The Make a Wish Foundation

[Triumph36]

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cbloom:

yeah, you're a moron. this is an incredibly adolescent worldview - i'm surprised there isn't a nietschze or rand quote somewhere in your OP.

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What's so adolescent about it? I think OP raises a perfectly legitimate point. That you don't agree with it doesn't make it immature or dumb.

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It smacks of intellecutal childishness. Obviously, sophistical arguments can be made against any particular institution, but there are ten billion more important and awful things in this world to question.

It's not any different from arguments in favor of euthanizing the elderly or letting the homeless starve or any number of ultimately 'logical' and impracticable ideas that might save all of us a couple of bucks.

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I would have said that arguments based on name calling and inability to consider ideas that are at least superficially repugnant were more in line with what I would call intellectual childishness.

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the name calling is because i did consider ideas like this, when i was in sixth grade and thought i was smarter than everyone else. the repugnance isn't for the thought itself, it's for the superficiality of the thought - it so widely misses the mark of human experience.

i've contemplated far more callous things - that isn't the point.

[mason55]

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It's not any different from arguments in favor of euthanizing the elderly or letting the homeless starve or any number of ultimately 'logical' and impracticable ideas that might save all of us a couple of bucks.

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I do therefore humbly offer it to public consideration that of the hundred and twenty thousand children already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, whereof only one-fourth part to be males; which is more than we allow to sheep, black cattle or swine; and my reason is, that these children are seldom the fruits of marriage, a circumstance not much regarded by our savages, therefore one male will be sufficient to serve four females. That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in the sale to the persons of quality and fortune through the kingdom; always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump and fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.


trying again here

[gumpzilla]

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the name calling is because i did consider ideas like this, when i was in sixth grade and thought i was smarter than everyone else. the repugnance isn't for the thought itself, it's for the superficiality of the thought - it so widely misses the mark of human experience.

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You sure that stopped in sixth grade? You're sounding pretty pretentious right now, and haven't really contributed anything to this thread other than repeated implied statements of your perceived superiority to the OP. Also, superficial seems like a poor way of describing the OP. Everybody loves good feelings and puppies - the most superficial response one could take to Make a Wish would be uncritical acceptance.

[Triumph36]

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the name calling is because i did consider ideas like this, when i was in sixth grade and thought i was smarter than everyone else. the repugnance isn't for the thought itself, it's for the superficiality of the thought - it so widely misses the mark of human experience.

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You sure that stopped in sixth grade? You're sounding pretty pretentious right now, and haven't really contributed anything to this thread other than repeated implied statements of your perceived superiority to the OP. Also, superficial seems like a poor way of describing the OP. Everybody loves good feelings and puppies - the most superficial response one could take to Make a Wish would be uncritical acceptance.

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sigh - fine. if you don't think his argument is intellectually facile and comes from stillborn idealism that can find anything wrong with anything, purporting 'the other' as the proper course for humanity always, we can go through this quite simply.

cbloom's argument is essentially 'why focus on the dead when the living need more than the dying?' This argument is sensible and logical, on the face of it. However, the key is that the candidates for this charity are not dead - there's still time for them to smile and laugh and create memories for themselves before their demise. While the Make-a-wish Foundation seems ultimately self-indulgent, it works for the parents as well as the child - to perhaps demonstrate that life wasn't wasted, that there are still fleeting moments of joy in the face of impending mortality, that life isn't a grim trudge towards ultimate doom. If people want to toss a few bucks to support that, I can't hold it against them.

Now if youtube had it, I'd paste a link to the Dream of a Lifetime skit from Mr. Show and we could all have a good laugh.

[Lottery Larry]

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it's really screwed up that you guys are attacking OP's moral character when it's 100% clear that his intentions are for kids to not suffer in the future. If you disagree with his perspective or his argument, fine. Personally, I think that makes you overly sentimental, but whatever.

But if you go so far as to say that he's a scumbag, then you've really crossed the line, and probably need a brain transplant.

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Well, the word "repulsed" was a bit of a red-flag-bull choice, wasn't it?

[TheDudeAbides]

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sigh - fine. if you don't think his argument is intellectually facile and comes from stillborn idealism that can find anything wrong with anything, purporting 'the other' as the proper course for humanity always, we can go through this quite simply.

cbloom's argument is essentially 'why focus on the dead when the living need more than the dying?' This argument is sensible and logical, on the face of it. However, the key is that the candidates for this charity are not dead - there's still time for them to smile and laugh and create memories for themselves before their demise. While the Make-a-wish Foundation seems ultimately self-indulgent, it works for the parents as well as the child - to perhaps demonstrate that life wasn't wasted, that there are still fleeting moments of joy in the face of impending mortality, that life isn't a grim trudge towards ultimate doom. If people want to toss a few bucks to support that, I can't hold it against them.



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This is a really, really good post.

[SmokeyRidesAgain]

Dude nevermind Make a Wish, think about [censored] PETA.

[Zeestein]

cbloom,

If the choice is between the Make a Wish Foundation and Amnesty International, then I think choosing to donate towards the former is pretty dumb or a reflection of a abhorently narrow worldview.

However, be it as it may, the choices often are binary, as in people either donate or they don't. People donate on a whim or as a result of personal experience. It's much easier for people with disposable income to experience regret at a young life wasted than it is to experience mass displacement and cultural genecide (as in Dafur or Albania or Rwanda). An act of charity is often an act of emotion rather than rationality.

For the purposes of the MaWF, yeah I find it pretty freaking dumb too when so much of the world lack basic opportunities and resources.

[Lottery Larry]

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For the purposes of the MaWF, yeah I find it pretty freaking dumb too when so much of the world lack basic opportunities and resources.

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I assume you also think that luxury goods, professional sports tickets, playing pok-r, eating in restaurants and such are even dumber.

[TheDudeAbides]

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cbloom,

If the choice is between the Make a Wish Foundation and Amnesty International, then I think choosing to donate towards the former is pretty dumb or a reflection of a abhorently narrow worldview.

However, be it as it may, the choices often are binary, as in people either donate or they don't. People donate on a whim or as a result of personal experience. It's much easier for people with disposable income to experience regret at a young life wasted than it is to experience mass displacement and cultural genecide (as in Dafur or Albania or Rwanda). An act of charity is often an act of emotion rather than rationality.

For the purposes of the MaWF, yeah I find it pretty freaking dumb too when so much of the world lack basic opportunities and resources.

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Not for me. If I had the choice I'd give to MAW before Amnesty without question. I'm not into supporting charities with political agendas.