Moral Responsibility in Charity
We tend to blame people if he or she doesn’t do some things that they ought not to have done, we reproach them, feel disappointed at them. But why we would have such responses and why we could think these responses are appropriate. Maybe the answer is that those responses are appropriate only when the person whom we are blaming is morally responsible for having done what he or she ought not to have done. And it may give us a pause to think about what it means to say that someone is morally responsible for such an action, and under what circumstances does someone count as morally responsible for what he or she has done. So I will analyze some cases about charity to reveal the reason why moral responsibility exists.
In recent years, charity is always a popular topic, but it has some changes more or less. Charity means that the aim of giving money, food , help, etc.to people who are in need, doing philanthropy is actually an individual behavior, and it all depends on whether that person is willing to do or want to do or not, but now, many ordinary people think that some people,especially the rich or all kinds of stars, must do this kind of things, or you’re not an honorable person. Even they will ask or call upon the rich doing charity. They regard the rich’s donation as a matter of course, but I consider that the money they process doesn’t come out of nowhere, and what they pay out probably is many times as what you do, so it’s no wonder that their welfare is more than yours. Now that the money was hard-earned by them, they have the rights to decide whether to do it or not.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge spread around the world. It requires that participants distribute a video on the internet which is about the process he or she is poured by a bowl of ice water, and then he or she asks another one to do the same thing. This activity stipulates that invitees either accept the challenge in 24 hours or donate 100 dollars to fight for ALS. Its aim is raising money for treatment. At present, it is fashionable in China. But it seems that something goes wrong.In China, if one star is not nominated by others to do this challenge, and that one is regard as someone who is not qualified to be a famous person. What’s more, the act of people’s contribution also changes. The original rule is that if you choose to accept the challenge and you don’t need to give money. But some businessmen or celebrities donate 10,000 RMB or 1,000000 RMB besides accepting the challenge. It is mainly because of the pressure from public opinion or plenty of kindness. This moral responsibility makes up the ALS into Chinese-style----- which means “I accept the challenge and I’ll donate money at the same time.”.
We are all sorry for the explosion accident happened in Tianjin. And after this tragedy happened, some organizations and individuals organize the donation, and how MaYun would do becomes the focus of people. Many people left a message at MaYun’s microblog, for example, “The richest man should donate 100 million RMB without hesitation.”, “If you don’t donate something,and I will not make a purchase of goods on Taobao any more.”. These people think MaYun is a rich man, so he must do the donations,and other people have already offered the help somehow, MaYun should do more things, and even he is not a good person if he doesn’t donate anything. In addition, the most ridiculous thing is that they think illiberally that if you donate money, and it is a kind of show, but if you don’t do this,it suggests that you’re so indifferent;if you do this early that is to say you chase after the fumes, while you do this late, you will be thought whether you’re forced or not;if you donate a little, it seems that you are closefisted,if you donate a lot, however,they will regard this behavior as a kind of speculation. When people make such comments, they will take the moral responsibility as their conceptual foundation.