the congo ... who cares...no one...

[Ecthy]

you like quoting yourself? are you OK there?

[Q Classic]

No, not quite. Even so, my point remains. Why should I concern myself with this? Why should anyone?

[pchang]

Expansive and nihilistic at the same time. An interesting combination. I recommend SSRIs.

[Q Classic]

Used 'em before. No effect.

[Flubber]

Obviously the cbc cared enough to do a pretty comprehensive story

[Ecthy]

Q, I thought you were being ironic, and I'm still not sure. I really can't give much of a care there, and I'm not nearly feeling guilty. if I had any sort of connection to those people, that'd be different. noone's to blame if they don't care for people they don't know.

[Q Classic]

Good for the CBC, then.

However, what was its point? A call to action? To do what, stop hell there?
What of hells elsewhere on this globe? Should we be slaves to the media, telling us what places are okay to care about and what places to ignore? Or was it to put a spotlight on something evil so those of us in comfy chairs and decent tellys in first world nations can shake our heads, cluck our tongues, and use a slash command to order from Pizza Hut in EQ2?

[Q Classic]

No, I'm quite serious. Sure, I can say that these things are bad. Honestly, if I read them, I'd probably feel pretty miserable about what's going on there.

However, I honestly can't say that I'd feel compelled enough to do anything about it, especially when I know awful things are going elsewhere in the world, and perhaps even in my backyard. Especially if I can't be convinced to assign any value to those that are dying. Stalin has that applicable quote here about tragedies and statistics.

To me, unfortunately, as well as to the vast majority of the world, Congo's a statistic. We'll cluck our tongues and move on. So?

[Ecthy]

When I come and think about them, it feels worse than before. But why think about it?

If you're in a position of responsibility, it's sure a big deal. Are we?

[Q Classic]

Most likely not. I know at the current moment I'm neither a mover nor a shaker in any of the major spheres of influence (i.e., politics, technology, economics, usw. ...), and I'm assuming that most people that post here are not as well. The anonymity of the internet, though, adds a great deal of uncertainty.

Sure, you can have a grassroots movement to change things in the Congo. More power to the people who organize behind that, let them do what they will. 'Course, it only means that other places will be ignored.

:shrugs:

[Ecthy]

what about donating money?

my problem is as follows: I'm absolutely not cold when it comes to these matters. I mean as I have said thinking of suffering people makes me feel bad, too. I'm just not thinking about it.

[Q Classic]

Why are you asking me these things?

I'm not here to stop anyone else from doing anything about it. Rather, I'm asking why one should care about it. If you can assign any value to it, and want to help, go right ahead.

Donating money, sure, might help. Is it because you really want to help, to fix something going on thousands of miles away? Or is it to assuage a bit of guilt, or bad feeling, about what's going on there in one of the easiest ways possible?

[Ecthy]

this is a f-o-r-u-m. people are d-i-s-c... I'm sure I need not go on

to be quite honest I'm just putting in my thoughts, open for anyone to answer.

[Giancarlo]

Congo has virtually no infrastructure to speak of so those mineral resources are completely untapped. Additionally, the way the country is drawed up (the sheer size of it is) is unrealistic. The entire country has an badly trained army of no more then 30,000, yet it has more land then Europe.

Quite frankly I just don't care anymore about that region. It isn't of my concern. This is a bad attitude to hold, but I gave up hoping ages ago. They will continue killing each other.

[Admiral]

The affluence of the first world is dependant on the violence of the third. Scary, isn't it?