why do americans buy things instead of giving a helping hand?

Question

explain why?

Answer 1

If each American were to take just one dollar and set it aside for Countries in need. There would more then enough money to supply a Nation with everything that they were in desperate
need of. One lousy damned dollar people!
Good question young Man.

Answer 2

Well, can I get you anything when I'm out mate?
A helping hand: wasn't that invented by the Americans, anyway. The French had the word altruism first , which sounds like a science, which means you can be sure almost no-one did it... and others have obligations, which it probably sounds bad to write exactly who, but just studtying history and psychology means that I can say micro-cultures often appear more friendly/welcoming and helpful than the US, but when you get down to it...not uniformly to allcomers at least.

Why buy? Because the market is the only free exchange, many of those going out on gap years hoping to help get ripped off and don't really help. Big charities seem to have a way round the trust thing, but then you get into the waste thing...

But things that sound mad often aren't. British charities as well as American don't just send out food aid now. They also send out food which is SOLD on the market to fund their local activities, like a bank transfer with food rather than money. The world seems mad but it gets more people involved and paid than a direct cash transfer...and less dirty when some of it gets lost in the pipeline, because it pays those that get it to distribute it again, even for profit.

In an imperfect world markets try to do something, and are active Governments don't even know what they want, and swallow our energies up. Ever ask anyone in Government service when twas the last day without an unnecessary form? Pledges by Governments simply don't arrive: some pledges are fulfilled to about a tenth of their value only, before the Government decided the press have lost interest in the issue.

Answer 3

Well, how can you assume Americans as a whole are buying and not giving? That is the most frustrating thing to hear. Especially from non Americans. (A lot of people try speaking for America because of what they see on TV or what they hear). You know, the popular idea. Fortunately, the popular idea is rarely the truth.

Considering Americans are some of the most giving people when it comes to contributing to other countries and charities. Hell. Americans give to homeless and starving children in other countries before helping their own homeless and poor children.

And all these leaders wanting to spread the freedoms of democracy of America to other countries, without caring how many of their own people die just to do it...

You're going off of the typical American stereotype, professed by the media. If being American, was to be defined by the American government and the American media, then I would be ashamed to call myself an American. But, as an American I actually know there's more to this country than Paris Hilton driving drunk, and rap artists paying people to hold their bling while they walk down the street.

That's all I have to say.

Answer 4

That's one of the vaguest and stupidest questions I've ever heard. "Buy things instead of giving a helping hand?" What does that even mean?

Maybe you mean like when they bought a bunch of steel & turned it into ships & planes & and came over to Europe to "Give England & France a helping hand" so they didn't wind up speaking German and saluting the Nazi flag......

Or maybe you're talking about when Americans bought all those boxes so they could use them to ship BILLIONS of dollars worth of relief aid to the tsunami victims........

Or it could be the millions and millions of dollars worth of advertising space American charities buy every year to raise money to feed starving children in Africa.......

Wow, you're really onto something there. At least it's not like your arrogant or ungrateful or ignorant or something. Good to see you have a nice healthy sense of undeserved entitlement though. Tell you what. Why don't we take away all the help American's "don't" give people around the world for one year and see if you notice it then...Deal?

P.S. Lydia H.- Right on girl!!

Fox Maple- Amazing isn't it? It's not everybody, but there are a lot of non-Americans out there who think that way. It's a combination of a lot of things. Number 1 being jealousy. Second being a persecution complex. There has to be a Big Bad Wolf right? Why not make it America? It's easier to make excuses for your own faults if you have someone to blame. Third, it's just ignorance. Everyone on here complaining about "Selfish Americans" buying things instead of "Helping out" is doing so on a computer that cost hundreds of dollars and using internet service that was paid for as well. I wonder how many people that money could have fed instead? One guy even angrily called for every American to give up $1. Ok. Fair enough. Where's HIS dollar? He's on the computer so I'm pretty sure he can afford it. What? It's not his responsibility because he's not American?

Bottom line is there are a lot of people out there who feel it's America's responsibility to solve everyone's problems and if our help isn't as much as they want, then we are to be resented for it. But it doesn't go both ways, like Lydia H. said. Where were the billions of foreign aid dollars when the World Trade Centers went down? Well.......I guess a "Helping hand" from other countries wasn't needed then right?

Answer 5

Simple, because Americans (and Canadians, too) are living in a society where materialistic wealth is embraced. People see on TV and in the magazines the glitzy lifestyles led by Jennifer Lopez, the Beckhams, and all the other famous celebrities, and they have a hint of jealousy, so they feel compelled - even forced - to live that lifestyle. It's all about keeping up with the Joneses, and nowadays, people look down on those who don't have a 50-inch plasma TV, a large gaming system, or a fully furnished, highly decorated kitchen/living room/dining room, claiming those people live i destitute. Such a shame that the two-income family these days is about more than just making ends meet (and there really shouldn't even be a need for two people working just to do that, just one who brings in the bigger paycheck.)

These days it is about society judging a person by how much money they earn, and how many "toys" they have. And then they wonder why our children are so spoiled.

Answer 6

There are a variety of answers, but I will say that Americans like immediate gratification, thus, we will spend tons of money, feel happy for a moment, and then need that 'fix' all over again, instead of actually finding the root of our unhappiness and fixing it for good. Many Americans would rather donate money to a cause than actually get in there and help physically/emotionally to fix a problem. This is why we have millions of charities with millions of dollars pouring in, yet still have challenging social issues in this country that have not been helped. Every dollar that someone gives to a charity is broken into parts to spend in administration, overhead, supplies, advertising, etc, while the rest will actually help others in need. When you think about the huge salaries of the CEO's of such charities, is it any wonder that people in Louisianna, Kansas, and on any street USA are still suffering and not getting the help that they need. Again, there are many reasons, but it truly comes down to people feeling satisfied by giving to the poor or to any cause by handing out a check/donation. They feel good, but the actual issue is never solved with money. You must address the root cause, not with money, but with time, energy, empathy, and a lending hand.

Answer 7

They do both, and it's unfair to make such a sweeping generalization.
Americans as a country are involved in peacekeeping and economic development in almost every country in the world.
Americans as individuals also give through charitable donations, tithes, and taxes to programs that help support others. True, they spend a far greater portion of disposable income on materials goods than they do on charity - but contributing to a bustling economy improves conditions for everyone, so it's not entirely a bad thing.

Answer 8

Americans buy the things they feel they need, and many do lend a helping hand. The two issues are not really related so I can't compare them. There is a huge difference in going to Walmart to buy jeans and washing the dishes for someone that needs a helping hand.

Answer 9

Because from the time we are born, we are bombarded with commercials, televisions shows, and publications that tell us we need all of this stuff to be normal and fit in. We Americans tend to be so selfish and materialistic that the last thing we do with our money is give. Many people give, but it is with what is left over after we buy all of our crap. The Bible teaches to give the best that we have, our first ten percent of income, and we will be rewarded so greatly with blessings that we can't catch it all. There are very few who practice this. Sadly, I fail to do this all the time, and then gripe when I am not rewarded. That is just how our culture and society is, and we should be ashamed of ourselves. And it is not just Americans.

Answer 10

It's not only Americans. We all do that. It's somewhat normal to put your own house in order first and the give a helping hand. Some people just don't know when to stop putting there own house in order...but I wouldn't be so harsh on Americans

Answer 11

American people and people from different countries that come to live in America get americanized. People turn into what they see on t.v. they wanna buy what's in and all they care about is celebrities. In other countries like in the caribbean and other places people don't have those advantages they have to work hard for what they got. But as soon as they come to America they change and start acting like there all that. America is a life changing place but you should'nt change who you are just because you live here.