Power Point

Running head: EMOTIONS FROM AMERICA'S SHAME 1

EMOTIONS FROM AMERICA'S SHAME 4

EMOTIONS FROM AMERICA'S SHAME

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Introduction

Peter Singer’s article touches on a thorny issue that many scholars would rather leave untouched; the fight against poverty and how the fight against poverty has been carried out. Why he heads his article “America’s shame is yet another topic to be discussed. However, from the article I developed some impressions which I summarize in this paper.

First impression

After reading the article for the first time, I could not help but try to recall the many articles that I have already read about how better poverty should be fought. Indeed, singer has included some of this articles in his “America’s shame”. More is been written about in this fight than the fight against poverty. I came to think that some of the huge amount going to the publication and distribution of these articles could better be used in fight against poverty since there is a lot of redundancy in fighting poverty.

Second impression

According to the way Singer puts things across, the fight against poverty is winnable. While the fight against poverty is seen as one that can only lead to futility by many, peter comes out with a clear way how the society can motivate itself into fighting poverty. The indices given by the world organizations mentioned by the Author –like World Bank- clearly show stagnation in the last forty years of the people living below poverty line. This shows that if extra efforts were taken the battle could have been won within that time line.

Third impression

Singer shows a clear integration between the political interference of peace to the rates of poverty. According to a case reference of the Pakistan war that lead to influx of refuges to an already overpopulated India is a clear evidence of how bad political turmoil can take poverty levels. Thus, maintenance of a peaceful political environment is a key in fighting poverty.

Fourth impression

There is a great relationship between poverty levels and the life expectancy rate. According to Singer, the life expectancy rate in the developed countries is averaging at 78 years while the life expectancy rate at the third world countries and the developing countries is averaging at fifty years. There is also a relatively similar discrepancy in the poverty levels of the two developments blocks which shows how related poverty levels and life expectancy levels are.

Fifth impression

There is a misunderstanding between the developed countries and the developing countries on the fight against poverty. While the developed countries use much of their income in financial aid to developing countries, the developing countries still find themselves shortchanged by the developed countries. A case given about America shows that citizen’s use more than fifteen percent of their income in private financial aid to developing countries.

Sixth impression

Fight against poverty is a social problem which is rather traditional. Singer sites many occasions in different centuries on how the fight against poverty has been taking place. This makes some people to have become accustomed to their kind of life. There are people who have been born in riches while there are others who have been born in poverty. The bridging of this gap needs more than what has been done in the past.

The root of my impressions

While some of my impressions are theoretic others are emotional. The fact that families have been born in poverty and others in riches is more theoretic and based on facts both in record and in real life. The same applies to the impression on the life expectancy rate. However, I feel it when, being an American and considering what we give towards foreign aid, our aid is not received with gratitude.

Singer, P., (2009). America’s Shame. New York: The Chronicle of Higher Education