What are the media’s moral obligations in making society aware of extreme poverty in the world?

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Out of sight, out of mind? Isn’t that the message of the media today?

Again, I ask: What are the media’s moral obligations in making society aware of extreme poverty in the world?
 
By the CIA estimates, China has a lower percentage of persons living in poverty than the US. indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=69

The chart does not have figures for extreme poverty, but I’ll bet the rates in China are way below that of the US.

I personally have great faith in urban planning. This could be done multi-nationally, through the UN.
“Poverty lines” are relative. When the total benefit package in the U.S. is $60,000, and the average earnings of a rural Chinese are $1600, one has to acknowledge that there is a difference, even though China actually abandoned Communism decades ago.

And does anybody really believe the poverty rate in Denmark is higher than that of Russia? If I have two loaves of rye bread in Russia, am I better off than a Dane who has two used cars?

The UN? The UN would plan to use all building materials in the U.S. to construct buildings in Iran or Gaza, and turn the U.S. into one big Detroit (which has had a lot of “planning”). Why in the world would anybody in the U.S. want to turn over planning in the U.S. to the UN?
 
The UN? The UN would plan to use all building materials in the U.S. to construct buildings in Iran or Gaza, and turn the U.S. into one big Detroit (which has had a lot of “planning”). Why in the world would anybody in the U.S. want to turn over planning in the U.S. to the UN?
I wonder the same thing about individuals wanting to turn over planning to the US government. For the life of me, I do not understand people’s insipid propensity of submitting to presumed authority.
 
“Poverty lines” are relative. When the total benefit package in the U.S. is $60,000, and the average earnings of a rural Chinese are $1600, one has to acknowledge that there is a difference, even though China actually abandoned Communism decades ago.
The bottom line is the relative cost of living in each nation, not just the earnings. Do you see people sleeping on the streets in China or in Cuba?
And does anybody really believe the poverty rate in Denmark is higher than that of Russia? If I have two loaves of rye bread in Russia, am I better off than a Dane who has two used cars?
Again, the relative cost of living must be taken into account. Are you inferring that the CIA is gathering information that is superfluous?
The UN? The UN would plan to use all building materials in the U.S. to construct buildings in Iran or Gaza, and turn the U.S. into one big Detroit (which has had a lot of “planning”). Why in the world would anybody in the U.S. want to turn over planning in the U.S. to the UN?
I was using the UN as an example for alleviating poverty in third-world nations, not Western nations.
 
So there we have it; just maintain the status quo and go om pretending that extreme poverty does not exist! :rolleyes:

What about the extreme poverty that exists in our own backyard, here in America?
That is not what I said at all. Please don’t put words into my mouth.
 
Out of sight, out of mind? Isn’t that the message of the media today? Are we to understand that despite decades of media broadcasts, books, magazines and newspapers describing many and varied instances and examples of extreme poverty over the last several decades that you are accusing them of not broadcasting so that people will NOT be aware? This is a rather serious charge. Let’s take as I said the medium of this site right here, Catholic Answers. . .or the National Catholic Register, or hey, let’s take the New York Times, or Paris Monde, or Time Magazine. Can you show me how they are deliberately ‘hiding’ through ‘non reporting’ in order to give a message of 'out of sight, out of mind?

Again, I ask: What are the media’s moral obligations in making society aware of extreme poverty in the world?
Again we reply, The media DOES make society aware.

WHAT are the MORAL OBLIGATIONS of individuals to BECOME aware (through the many resources available, including media) of extreme poverty?
 
Again we reply, The media DOES make society aware.
Where are these resources readily available? Search Google using the terms ‘extreme poverty’ and you will get in return articles with pictures glorifying it – wow, that is not so bad after all! It’s extremely hard, for example, to see pictures of any of the 3.5 million children who die of starvation every year!
 
Where are these resources readily available? Search Google using the terms ‘extreme poverty’ and you will get in return articles with pictures glorifying it – wow, that is not so bad after all! It’s extremely hard, for example, to see pictures of any of the 3.5 million children who die of starvation every year!
Robert, what about the millions of children that are not even given a chance to live? God did not intend for us to be able to eradicate poverty. He said the opposite when he said the poor will always be with us. We don’t see saints in the Church going after specific groups for the blame, but we see them work on themselves and their relationship with God. My point is not that I disagree with you, but that we do not have the power to change people (not that we should not stand as witnesses to what is happening), but it is God’s job to change peoples’ hearts and all we can do is give witness and example to the charitable works that we are called to. It starts with each of us and by God’s grace it will spread to those around us. The media has the same responsibility being made up of humans as you and I do to speak out against these things, but we cannot convict them of a crime for not doing so, that ultimately is a judgement left to the Supreme Judge.
 
Robert, what about the millions of children that are not even given a chance to live? God did not intend for us to be able to eradicate poverty. He said the opposite when he said the poor will always be with us. We don’t see saints in the Church going after specific groups for the blame, but we see them work on themselves and their relationship with God. My point is not that I disagree with you, but that we do not have the power to change people (not that we should not stand as witnesses to what is happening), but it is God’s job to change peoples’ hearts and all we can do is give witness and example to the charitable works that we are called to. It starts with each of us and by God’s grace it will spread to those around us. The media has the same responsibility being made up of humans as you and I do to speak out against these things, but we cannot convict them of a crime for not doing so, that ultimately is a judgement left to the Supreme Judge.
There will be those living poverty among us always, but that does not mean that we cannot eradicate extreme poverty.

Who said that the media has committed a crime (or where you just saying)? My question has to do with their moral responsibility.

My assertion is that extreme poverty is a crime against humanity, on par with that of the starvation of Jews in Nazi Germany. I also assert that the media has a moral obligation to report on extreme poverty in the world.
 
There will be those living poverty among us always, but that does not mean that we cannot eradicate extreme poverty.

Who said that the media has committed a crime (or where you just saying)? My question has to do with their moral responsibility.

My assertion is that extreme poverty is a crime against humanity, on par with that of the starvation of Jews in Nazi Germany. I also assert that the media has a moral obligation to report on extreme poverty in the world.
Well I hope I am not being to bold, but if natural poverty is on par with war crimes like purposely executing millions of people in gas chambers and other devices…then the media would be commiting a crime by not reporting it…Furthermoe, I agree there is not enough attention to it, but there is media coverage of poverty…I don’t think we can throw an absolute statement saying the media is not covering it. There are also other important topics that must be covered as well. To what extent is the media to cover it? What about other moral issues like abortion, contraception, church desecration, murder, theft, violence, and good things? Do they not also have a moral obligation to report these? What about our Constitution? Have you taken that into account?
 
Well I hope I am not being to bold, but if natural poverty is on par with war crimes like purposely executing millions of people in gas chambers and other devices…then the media would be commiting a crime by not reporting it…Furthermoe, I agree there is not enough attention to it, but there is media coverage of poverty…I don’t think we can throw an absolute statement saying the media is not covering it. There are also other important topics that must be covered as well. To what extent is the media to cover it? What about other moral issues like abortion, contraception, church desecration, murder, theft, violence, and good things? Do they not also have a moral obligation to report these? What about our Constitution? Have you taken that into account?
Tell me that starvation of those in extreme poverty is not on par with the starvation of the Jews in Nazi Germany (see attached photo)?
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=18117&stc=1&d=1377805293

When was the last time you saw a news story about the 3.5 million children who die each year of starvation? When was the last time you saw a news video from one of the major networks that actually showed pictures of the awful plight of those living in extreme poverty? Do a search on Google using the key words ‘extreme poverty’ and you will come up with articles with pictures that actually glorify extreme poverty–you come off with the impression that extreme poverty is not that bad after all! No wonder people are able to turn a blind eye!
 
Tell me that starvation of those in extreme poverty is not on par with the starvation of the Jews in Nazi Germany (see attached photo)?
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=18117&stc=1&d=1377805293

When was the last time you saw a news story about the 3.5 million children who die each year of starvation? When was the last time you saw a news video from one of the major networks that actually showed pictures of the awful plight of those living in extreme poverty? Do a search on Google using the key words ‘extreme poverty’ and you will come up with articles with pictures that actually glorify extreme poverty–you come off with the impression that extreme poverty is not that bad after all! No wonder people are able to turn a blind eye!
The boy in that picture is a victim, not of poverty, but of political warfare.
 
But are the people truly aware of the hardships, and are they truly aware that it’s a crime against humanity? That it’s a crime against humanity needs to be made as a public statement. As things stand now, people are saying to themselves: “If nobody else is that concerned with extreme poverty, then neither am I.”
“Crime against humanity” is just a phrase. No one has to use the same phrase you do to have the same awareness of poverty.
 
“Crime against humanity” is just a phrase. No one has to use the same phrase you do to have the same awareness of poverty.
Is the phase “crime against humanity” in reference to the Holocaust trivial too? But maybe I’m misunderstanding you.
 
“Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” If it once worked for America, and made our nation strong and powerful, it can work again; and it can work in third-world countries.
I agree. People are a resource and not a problem. Heavy immigration made us a strong nation. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why we no longer remember that.
 
So he’s somehow not living in poverty? :rolleyes:
Poverty is being inflicted on him. A little while ago, I figured out what the problem with this thread is: you’re focusing on the symptom and not the disease. You call poverty a crime, but it’s the result of crime.

There’s plenty of food to go around, but some people are being deliberately kept from it. And nearly everybody is focusing on what we can do to stop this horrible problem. Should we give more to charity? Should government make a new program? When will the media start raising awareness?

But that’s not the problem! The problem is some people using force and coercion to inflict poverty on people.

BTW, your rolling eyes are quite annoying.
 
Poverty is being inflicted on him. A little while ago, I figured out what the problem with this thread is: you’re focusing on the symptom and not the disease. You call poverty a crime, but it’s the result of crime.

There’s plenty of food to go around, but some people are being deliberately kept from it. And nearly everybody is focusing on what we can do to stop this horrible problem. Should we give more to charity? Should government make a new program? When will the media start raising awareness?

But that’s not the problem! The problem is some people using force and coercion to inflict poverty on people.

BTW, your rolling eyes are quite annoying.
True warfare can inflict starvation on innocent people in some societies, but the primary problem is unfair economic systems and apathy, such as in the US and and India.

Sorry about the eyes; I will not use them on you posts.
 
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