Hi all!
Recently the Husti team has been trying to answer a very difficult question. We apologise in advance for, unfortunately, not having an answer to it. Perhaps you do? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below!
The question we posed ourselves is why would we spend £500 pounds of our own money on the latest phone, knowing that even a small portion of that could save a life.
We’re the first to confess sometimes prioritising this way. Yet we also strongly believe in helping others, in saving lives, in changing and empowering the world.
We’ve all seen and heard many adverts and pleas for help on TV, Facebook, Radio etc; some of which really pull your heartstrings through an array of disturbing and emotional images/clips. That emotion is often short-lived and within the next few minutes we’ve already moved on to that amazing episode of Breaking Bad or Eastenders (sorry..it’s really addictive). Have we lost our emotional connection?
We, at Husti, are trying to understand why.
When I visited India last summer and asked some of the locals their thoughts on “What held [them] back [from donating]? to the street-beggars and homeless". Answers ranged from:
“They could work if they wanted”
“They’re faking”
“I can’t really help them”
“They’re happy that way”
“I can’t help everyone”
“I give what I can”
“If i give on the street, i’ll be mobbed”.
We, at Husti, are not judging anyone for any reason. We are trying to understand the motivation behind giving. I didn’t believe that the answers above were the real, the root reason for not giving. Peter Singer, ethicist and author of The Life You Can Save, has identified three possible, and in my opinion, more convincing reasons:
1. The Identifiable Victim: "we are moved far more by the plight of a single, identifiable person than by that of several people, or a general statement of need”
2. Parochialism: "Humans have evolved to care for those closest to them”
3. Futility: "We are all easily overwhelmed by the extent of need”
We have designed Husti to connect you as close as possible to the recipient so you know you're making a difference.
Husti believes there’s another important reason. Fear. If we let ourselves believe that we can genuinely improve or even save thousands of lives through small donations…we may no longer be comfortable with our current spending habits. And the more we give, the more we become aware of this.
I don’t think we should all give up our luxuries and our way of life, i’ll still be getting the next iPhone, but I do believe we shouldn’t be afraid to give a little more.