People in Africa are starving...How can you waste food?

[klaravytre]

'The African kids are starving... How could you waste food like that?' is a common analogy used to oppress people into finishing the remnants on their plates, leaving no leftovers in 'tribute' to the African kids. It's an analogy over used and warped.

The logic goes like this: you have food vs they don't have food. So you have to finish yours because you are more blessed and won't appear like a spoilt brat when there are people starving

Oh man, I understand the worry but seriously? The serving sizes are getting larger and larger in addition to the social pressure to eat more during festive seasons. It is almost impossible to finish eating everything when one's capacity is limited. IRONICALLY and sadly, just as half the world is starving, the other half is trying to lose weight. Does anyone else see a warped relationship going on here?

Just because I finish my food on the plate or lack thereof doesn't mean that the African kids are fed. In the same vein, just because I don't finish food doesn't mean they are fed either! This warped way of persuasion is translated similarly into the way we comfort people as well.

When we hear about the problems of others, somehow there's this need for us to be more pitiful (?)

A(friend): you know I had this aunt who was so overbearing ....
B: you know I had been sexually abused for all my life and my dad has cancer and my mom has walked out on us... So how can you even think your problem is huge?

See what I mean?
It's like saying just because someone has it worse, you cannot feel bad. Everyone has different problems in various aspects of their lives and someone is ALWAYS going to be better off or worse off than you. You are allowed to feel sad or frustrated or angry. It's only human. But don't think, for a second, that just because someone has it better off or worse off you are not permitted to feel a certain way. Don't allow your emotion to be swayed by others and just follow your heart. Of course, dwelling too much on the bad won't help either. Isn't it absurd that society has conditioned us to feel certain emotions or behave in a certain manner to feel accepted?

It doesn't work that way. We are all entitled to feel, in ways however we want. Don't get guilt-tripped or emotionally exploited by people.

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

I agree with you i was brought up in America not to waste food
cause when you see them poor people who have to walk to get food
and water, the kids are as young as age 8 and they start out early
in the morning to late in evening, sometimes they bring back one big loaf
of bread and water back with them that is it than they all have to share
that big loaf of bread and water with their other siblings it's sad people
don't know how lucky they have it for sure,

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

People don't realize how many of them people go hungry to bed with stomach aches
some are real thirsty too cause of lack of water.

[lanternhill]

Agreed, I grew up like this (well minus the walking part). People wasting food horrifies me. And at least here we have clean drinking water, thank God.

[Aud_Queen]

I was born and raised in africa and I freaking hate this saying. Adults guilt tripping kids to stuff themselves on pretense that thw actually care about those "poor starving kids"...

And word of advice; anyone whose trying to make you feel bad because they're life is worse, are emotionally manipulative.

[lanternhill]

I thought this take was specifically about not wasting food so was a little confused at first - also yes don't let people make your problems seem illegitimate because they've seem worse. That said - do keep others' suffering in mind.

[heartattack25]

That is one of the stupid fallacies people use to convince you to do what they want. Appeal to sympathy. It is fucking stupid. You can only be responsible for your own circumstances.

[Bandit74]

Saying you can't feel sad because someone else has it worse is like telling someone they can't be happy because someone else has it better.

[zagor]

I used to get that crap from my folks when I was a kid - "finish your plate, there are kids starving in Africa". My response? "Well lets send this to them then".

[YourFutureEx]

I don't know but Steve Aoki should realise something.

[RajeshTheJeshter]

"People are starving in Africa."

You say that like that's a bad thing...

[Dingsbums]

So how do we get our saved food to Africa?
You can write another one about money. 1% has nearly everything.

[Tarvold]

Forget Africa for a moment, there are fat kids in Mississippi starving right now.