A philosophical question for car enthusiasts

[bjk]

For those interested, a question.

Although this is not specific to cars but much of "Western" culture, as this is relevant to the forum and to myself, I'll keep it on that theme.

Essentially, can you justify modifying your vehicle, visually or mechanically, beyond its requirements to function, especially as these can cost many thousands of dollars, in light of issues like global poverty? I realise it's a bit of a cliche, but although I cannot control how others spend their money, or indeed even tell them how they should, because I can make my own decisions, I don't think it would be morally defensible for me personally.

TL;DR, starving children in Africa, why spend money on cars?

[bass_twitch]

For those interested, a question.

Although this is not specific to cars but much of "Western" culture, as this is relevant to the forum and to myself, I'll keep it on that theme.

Essentially, can you justify modifying your vehicle, visually or mechanically, beyond its requirements to function, especially as these can cost many thousands of dollars, in light of issues like global poverty? I realise it's a bit of a cliche, but although I cannot control how others spend their money, or indeed even tell them how they should, because I can make my own decisions, I don't think it would be morally defensible for me personally.

TL;DR, starving children in Africa, why spend money on cars?

seriously?

[bjk]

Quite.

I do things like this a lot..

[phi-tec]

The way I see it. U can't save the world by urself. If everyone just helped everyone around them we'd be ok ;p

Spending money on cars : pays "mechanic " mechanic eats and doesn't starve
Plus spending money on cars helps the economy some how. And I'm sure itl help Africa somehow :p

[Astron_Boy]

I had to read the TL;DR AFTER the blurb as I didn't get the context...

Meanwhile, not really going to answer that.
It's a thought that comes to mind every now and then.

In the end, you're only going to get selfish answers, as those who truly give a damn, live like those who they care for....

Not digging anyone, live how you feel you should, but yeah, it's a selfish world, and a deluded one at that.

[bjk]

As further context reminder, being an artist does funny things to ones brain like this.

It's just disappointing I guess that some people's livelihoods are constructed on, at least in the social view, unnecessary things. And it would be unfair to them to make them find a new profession.

[Akys]

this is like an essay question in UNI. lols

Rich people who donate to charity bodies do drive/own expensive cars (ferrari, Aston etc). why? if helping a world really that important they could have got a hybrid $20k cars.
Spending money on cars do push the economy in some ways like create job opportunities, help advertise motorsports (official motorsports event not illegal street race) which sometimes they donate to charity as well, and some people actually travel to attend automotive events which brings up the economy of the particular country.

Humanity are selfish and realistic, as much as they do care about others( maybe), for whatever reason whether its genuine or for the purpose of just showing to the world they do care( putting a mask on their face) they will still have to/ want to fufill their own desires.

[Technikhaus]

If i don't buy a part off of somebody locally, they may not be able to pay their own bills etc :p
Stopping poverty can start in your own city too

[bjk]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I guess it is quite a personal deliberation.

At the moment I'm trying to figure out a project so I can do both at once. Even if it's further awareness or point-making than direct benefit. Quizzing myself on to what degree selfish motives play a part though.

[Supplanter]

Why do you assume that people only spend money on themselves? I spend money on my car (no where near as much as some people here) and donate to charities, both local and international..

[Astron_Boy]

Why do you assume that people only spend money on themselves? I spend money on my car (no where near as much as some people here) and donate to charities, both local and international..

A lot of this question is open to interprutation.

In the end, for my point of view.

Why have a car at all, when there are people without clean drinking water and sufficient food...

I don't want to make this in to a debate, this kind of topic tilts on an extremely fine border between all out war. (again, in my view)

But yeah, I'm in a similar boat to you, 4 cars and various charities, fact of thinking about it, all my charities are to help people that are probably still more fortunate than those in countries of higher poverty.

[Vectose]

interprutation

[Bennoz]

Look out! A Gen Y spelling Nazi

We've never encountered this before... Must. Find. Another. Smilie!

[bjk]

Why do you assume that people only spend money on themselves? I spend money on my car (no where near as much as some people here) and donate to charities, both local and international..

That wasn't an assumption per se, but it was just the matter of, again, whether I personally can justify spending THAT much money on myself. Don't get me wrong, I do sometimes buy things for myself and nobody else, and I'm not saying it's an inherently bad thing to do (economy and all that jazz, and also just being happy emotionally).

For your consideration:

Why have a car at all, when there are people without clean drinking water and sufficient food...

'Nother point made. Of course, then you have the crazy cars-are-of-the-devil-and-should-be-destr...recycled, environmentalists. Different reason though. (although I heard the other day that it was more 'environmentally' beneficial to drive a Hummer than an eco car, not sure if it was full electric or hybrid that was referred to, just because of the production costs that go into them).

Look out! A Gen Y spelling Nazi

We've never encountered this before... Must. Find. Another. Smilie!

What format do the smilies have to be in? Maybe I can do one up.

[Astron_Boy]

I am so fucked off with work currently I couldn't even care...

And yeah, that cartoon pretty much sums things up.

[silverGPX]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Taz]

The way i see it - coulda shoulda woulda.
Everyone is out for themselves - humanity is a selfish violent race and has proved itself time and time again. Can you imagine a world where we were all in it together - no need for money or any kind of currency just 'o you need this sir? here have it' etc how far we would be advanced in civilization and research (classic example here is the pharmaceutical industry where the common cold has a cure but we cant have it) how far we would be into a global space program, world hunger etc. If EVERYONE donated just $5-10 each (which is definitely affordable) then there wouldnt be world hunger. Poverty etc.

The way i see it is you got to have poor people to have rich people. Theres got to be some degree of suffering for pleasure (moreso referring to say sweatshops for low $$ merchandise etc)
Truth is were all greedy and (no offence intended here) no matter how much we donate to charities n volunteer etc were still greedy because no one offers the roof over there head and shirt off there back (principle here being you can ALWAYS give more (and yes i realise some is better than nothing etc but this is my interpretation))

Something else to think about:
If the top 10 richest men in the world gave just half of their fortune (which they would still be left with billions of dollars) then they could turn africa into a civilized domestic country like the rest of the world and end all the crap going on there. But they just dont want to be left with only a few billion dollars left - they might not survive
(and yes im well aware that many of these have donated a lot of money - but the flipside is as an example bill gates was forced by the american government to give a lot of his charity money away as he was deemed to have TOO much money and be a threat to the american economy) People like Richard Branson however atleast spend a lot of there money on things that will actually be beneficial to the world in some way i.e. the space port he spent billions on and now is not only the first domestic space travel agency if you will (however much it costs ) but is a good stepping stone for the future.

Enough rambling - no i dont donate to charity and i can justify spending money on my car because a) i earned it so i deserve to spend it and b) i really dont think about this kind of thing till someone brings it up on a forum i read

[bjk]

The way i see it - coulda shoulda woulda.
Everyone is out for themselves - humanity is a selfish violent race and has proved itself time and time again. Can you imagine a world where we were all in it together - no need for money or any kind of currency just 'o you need this sir? here have it' etc how far we would be advanced in civilization and research (classic example here is the pharmaceutical industry where the common cold has a cure but we cant have it) how far we would be into a global space program, world hunger etc. If EVERYONE donated just $5-10 each (which is definitely affordable) then there wouldnt be world hunger. Poverty etc.

The way i see it is you got to have poor people to have rich people. Theres got to be some degree of suffering for pleasure (moreso referring to say sweatshops for low $$ merchandise etc)
Truth is were all greedy and (no offence intended here) no matter how much we donate to charities n volunteer etc were still greedy because no one offers the roof over there head and shirt off there back (principle here being you can ALWAYS give more (and yes i realise some is better than nothing etc but this is my interpretation))

Something else to think about:
If the top 10 richest men in the world gave just half of their fortune (which they would still be left with billions of dollars) then they could turn africa into a civilized domestic country like the rest of the world and end all the crap going on there. But they just dont want to be left with only a few billion dollars left - they might not survive
(and yes im well aware that many of these have donated a lot of money - but the flipside is as an example bill gates was forced by the american government to give a lot of his charity money away as he was deemed to have TOO much money and be a threat to the american economy) People like Richard Branson however atleast spend a lot of there money on things that will actually be beneficial to the world in some way i.e. the space port he spent billions on and now is not only the first domestic space travel agency if you will (however much it costs ) but is a good stepping stone for the future.

Enough rambling - no i dont donate to charity and i can justify spending money on my car because a) i earned it so i deserve to spend it and b) i really dont think about this kind of thing till someone brings it up on a forum i read

Well this is the thing, I mean, it takes very little to do a lot. (in terms of many people donating what to them is not much). And hopefully, at some point in the future, the scales of egoism/altruism tip just enough so that despite people being not as rich as others, nobody starves to death.

But your last point seems to some up, and not to be derogatory to you, the sort of general populations view on it all. My time = my money = my choice on how it's spent. And not that this is 'incorrect', but in my own opinion, it is sad that as a culture we don't have more focus on our global obligations, to put it one way. As said, it takes very little of our expendable income to do a lot of good. And with people with almost ridiculous amounts of expendable income, it can do that much more.

[Taz]

your last point seems to some up, and not to be derogatory to you, the sort of general populations view on it all. My time = my money = my choice on how it's spent. And not that this is 'incorrect', but in my own opinion, it is sad that as a culture we don't have more focus on our global obligations, to put it one way. As said, it takes very little of our expendable income to do a lot of good. And with people with almost ridiculous amounts of expendable income, it can do that much more.

Yea i probably shouldnt have this agenda and its probably even worse that i do but me right now changing my mind and donating the little i could afford to maybe sponsor one child overall is neglegent, if everybody or one person dictating this to us got a good chunk of the population involved then yea, id be more inclined knowing that something is gonna happen, some kind of difference is going to happen. But when you hear that charity companies and whatnot sometimes take money and people stealing/embezzlement etc is deterrs you a fair bit, and i guess knowing that its not going to be ' i donate a dollar, and thats what this kid is gonna get' not this kid is going to get 17c (or whatever the figure is i have no idea)
With the way the world is now though and the people in it this situation is never going to change. The only way i see it changing is over population and we then need there land to live so we then have to step in. Apart from that i will refer to a good ol' matrix reference "what do all men with power want? more power" (can also substitute money in there too lmao)

[phunkydude]