How can we in the west sit back and watch what happens in the rest of the world and do nothing?

Question

We have seen what is happening in Cambodia, African countries and the middle east. We have witnessed genocide, murder, starvation and peodophilia (to name a few) and our governments seem to do nothing. How can our countries stand back and do nothing while this happens, and what can we as individuals do?

I am not asking the the USA to be world police men and I am not saying charity does not exist, but charity does not stop the attrocities happening. I am asking about the individual responsibility of a human being in the west and how we are ALL responsible for what happens in the world and to sit there ans say its ok because there are charoties is nowjere near good enough.

Incidentally I am British not American.

Answer 1

So are YOU still sitting back is my question back at you. Let's start with food: do you know what you eat? Where does that banana come from? Did you pay your respect to the oppressed south American farmer who picked it for you whilst working for Del Monte for 60p a day? When you walk into your local Tesco's or Sainsbury's do you realise what king of temple that represents?Do you know which African land has been exploited for your delicious chocolate? What about your toilet paper? Did you know that all toilet paper in the EU comes from the Amazon Rain Forest? Not to talk about rubbish - do you know where yours ends up?Before you start going mad with the world's guilt; are you one of those who wipes their asses with the rain forest? Try being aware and changing YOUR habits. Join the struggle of living outside 'their' rules. Feel what it really is to live in tune with the planet. Yeah, that's right, not so easy to swim against the current is it? Every tiny action we perform has a huge repercussion somewhere else. Multiply that. See why people prefer to forget about their conscience....Are you one of those? There's a lot of work to be done so start locally and don't forget to think globally. Sorry, but, same answers for same questions.

Answer 2

I am not sure what you mean by the 'west.' I do know that the 'west' has been criticized for meddling in the Middle East, Interfering in Africa, taking advantage of Venezuela, and many other activities that are criticised as well.

I don't think anyone is 'sitting back.' The world is a very active place socially and there are innumerable social organizations, from the United Nations downward which attempt to solve all the problems of the world.

If you want to do something, donate to an orphanage group. There are millions of orphans in the world. If you are more serious, adopt an orphan.

;-D I think the families who have lost their husbands, fathers and brothers in Middle East conflicts in the last few years would vigorously oppose your use of the words 'sitting back and doing nothing.'

Answer 3

I think there are a great deal of positive steps being done right now with the amount of aid and humanitarian projects being set up, but I think the only thing that will make a real and lasting difference is when each individual takes responsibility for their own actions and consciously tries to improve themselves to contribute to themselves and everyones happiness - it starts with an internal process in yourtself but the effects ripple out to effect the world as well, not easy but give it a go!

Answer 4

I hear you loud and clear, I often woder why myself...then at other times I think, they are not our countries, we should not think that we can just but in and take over because we think we can do it better...we all have problems in our own countries as well. As individuals, I dont know, I guess some people help by entering these countries as doctors, teachers etc and just start working to make a difference, others sponsor and make donations...the problem is too big for us as individuals so it is easier to get on with our own lives I suppose. Some governments do help to a degree but then again they have enough trouble running their own countries.

Answer 5

Too much of world's problems are created by west, USA in particular. If USA stops interfering in the matters of other nations then lot of world's problems will be automatically solved.

USA and a few other developed countries "help" African countries in terms of providing food and other basic amenities. But this "help" has done more harm than benefit. The African countries receiving "help" from the developed western countries have stopped thinking for their own progress and their youth have become lazy and gone astray. Instead of "helping" these countries by giving free food, USA and other developed western countries should try to invest in these countries and should try to educate the youth of these countries. The developed countries should try to encourage industry in these countries. That only would be the real help. Is USA ready to do this?

In Middle East, the best help that USA can do is to stop interfering in their matters. USA should stop trying to take the control over the oil in the middle east. George Bush should abandon his insane quest for oil control in the veil of removing terrorism. The west should accept Saddam Hussain as Iraq's president, it should dispose off all its nuclear weapons before stopping Iran in its nuclear developments, it should keep its long leg out of the Israel and Palestine's matters.

The best thing that western countries, particularly USA can do, is to keep quite and stop interfering in the other's matters. It should utilize its resources in removing dirt from its own degraded society. USA should try to educate its youth to have good cultural ethics. It should teach its youth to look after their parents when they are old. It should teach its youth to remain honest in relationships. It should demand personal discipline from its youth in the matters of sex and marriage.

Answer 6

its karma my dear and world evolution,, love is the only power we really have..start by thinkin is there anybody in my life i dont like, make a list of why then do something about it. the more love we put into our lives the more love we put out into the world its as simple as that...the time will come when certain individuals will have the comeupance and others will get there peace,,dont be angry with the world theres to much of it already

Answer 7

We in the west do not stand back and do nothing! Ever heard of UNICEF, OXFAM et al, we also give charity money but the government of the country we are trying to help do not pass the money on.

If we try and interfere with their government, another war could break out.

Then the "west" gets the blame for everything!

Answer 8

Simple: Because without the slavery-like politics North-South that comes from colonialism the mega-companies of the United States, Europe and Japan couldn't continue to be as powerfull as most of the goverments of the world.
The answer is in ourselves, we must stop the selfdestruction now!

Answer 9

Join the Peace Corp - http://www.peacecorps.gov/

Answer 10

The US can't be the World's Policeman.

We already spend lots of Legal US Taxpayer money on wasteful things such as Israel, Iraq "War", Illegal Aliens, Farmer Subsides.......US gov does nothing about outsourcing good jobs......

It's high time OUR government spend time and resources on its people.