself why are you not doing more to help your fellow man.

@Cruiser I agree. By saying “I truly believe we all already are doing as much as we can.”, I didn’t mean we are doing enough. Not at all – that’s why I asked the question. What I meant was: On a personal level, if Tom donates five dollars a year and does nothing else to help the world…that’s all he can do, right then. It doesn’t matter how much money he has. If the motivation is not there, he won’t do anything to help, and how could he? If I was born with his genes and had lived his life, I would be donating the same amount. This is going way off-topic, though, it is more suited for a discussion on free will.

@longgone If the motivation is not there then our community leaders, local and state leaders and politicians and not doing enough to instill the citizens to become more involved and give more. And not just money…get out and do things for and with your community. Even businesses can do more by hiring the handicap for simpler tasks their regular employees are bogged down with. I sell plastic “parts” in bags of 7 ea., 50 ea. 500 ea and 1000 each. I was contacted by a company that hires and trains the handicap to do basic clerical and warehouse jobs and they “love” taking on my projects. Then to go there and see all the happy smiling faces on these kids is well worth the very minor extra expense to have them do this task.