A Gradual Help

As much as I enjoyed Singer's writing, I couldn't help but feel attacked by him. I have a job and therefore do have the extra $200 in my bank account that Singer keeps referring to, but does it mean that now, by not donating it, I am subjecting a child to death? It made me feel dirty and embarrassed that I might otherwise spend that money on a want of mine, rather than this child's need- even though I am only 18. Of course when I get older, and have a steady job I will have the extra $200 again, which I have already planned on sending to starving children. I can't stand to watch the UNICEF commercials knowing that when I get an uncomfortable hunger between fourth and fifth period it is significantly different from what these children are feeling. But, Singers argument that a man would rather save his car than a child floored me. I couldn't even imagine the type of person that could choose his car over a person's life and not feel an immense amount of guilt for the rest of his or her life.

 I can't believe that Singer wants every person to chuck tens of thousands of dollars overseas each year (and frankly, I doubt he cuts his paycheck in half as well as he expects us to do). But, if we could instead get thousands, or millions, of people to give a tens- a hundred dollars each as a community, couldn't the people be more willing to donate next time if we did it collectively? Something simple as a go fund me could raise millions of dollars if everybody, instead of buying their $10 Starbucks breakfast, donated the same amount. And then again donated in the next week. Fishing out thousands as Singer wants at once turns people away because they are suddenly short that much, while just a couple here or there is a gradual decrease.
Even so, one shouldn't give all that money to one charity. If the money is spread among local, national and world charities, yes one will not get as much, but by only donating to starving children overseas we are forgetting about problems in our own backyard. To some people helping animals in rescue shelters in their own town, or war veterans will make more of an impact to them than a child they will never meet, and that decision is entirely up to them.