here's another good one

You know how every time you see that starving Kenyan kid on TV, or every time you toss a quarter to Bob who's down on his luck, you are prompted to "appreciate what you have"? What the fuck is that about? After seeing someone who is less fortunate than I am, why should I be satisfied with the fact that I am that much MORE fortunate? Who came up with that one? Maybe this is just some sorry-ass excuse that our parents instill in their spoiled kids to hide their guilt and cover up their selfishness. And to dismiss our moral responsibility to our fellow human beings. 

I mean sure, some people have worked their way out of their own situations of poverty, and in a way you could say that they deserve what they have. Maybe they've earned their right to that self-appreciative attitude. 

But for myself, I can never walk away from Bob and say to myself in gratitude, "Wow, God has blessed me with so much!" I think that's bullshit. 

Dorothy Day: "If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor."