Selling water to a thirsty man in the desert - Page 5 - Politics and Economics

LirvA · 06-14-2012, 08:21 AM

holy **** is is myspace Tom? Is it Tom from myspace?

LirvA · 06-14-2012, 08:23 AM

can you get loans through there?

**tomdemaine** · 06-14-2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LirvA

holy **** is is myspace Tom? Is it Tom from myspace?

It's all gone downhill for me. ****ing zuckerberg.

LirvA · 06-14-2012, 08:25 AM

lol

LirvA · 06-14-2012, 08:26 AM

Can you make money from that somehow iyo?

**tomdemaine** · 06-14-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LirvA

Can you make money from that somehow iyo?

lol it's a charity so probably no.

LirvA · 06-14-2012, 08:27 AM

surely you could swindle them somehow ..

krmont22 · 06-14-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seattlelou

I thought a scout was trustworthy, loyal, helpful etc etc. How letting a man die of thirst is considered to be anything but immoral is mind boggling.

How does Boy Scouts have anything to do with this?

joeyDizzle · 06-14-2012, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nichlemn

A man (let's call him Adam) is almost dying of thirst in the middle of a desert. He still has his wits about him, but he knows that he must get water very soon. Another man (let's call him Bill) is crossing the desert with a large supply of water. Adam has with a chequebook issued to an account with more money in it than his entire net worth.

Questions:

1) Is Bill morally obligated to give Adam water for free?
2) If not, is he morally obligated to sell water to Adam?
3) If Bill is to sell water to Adam, is he morally obligated to sell at a "fair" price (and how should we define what a "fair" price is?)
4) If Bill was to sell water to Adam for a very high price (say, $1 million a bottle), would he be coercing Adam?
5) Should any legal obligations differ from your aforementioned moral obligations?

Not an original hypothetical by any means, but hopefully it can stimulate interesting discussion nonetheless.

1)yes
2)yes
3)yes
4)maybe
5)yes, completely

superleeds · 06-14-2012, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Phill]

If Bill wont give or sell the water to Adam at anything less than a clearly extreme markup cost (say 10k a bottle if we need a figure) is Adam justified in taking the water by force?

Yes

TomCollins · 06-14-2012, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomdemaine

http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/tom2923

It's free (though really you should match the money) and your are changing lives through capitalism. The first 4 confirmed liberals who sign up here and promise to match the amount I'll send them a $25 gift card on top of their free $25 sign up. With them matching that'll give them $75 to work with or three potential life saving loans.

Isn't the real way this works is there are companies that offer loans to these people. You basically are donating to the companies to pay off that debt so that they can go make more loans?

Not that it isn't bad or hurts anyone, but it's a little more accurate on how it works. Most of the places that give the loans out are non-profits or some type of humanitarian efforts IIRC.

This kind of charity is far more beneficial than destroying the economy underneath them and basically making them dependent for generations.

**tomdemaine** · 06-14-2012, 09:50 AM

You make the loans the companies are just facilitators. You get to pick exactly who you want to lend money to and what for. The above invite is literally free money for a few clicks and can really help save someones life today. Not in a hypothetical, not through force through the wonders of capital accumulation. My offer on top is 100% genuine I'm happy to give another $100 to get 4 people into kiva with some skin in the game but if you don't even click the link and sign up then gtfo of this thread because you've no business dictating morality to anyone.

JayTeeMe · 06-14-2012, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomdemaine

http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/tom2923

It's free (though really you should match the money) and your are changing lives through capitalism. The first 4 confirmed liberals who sign up here and promise to match the amount I'll send them a $25 gift card on top of their free $25 sign up. With them matching that'll give them $75 to work with or three potential life saving loans.

Seems awesome. I'm in but not a confirmed liberal.

krmont22 · 06-14-2012, 09:54 AM

Are drug companies morally obligated to give AIDS medicine to poor Africans for free?

**tomdemaine** · 06-14-2012, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayTeeMe

Seems awesome. I'm in but not a confirmed liberal.

If the liberals don't step up soon the offer stands open to all. The longer this thread goes without people putting their money where their big fat mouth is the more furiously indignant I'm going to get though. At the very least you should sign up for the free $25.