ItIsBetterToGiveThanItIsToReceive

Intro：In the world millions of people are suffering from hunger especially people in the African areas，while some other people are enjoying some luxuries，such as jewelry，concert tickets，iPods and so on.Should people give up their luxuries to those who are suffering from hunger？ The answer is definitely “yes”.I strongly supported to donate some luxuries to those starving people for they are the same as us.

The opposite opinion is from the “Ethical Egoism”，which holds one has no duty to help others.Ethical Egoism holds that each one needs only to pursue his or her own self-interest.And what only other people matter is what they can benefit themselves.Ethical egoism holds that each person does in fact pursue his or her own self-interest only.Ethical Egoism is the very different（radical） idea that the principle of self-interest accounts for all of ones obligations.Norton said that Ethical Egoism endorses selfishness，not foolishness.（1976） Ethical Egoism holds the reason why a person helps others is one shares the same profit with others.In fact I do not agree it at all.The following is the example of a 50-year-old construction worker named Westley Autrey.Westley Autrey had saved a man in danger from being crushed up by the train.Westley Autrey later said he had never thought of his own well-being when he was doing that at the very moment.In this way，the opinion which are held by Ethical Egoism could not stand on their own.

Ethical Egoism holds to help other people who are in need is degrading to them.According to Smith，the act of helping others is degrading their dignity and self-respect.（2000） The saying also goes that those who accept help tends to be dependent on others and begin relying on themselves.In fact，to help those small children who are short of food is not degrading to them，for these children do not have the consciousness of their own.These children could not support themselves，and they are short of the power and ability to make money for themselves.Thus Ethical Egoism should not be taken as degrading to those who are in need.

As to the problem of having falsely assigned the reason of helping the famine.If one says to help others is also to benefit oneself.Although the reason people doing something is only to meet their own benefit，we should not deny that there are some other reasons to help others.For example，Raoul Wallenberg，an unknown businessman who had gone away from Sweden，a safe place in World War II to Nazi-controlled Hungary.Raoul Wallenberg went there to provide a shelter——“Swedish Protective Passes” to thousands of Jews.When the Jews were discovered，Raoul Wallenberg would stand between them to tell enemies they should shoot him first.In this way，Raoul Wallenberg had helped a large amount of people during that time.And what Raoul Wallenberg had intending to get from such an action is not directly associated with his benefits.

Ethical Egoism could also produce evil.According to Peikoff，the only principle of Ethical Egoism is to think of ones own interest.（1988） Thus，many evil things would be done to just to fulfill ones own interest without considering others.For example，an industrial pharmacist could inject water into the medicine to make more money without considering the medical effect.A businessman could sell poor-quality goods and often gives short measure to earn more money.In this way，the whole world would be in a total mess.

We are essentially on are a par with others who are suffering from hunger，and which is the most deepest reason for us to help them.Ethical Egoism had divided the world into two categories of people---ourselves and others.It thinks that we are more important than others，but which could not stand.We are nothing special from others，we are the same as others.Everyones interest is important and we should care about the interests of other people for their interests are comparable to our own.There is no difference between one and another.If we put ourselves into the shoes of those starving people，we should do whatever we can to get food.This is just the same as those starving people.

Conclusion：from the above analysis，one should devote his or her luxuries to those people who are in need.The reason is that everyone in the world are the same and should enjoy the same right as others.

References：

[1]Norton，David.（1976）.Personal Destinies：A Philosophy of Ethical Individual.Princeton University Press.

[2]Peikoff，L.（1988）.The Clash within Civilizations：Coming to Terms with Cultural Conflicts.Psychology Press.

[3]Smith，T.（2000）.Viable Values：A Study of Life as the Root and Reward of Morality.Princeton University Press.

作者簡介：

孫犁，西安電子科技大學外國語學院研究生，研究方向：外國語言學及應用語言學。