The Octopus of Aid | editorial

"How far that little candle throw his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world."

The Merchant of Venice, v, 1

The octopus of international aid. Such a huge battle. I am generally liberal, while my partner often waxes conservative. We both have been raised to recognize that we live in an imperfect world, and that we should help if we can. But how do we help? Whom do we help? Why should we help? That last question is truthfully the ultimate question. Why are there budgets for international aid? Perhaps the West feels satisfied when it assists the less fortunate. Perhaps it helps the economy in the long run. I suspect it provides temporary relief from a mutated strain of survivor's guilt. The best aid is teaching someone to resent dependence, though, and I don't see this happening much today. The problems quickly seem to mutate.