Who cares? The only relevant question is "Do their actions make the world a better place?" Or perhaps, "Are they improving these people's lives, or making them worse?" And yes, they are improving their lives, if only slightly. They are making the world a better place.
The people who claim to care about these poor people, have done nothing to help them. Their revealed preferences show they don't actually care at all. They just want to signal how virtuous and moral they are. The policies they support would actually make them poorer. And they know that and don't care.
It is the worst kind of hypocrisy, and I believe it's responsible for many of the world's problems.
Are they improving their lives? They don't think so, and I don't think so either. $40 twice a week is not a substitute for self respect or a job that you can admit to your children.
> "Do their actions make the world a better place?"
Do they? Is a "better" world a one in which people are forced to sell their plasma to survive? In your dimly utilitarian view, you've neglected to consider whether such a state of affairs is truly a good one (much less a maximally good one, as most utilitarians would actually demand).
> The people who claim to care about these poor people, have done nothing to help them. Their revealed preferences show they don't actually care at all.
Sure, if you think voting and advocacy count for nothing. Charity and philanthropy are good, but they're general obligations not directed at any individual or group of individuals. Whether or not people choose to give to your pet injustice (there are many of them, after all) is not indication that they passively abide by it.
You have a weird view that selling plasma is something shameful or degrading. I've participated before. There is nothing shameful or humiliating about it. I don't see anything objectionable about selling plasma, and they pay enough to make it worth the time.
>Do they? Is a "better" world a one in which people are forced to sell their plasma to survive? In your dimly utilitarian view, you've neglected to consider whether such a state of affairs is truly a good one
You twist my words. Is the world optimal? Of course not. Does that have anything to do with the plasma industry whatsoever? Again, the plasma industry did not create poverty. They are not "forcing" anyone to sell plasma. They are not making the world any worse than it otherwise was. The people who sell plasma are better off - otherwise they wouldn't continue to do it voluntarily.
>Whether or not people choose to give to your pet injustice (there are many of them, after all) is not indication that they passively abide by it.
If you want to know what someone really believes - what they really value - you need to look at their actions, not their words. People lie about their beliefs and values, even to themselves.
> "Are they improving these people's lives, or making them worse?" And yes, they are improving their lives, if only slightly. They are making the world a better place.
And people that profit off of child labor are helping hungry kids eat.
If what you say is true, and child labor is keeping children from starving to death, then how could you possibly oppose it?
The main objection against child labor is that it is extremely detrimental for the children. If you literally believe the children benefit from it, then I can not understand your objection.
Are you seriously comparing selling blood to slavery? What does that have to do with anything?
Slaves work because if they don't, the slave master will beat or kill them. The plasma industry isn't going to beat or kill you if you don't sell them blood.
You may have problems in your life that make you so desperate, you need to sell your blood. But the plasma industry didn't create those problems, and they aren't making your life any worse.
The people who claim to care about these poor people, have done nothing to help them. Their revealed preferences show they don't actually care at all. They just want to signal how virtuous and moral they are. The policies they support would actually make them poorer. And they know that and don't care.
It is the worst kind of hypocrisy, and I believe it's responsible for many of the world's problems.