Welcome, to the URI Class of 2016 to this year’s Common Reading blog—a blog by and about developing YOUR place in URI and in the world. At orientation Provost Donald H. DeHayes asked you to read Tracy Kidder’s
Mountains Beyond Mountains. He also asked you to develop a response to your first assignment: “What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries? What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?” Wow! That’s a lot to think about, but guess what: It’s time! Orientation is complete and you’ve registered for your classes, met some of your new classmates, and, perhaps, read part or all of
Mountains Beyond Mountains. Tracy Kidder’s journey with and story about Doctor Paul Farmer as well as Farmer's work in Haiti, Peru, and Russia challenges basic assumptions about how we view our place in the world and how we want to be treated and treat others. This blog is YOUR chance to share your thoughts about
Mountains Beyond Mountains with your future classmates and the larger URI community. In addition to the Class of 2016, you’ll hear from URI faculty who will teach
Mountains Beyond Mountains in their courses in the Fall 2012 semester. Let the conversation begin!
263 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 263 of 263Hello my peers,
My name is Tyler Meehan
I feel the United States has become the peace keeper in the world. We are one of the greatest powers in the world and there for we should take care of the poorer countries in the world like Haiti. Sometimes we forget that were all people and many of us get left behind in multiple ways. Haiti has been known for having one of the worst economies and also had that horrifying earthquake. There clearly need help from us and we have the resources to help them. We especially need it when you think about how many haitain american citizens we have here. We go on with are lives with out even thinking of the person next to you and what they're family might be dealing with back in their home country. In conclusion we should help.
Thank you for taking your time to read my blog post.
I feel that the citizens of our country are wasteful and greedy in terms of food and resources. Third world countries could survive on 25% of the resources we burn, and 25% of the food we consume a year. It is disgusting to see countries like ours waste so much by inefficient habits. Never mind while other countries suffer.
-Shane Ramos
Hi Class of 2016,
My name is Marissa Bertsch.
I think that the wealthier nations should give to the lesser nations because we are all people and live in a world together. The separations by water and borderlines do not mean that other people are indifferent from those who live in the United States. Although there are many reasons as to why the United States should give to others in third world countries, there is also problems in the United States that need to be resolved such as homelessness, job insecurity. Our country also holds a very large debt to other countries, which is also important. When it comes to other's lives and the welfare of others the United States should have a helping hand in giving medical support, which would create jobs, and begin giving them food to help the impoverished.
I believe strongly that we in this country are lucky enough not only to have the ability to cure simple illnesses with one dose of strong antibiotics, but that a lot of us are willing and able to contribute to those who are not as fortunate. The story shows the true colors of people and their ability to surpass adversity to help those in need.
Kelsey Foster
I found the book to be interesting as well as eye opening. It opened my eyes and made me realize that these poorer countries are in need of help. Hopefully this book can make people aware of what is going on in other parts of the world and lead to us helping out.
Truthfully i did not particularly like the book of mountains beyond mountains because of some of the view points that differ from mine throughout the book. I believe that wealthier countries don't particularly have a responsibility toward poorer nations, when the poorer nation is just not fit to grow and help itself first. i believe in the case of haiti that the people have to work together and rebuild the country themselves at first and then another nation could step in. i believe this is the only moral and responsible way to handle the situation because otherwise all help is useless. responsibility is when a person does the right thing or takes the blame for something done wrong.
Most people have already mentiond or agreed to the fact that if you are a peroson with money or great wealth, it should be of their common courtesy to give to the less fortunate. responding to this brings me to a page a marked for a quote. on page 79 "Bondye konn bay, men li pa konn separe, in literal translation, God give but doesn't share. This ment, as Farmer would later explain it, God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he's not the one who's supposed to divvy up the loot." i know where not talking about religion but its the idea behind it. we as humans are supposed to look after one another. we shouldn't let one Nation, country, state, city, town, or race fall because of greed.
-Janel Conley
After reading Mountains Beyond Mountains I felt like I gained a better understanding for what other countries go through when it comes to their needs for medical help. In the United States it is fairly easy to get the medical attention required to survive. However, in many places they are not that fortunate. People in other countries often rely on the help of doctors like Dr. Farmer. The story also showed how some diseases that are not very prevalent in the United States but in other countries they are still suffering from diseases that are not seen in wealthier countries.
Hello fellow URI students,
To follow up on what I've been reading so far in this blog, I'd like to put this question into my personal perspective. I believe in the idea of having a stable/balanced world, where countries have effective communication with each other. I guess you can call it "world peace". In terms of wealthier countries helping out poorer countries, I have to agree with one of the posts blogged on here. I believe to understand anybody's story, they've had to "walk in their shoes". The same applies to this situation. This "understanding" of those in need will make any aid more plausible. These steps will eventually restore some peace to this world as well.
Hi there,
First of all, I am not a big reader and I think read at the same speed as a snail (if not slower) but this book was one of the most interesting and enjoyable that I have ever read. At first, it was hard to get into it, I had a little struggle understanding the structure of the book, but once I was started, I could not stop reading.
The main questions that we had to ask ourselves reflect the main concept of the book: richer countries should be helping the poorer ones. In my opinion, Farmer is little bit the Robin Hood of modern ages and Tracy Kidder understood it. Richer countries are by definition, wealthier, with higher living standards on the health and living conditions level and therefore more advanced medically, intellectually and technologically than LEDCs.
The issues that Farmer tries to fight throughout the whole book are that poorer countries are suffering from bad living conditions, having in addition to this a mediocre political system and no financial support from richer countries, leading to an increase in infectious diseases’ propagation and the death of a dramatic number of people. His way of improving and trying to fix these issues is by raising funds and asking rich people to contribute to be able to buy drugs and try to cure people from all around the world which is according to me the best way to mobilize and increase of MEDCs’ awareness on the problems that the world is facing today.
In my opinion, the only way to increase the sense of responsibility is by firstly, helping the poorer countries to get back on track politically and following that with a financial aid program within the new foreign relations created, so they could be able to raise the living standards and later install a sort of health care system. Media should also play a key role in the rising of awareness, as they are dictating our societies and most of the time not exploited for the right purpose.
Wealthier nations need to take on responsibility for the non-prosperous nations in order to help them out and give them the aid they need to strive and grow as a nation. What I learned in this book really inspired me to make little actions to help out other nations and not just worry about ourselves. The acts that Dr. Farmer performed in Haiti impacted me and showed me how conceited the wealthy nations and don’t care to help the poor nations survive and grow. My brother who is 24 joined the Peace Corps this past summer in Morocco where he helped build houses for the less fortunate. He said it was a life changing experience which totally changed his perspective on life and appreciating what you have and also reaching out and giving to the less fortunate. This reminded me of the book “Mountain Beyond Mountains” and the acts that Dr. Farmer participated in. We as a wealthy nation of the United States should make a difference not just in our nation but in others all across the world so we as a whole world can live a happy, safe life. If everyone can try and participate in volunteer work like the peace corps I feel that we can make a change.
Hello everyone.
My name is Alexander Kaaret
I would like to begin with how amazing I find it that anyone would go to such great lengths simply to help those that can't help themselves, even though they are not at all related to him. At the same time, people ought to remember that we still have problems here in the USA. Our country simply doesn't have the resources to fix the worlds problems. We don't even have the political capital to provide preventative medicine to our own poor. It might be nice to think that we could somehow "fix" Hati, but the truth is we need to make sure ALL Americans are at the level we want the people of Hati to be at before we start pouring money into helping them.
What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries? What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?
I believe that Wealthier nations do have a responsibility for people in poorer countries. If we were the underdogs then we would want people to help us. Many of us have more than what we need, so why can't we donate some o that to help others? Maybe all of us can't be like Farmer, but we as a people need to do our part and try. We need to make our people care and see that helping others should be a part of our daily life. As people we have become far too selfish for our own good. Whether we donate to countries in need, or go volunteer ourselves, every little bit counts.
Hi my name is Billy Haupt i am a marine biology major and i was able to watch some of the lecture and read the book. Basically what i got from the book is that as the title states is that behind every mountain there is another mountain. I realized that it showed that no matter how many obstacles, big or small, there is always another one just around the corner. Also when he showed all the pictures of haiti at the lecture that really showed how devastating it really was. Also it showed how the United States is lucky to be able to cure the simple illnesses it can. Also how we have things that are easy for us to get like food and water and some of the poorer countries cant do that.
Hello everyone,
My name is Rodney Derogene
I feel there is a need to help other in the world but there is also a need to better oneself before doing so. The United States has its own internal problems to deal with before dealing with international affairs. Third world countries need our help, but they do not need us doing every single thing for them, nothing will change, and the developing country will remain stagnant in prosperity. The case in Haiti was different because natural disasters are devastating and recovering from something of that magnitude needs outside help. The U.S just needs to make sure when to intervene and when not to.
I enjoyed Mountains Beyond Mountains. Like the cliché says, it was a real "eye opener". I was aware that other countries struggle. I was aware world hunger is an issue. But Mountains Beyond Mountains isn't just about the struggle. For one it is very in depth and allows readers the opportunity to experience the hardships and the intensity of these hardships vicariously. Furthermore, Mountains Beyond Mountains shows the world that one person can make a difference. Is it hard? Yes. Does it take more effort than you could imagine? Yes. Is it possible? Yes. Paul Farmer didn't change the world. But he changed lives. He changed millions of lies. One of the things that really stuck out to me in the biography was how America damaged Haiti in trying to help it because in actuality America was only trying to help itself. It is my hope that more people like Paul Farmer exist in this world.
Coming from a wealthier country I can't relate to what it would be like to struggle with money. I have never had to worry about where my next meal is coming from or whether or not I am safe. I believe that coming from a country that has it all we should be able to give back to those who have none. I think when people think we need to help others in other countries they always think about raising food and supplies. But this might not be exactly what they need. In the book there was a pregnant women who had a very bad form of malaria. She needed a blood transfusion but she didn't have money to pay for the blood or the transportation so her sister watched her die. It is awful that she couldn't get a blood transfusion just because she was poor. So I think that wealthier countries do have a responsibility to poorer countries because if we can help them then why shouldn't we? We could help in so many ways just by donating some money and letting them do what they need to with that money.
-Erica Langlais
What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries?
My Answer: The responsibilities that i think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries is that it is very broad. But in the book Mountains Beyond Mountains i saw that people would help the poor people and it would give me a better understanding of how we can do as a person and as as wealthier nation. I feel like as individuals we should learn and learn about poor countries if they plan to take responsibility for it. Also, the responsibilities that i think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries are that you should not have to go on a plane and start doing things without having a purpose to it, you should teach them and how they should do it so that when you leave, nothing bad happens and if it does, then they would have a solution on how they can fix it.
What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?
The best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility is to become educated and know if there are any problems going on so that they can help out. Another best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility is to just be aware of whats happening in the world. The more people know, the more they are willing to help. It is time to start taking actions of others and put our problems aside, just like the Farmer said, and think about others and take action of it.
I believe it is the responsibility of wealthier countries to aid poorer countries in order to get them back on their feet. The wealthier country should provide the necessary provisions to the impoverished country in order to get the ball rolling, such as establishing a better order of government or training natives to work in heath care as Dr. Farmer does in the book. But once this help has been established and the natives of the country have a better handle on how to get out of poverty, it should be the job of that country to maintain and continue what the wealthier country established, as long as their methods are still working. If not, the impoverished country must find another way to sustain themselves without having to depend on a forein country.
The best way to express responsibility for poorer countries is to step into their environment. Although sending money to charities is always helpful, in order to truely be responible and active in poorer nations, one must experience it for themselves to get a real perspective on how those people live their everyday lives. This also gives one a better appreciation of the good they are doing for said country and may inspire them to continue.
As most people have already said, I too agree with that being from a wealthier country such as the United States, we should do more to help other countries. We are a very wealthy country that can do a lot to help and support suffering third world countries. I believe that it is everyone's moral duty to help those less fortunate than you and are also facing many difficult hardships. Being from the United States and not having to worry about things such as where my next meal is going to come from, I commend Dr. Farmer for what he did. He basically spent all his time and much of life in Haiti to help the suffering citizens. I think everyone can learn some sort of lesson from reading this book and that the world is much bigger than what we imagine it to be.
-Alison Ricciardi
As most people have already said, I too agree with that being from a wealthier country such as the United States, we should do more to help other countries. We are a very wealthy country that can do a lot to help and support suffering third world countries. I believe that it is everyone's moral duty to help those less fortunate than you and are also facing many difficult hardships. Being from the United States and not having to worry about things such as where my next meal is going to come from, I commend Dr. Farmer for what he did. He basically spent all his time and much of life in Haiti to help the suffering citizens. I think everyone can learn some sort of lesson from reading this book and that the world is much bigger than what we imagine it to be.
-Alison Ricciardi
As most people have already said, I too agree with that being from a wealthier country such as the United States, we should do more to help other countries. We are a very wealthy country that can do a lot to help and support suffering third world countries. I believe that it is everyone's moral duty to help those less fortunate than you and are also facing many difficult hardships. Being from the United States and not having to worry about things such as where my next meal is going to come from, I commend Dr. Farmer for what he did. He basically spent all his time and much of life in Haiti to help the suffering citizens. I think everyone can learn some sort of lesson from reading this book and that the world is much bigger than what we imagine it to be.
-Alison Ricciardi
I enjoyed this book because I don't usually do that much traveling and this book allowed me a look into the lives off people that are fighting a constant struggle against hunger and poverty.
Mountains beyond mountains was quite an inspiring book. Paul farmer is the definition of selflessness. I was amazed at how far one man would go to make haiti and other poor countries a healthier and better place. He constantly fought for the health of those in poorer countries while most doctors would have given up. Also while most doctors were in the comfort of the US Paul Farmer actually waned to be in Haiti and countries worse off than the US to help them in any way he could. I do believe that wealthy individuals should help those who are in need in poorer countries. If you have the resources to help even just a donation could make a huge difference to those who have nothing. Obviously not everyone will be like Paul Farmer and devote their lives to such a cause but helping out a little here and there can help those less fortunate than us have a better life.
Reading Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder has offered me a lot of insight into the lives of poor countries that struggle daily on issues such as health care. In my opinion, wealthier nations have the moral responsibility of doing all they possibly can to help the poorer ones with these problems. If one man like Dr. Paul Farmer was able to do so much for the people in Haiti, imagine what a whole country of aid could accomplish. There are children born into these horrible situations of not being able to receive the appropriate care, food, or life and there is nothing they can do about it. I agree that in order to begin acting on this responsibility, one must first see life from the point of view of someone living in a poor country and learn about the challenges and hardships they endure. By doing this, hopefully people will then further take action in their own unique ways. Some people might donate to charities helping countries like Haiti, while others might actually go to the country to directly help in that way. Whatever the method, at least the moral responsibility has been filled and that is one big accomplishment.
As an individual, I believe that I have no responsibility for the well-being of countries poorer than my own. I didn’t create their economic and social problems and I have no effect on their nation’s status. I should not feel responsible for another country solely based on the fact that those in that poor country aren’t as fortunate as me. A person has responsibility to take care of his or her own nation, and attend to their own problems; self-reliance is incredibly vital for success. The individuals within the poor countries need to take responsibility for themselves to bring wealth to their own nation rather than only begging for handouts. A person can’t learn to handle their own problems if they have everything handed to them. The same is true for other nations, if we constantly bail them out of their own problems, they will never be able to bring themselves out of a downward spiral. This however, doesn’t mean that it is wrong to help poorer nations. By all means, it would be an amazing deed to provide aid to another country as an individual. But aiding another country should be out of a desire to be charitable and help others, not out of obligation caused by a misplaced sense of responsibility. The help provided should also only be enough to help get the people up on their feet so that they are able to function on their own without foreign aid.
Others in this blog have also suggested that wealthier nation’s governments are responsible for poorer countries’ well-being. I believe this is incorrect because wealthier nations have their own serious and disastrous problems to attend to. For example, the United States is in deep debt. The US can’t afford to pay for another countries well-being. Like I mentioned previously, if someone wants or believes that they should help another person less fortunate than themselves (or an entire country) it should come from their own pockets and out of a sense of charity, not responsibility. If you are so hell bent on helping another country, then dedicate your own time and resources to aiding those less fortunate, not the resources of someone else.
In regards to Tracy Kidder's novel "Mountains Beyond Mountains," I believe that all countries, especially the superpowers of the United Nations should keep an eye out on other states and nations to make sure all is just. Although every state should worry about themselves, we all need to be conscious of one an another and look out for the best interest of every human being on this earth. Many say something along the lines that without your full health, you cannot reach your full potential. I am a strong believer in this saying. The United States and many other countries need to focus more on what goes on outside their territory. Many people are at risk and are closer to death than many of can ever imagine, but many Americans refuse to recognize this fact. Dr. Paul Farmer helped those that did not have their full health, he helped them to be the best they can be. He was conscious of other beings outside of the United States, which is why his is a commendable man and human being. We should all strive to do like Paul Farmer here and help those in need. I believe that people need to help those outside of their domain. It may not help their community directly, but it will help them become a more conscientious person and it will help the world as a whole. As a citizen of one of the most powerful nations in the world, I endlessly see people neglecting to even think about helping others before themselves, which is not what this world is about. Helping the sick and the poor is a very rewarding experience as seen through Paul Farmer's own actions and thoughts throughout this eye-opening novel. Poor countries should not be neglected they are today and have been in the past. We can all better the world, even in a small way.
I have to say since day one i couldn't put this book down. I really liked this book. It was very interesting in reading of a saint such as Dr. Farmer. I call him saint because not just anyone would work over time for free or would give all their life luxuries to those less fortunate. It was a great honor in learning more about Dr. Farmer and all his fellow coworkers and organizations. His organizations and personal determination are examples what could happen when one is determined. Who would believe one man helped decrease AIDS in one of the poorest countries in the world, helped combat disease in Russia and also Peru. Many people got cured through the organizations. Those organizations helped saved millions of lives. If only a few small organizations were able to do so much for the poor and sick, imagine what would happen if countries got together and made a big organization to help fight diseases in all the world. If countries especially rich countries teamed up and invested in research and money to help cure sickness in the world then i assure there will be no more sick person or the percentage would decrease immensely. Having no more disease in the world can happen but We need to try and fight for this to happen. One way is to inform others so that everyone can be aware and have the opportunity to participate. Change is not going to happen right away but if we start small such as focusing on teaching our neighborhoods about sickness and poverty in the world and then increasing the spreading of knowledge to the whole country then there will be more of a chance the government will hear us and learn more about world sickness BUT Even if we do tell the government about the world sickness and the different ways we can stop it we also need to take in consideration that in order to help other nations we need to help ourselves. What i mean by this is that even though the United States is considered one of the wealthy nations we still have poverty and other problems going on in the country. One big one is the health care situation. Many people cannot afford to visit the doctor and this has caused many to die from things that are preventable.If we want to help the world we need to focus on our countries first. Once our countries are stable in their government then we can come together and focus on the world.
Mountains Beyond Mountains was an excellent read. It told the true story of Dr. Paul Farmer and his dedication in helping others improve their lives. Dr. Paul Farmer navigated through many obstacles, however he never waived from his life long mission of changing the health care system in Haiti. The medical care he provided to these people, not only changed their lives, it changed his. Anytime Dr. Farmer was faced with any adversity, he became more determined to treat the people of this undeveloped country. Many people talk about helping the people in poorer nations, however, very few act as Dr. Farmer did. He placed the better good of global health care over his own desires and needs. Helping the countries that are in need, by providing access to medicine and treatment, will in fact make the earth a healthier and safer environment for everyone.
-Sara Lowenstein
hi everybody, i thought that this was a great book and that it only takes one person to change so many peoples lives like paul showed us in the book
Hey Everyone!
As I read the book I started thinking a lot about the questions posed. In my opinion, I believe that wealthier countries have an obligation to help and support other countries that are less fortunate. It should be the duty of all countries to assist others in times of need and despair. The world is full of a large amount of hostility and despair, if we continue helping each other some of that pain might be relieved every day.
I believe that wealthier people in poorer countries should find a way to help the poorer people by creating jobs and other ways to have the poorer people become more educated and have them get more money to support their families. Wealthier people should also make sure that they help out small businesses and markets so there is food for all the people. I do not believe that the people that have money should be responsible for the poor people but they should do things in their power to create ways for poor people to make money and they can then support their families.
I really enjoyed this novel. It was really inspiring to see the Doctors determination in helping every indivdual person. No matter how sick or how poor. I agree with some of the comments that say the wealthier nations should try and help these poorer countries like the doctor does. He does everything for these people who look at him like a God. If everyone helped only half as much as he did then already we would save so many lives people ae just uneducated about this and do not realize how much everyone there is suffereing. That is why this book really helps.
Hello,
I feel like the book and Paul Farmer has inspired me to continue reaching for my dream of becoming a doctor, so that I can join Doctors Without Borders and help third world countries. This touches my heart a lot because I was born in the Dominican Republic and I know how poverty is. We have to try hard to make these countries succeed so that children from those countries can have the same opportunities that we had, opportunities that enabled us to succeed in life.
Hello Everyone,
This book shows a perspective on a mans journey to another country, helping those in need by choice. The book itself had told the readers of the hardships that other people in country's that are striving to survive. Unlike the Us where theres the emergency rooms, hospitals, and medical clinics. This book shows that one person can help a whole lot in a country such as Haiti. One thing that I remember most about the book is the ambulance donkey...it made me think a lot, about the geography regions. What type of transportations do other countries have for transportation? (Rhetorical Question)
-Kynaca Soch
I think that we have a responsibility to help poorer nations, but in a way that sets them up so in the future they can support themselves. In order for a country to be able to support itself one day the citizens of that country need to be educated. I think the best thing that we can do for poorer countries is to donate money that is to be used for education. If the citizens of the country are educated then eventually they will be able to figure out solutions to their problems and rely less and less on wealthier nations to help them. Other important things we can do to help people in poor countries is to donate money to projects that work on bringing clean water to everyone. Dirty water can make people sick and is unsanitary, so just by providing clean water we can prevent diseases. Other projects like building safer roads and better houses would help the overall well being in the country. Just giving somebody something as simple as a cement floor can have drastic results.
While reading this novel, I was very touched by the determination that Doctor Paul Farmer had in going all over the world to cure people of various diseases, like tuberculosis. I think this novel was a way to show that wealthier countries can help poorer nations, like Haiti, where people cannot afford any doctor to help them. Farmer was proof, that people have the will to go out to these countries and try and save lives. These countries are at the lowest of all low and then you look at a country like the united states and see how advanced we are in the health department. Dr. Harper is a very passionate man in this novel, I appreciated reading everything he did, without even making a ton of money. He was full of devotion and it showed through out the story.
In Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains he proves that one person in this world can make a signifcant difference. By traveling to other third world countries like Haiti, and helping poor citizens who cannot afford or receive the proper medications is very powerful. Dr. Paul Farmer worked very hard and sometimes for little money and luxurious. Many people in the US would never dedicate their entire lives to people they barely knew. Farmer makes strong connections with these people and cannot break away from Haiti and all of the organizations helping people all over the world. These strong attachments prove that his devotion is genuine and can teach all of us something.
I was excited when I was first given the book, Mountains beyond Mountains to read for the summer. When informed that part of the story was set in Haiti I began to explore the book cover to cover. I could not wait to begin reading, mainly because I am from Haiti and having prior knowledge about the country. The enthusiasms that I had for the book quickly fade away after the first ten pages. I had to put the book down for a few days. I felt that the author painted a very violent picture of Haiti.
Once I started reading Mountains Beyond Mountains again I kept an open mind. I focused on the story line more then the detailed setting and the myth about Haitian Voodoo. Kidder's portrayed Farmer's commitment to helping the poor regardless of the cost. Farmer’s commitment showed how one person could make a huge impact. He open heartedly did his job in Haiti and back at home with no resentment. I hope this book inspires others to go out and volunteer their time to help people. It doesn’t have to be as world changing as Farmers story because every great deed is well rewarded.
-Ritchell Simon
This book taught me a lot about how fortunate most of us are living in a wealthy nation. The perspective I learned mainly came from the difference in medicines that Haiti has compared to a wealthy nation like us. It is interesting how much wealthy nations care about making their country better and more powerful when there are entire nations living in poverty. If you make 10 dollars an hour at a job your in the top 20% richest people in the entire world.
-Eamon Walsh
What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries? What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?
I think that wealthier nations have the responsibility to help out other poor countries in need. Even though it is not a law or anyone's job, helping others out is the right thing to do. Many developing countries do not have the ability or the necessary tools to help themselves. Organizations and groups like the one in the novel Mountains Beyond Mountains, where Dr. Farmer cured people of TB, really make a difference. Little things like the medicine and small amounts of money the people were getting went a long way. If more people who had the wealth and knowledge did these things the world would be in a much better shape. I think the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility is to get involved in organizations that do things like Dr. Farmer did. Even simply donating food can help out.
I think that while it is the responsibility of wealthier nations should help poorer nations, I also think that the poorer nations have to try to help themselves. At least, here in the US, I feel that we try to often to step in and help the nations less fortunate than us. We have our own issues that we should be focusing our attention on. In regards to Dr. Farmer, I do think that his intentions were good. But his life kind of illustrates the predicament of nations helping nations. Dr. Farmer's home life had to take the short end of the stick because he was focusing all his energy on those less fortunate than himself. Instead of spending time with his family, he would repeatedly chose to go treat patients in Haiti.
I remembered a lot about education in chapter 8. I remembered how shocked I was that finishing the seventh grade was seen as good for the people of Haiti. This shows a real difference between the United States and Haiti because I grew up with the intensions of graduating college. It's actually really scary and sad to see that many people do not even make it to the seventh grade. Also, I saw a hero in Farmer when he explains how he would study at Harvard and helped in Haiti at the same time. Not only is studying at Harvard a hard thing to accomplish, but helping out real people in Haiti is even harder considering he was only in his twenties. He didn't want to leave the Haitians, but he knew he needed to graduate college.
-Cassie Genung
A huge example to show Farmer's devotion in helping Haiti is when his name shows up on the list of people who cannot come into Haiti. Kidder explains how a man was beaten to death because he kept crossing through the checkpoints when his name was on the list. Farmer still attempts to cross the checkpoints, even though he is scared to death. This shows A LOT of devotion because he's risking his life.
-Cassie Genung
What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries?
After reading the novel Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder i had a very different outlook on certain social responsibilities that people in society should follow. Even though it is a very touchy subject and there are many sides to the story i believe that countries and people of wealthier social status should help out those in need but it has to be under a certain situation and must follow certain guidelines. Many believe and would argue that those who are wealthier in society and that countries with good economies should just focus on themselves and deserve to since they worked hard to get their. I defiantly believe some of that is true but at the same time if your country has the tools and economy to help out a country in need i truly don't believe there is any harm in that. I can see why some people think that if a country has a lot of problems to deal with that they need to focus on themselves but if your lucky enough to be a wealthier nation i think they should help out those in needs. When you think about it what is going to be the harm in helping out another country its only just making the world a better place.
What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?
I believe the best way that a country that is fortunate enough to be able to help out another country to go about helping is through to be hands on and honest. Im not saying all countries should fly down to these poor countries and start building houses that not what I'm saying at all. i believe that the wealthier countries should educate their citizens of these countries in need so they will be able to volunteer and help those in need on their own. Also i believe that the governments of the wealthier countries should be open minded when a country in need comes to them and needs help or advice instead of immediately just ignoring them. I don't think that wealthier countries should go to the countries and try to take over and run things there way but i do believe some guidance and influence in some situations might do them well.
Robyn DelMonte
What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries?
After reading the novel Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder i had a very different outlook on certain social responsibilities that people in society should follow. Even though it is a very touchy subject and there are many sides to the story i believe that countries and people of wealthier social status should help out those in need but it has to be under a certain situation and must follow certain guidelines. Many believe and would argue that those who are wealthier in society and that countries with good economies should just focus on themselves and deserve to since they worked hard to get their. I defiantly believe some of that is true but at the same time if your country has the tools and economy to help out a country in need i truly don't believe there is any harm in that. I can see why some people think that if a country has a lot of problems to deal with that they need to focus on themselves but if your lucky enough to be a wealthier nation i think they should help out those in needs. When you think about it what is going to be the harm in helping out another country its only just making the world a better place.
What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?
I believe the best way that a country that is fortunate enough to be able to help out another country to go about helping is through to be hands on and honest. Im not saying all countries should fly down to these poor countries and start building houses that not what I'm saying at all. i believe that the wealthier countries should educate their citizens of these countries in need so they will be able to volunteer and help those in need on their own. Also i believe that the governments of the wealthier countries should be open minded when a country in need comes to them and needs help or advice instead of immediately just ignoring them. I don't think that wealthier countries should go to the countries and try to take over and run things there way but i do believe some guidance and influence in some situations might do them well.
Robyn DelMonte
We have the responsibility to help and strengthen poorer countries in order for the to sustain themselves. This option is important because we cant have the poorer country need to rely on us for their existence the goal is to have years of work then with an end product of a organized health country. The best way to act on this sense of responsibility is to get involved with all the opportunities your local and global community has to offer. Weather it’s its making a donation or committing your time and skills for the less fortunate in these other countries. It would also help by maintaining the idea that we share this worlds and its resource’s and that some day they will be gone so but resourceful and try to cut back on over usage.
In reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I found it inspiring yet depressing at times to think that the conditions that these people are living in are real life. In our wealthy country we only see the occasional person who lives in poverty or sleeps on the steps of the church at night. Although we don't see everything that this person has to go through everyday. I know from growing up in the suburbs of New York City, I did not see as much poverty that is described in the book. I find it very interesting that my neighbor could have been suffering from hunger and I would not have known this fact. Hunger is something that you can't see from the outside, and many people try to cover it up. Many kids from my high school had the low cost lunch program because of their families incomes, yet I never seemed to notice until more recently. Through this reading I have become more aware of the fact that everywhere has poverty. We should get more involved with the people who need our help the most. I also learned to be less selfish and help out in the community more from this book.
I agree with Alisha when i read the front of the book that stated how one man would cure the world. It threw me off because I honestly didn't believe that ONE man could actually save Haiti. As I read Mountains Beyond Mountains, I started to realize that the book didn't lie. Paul Farmer really made a difference in Haiti. Although he did not completely fix it, but in that sense every country needs some fixing up, he started the change for a better life in Haiti. First of all, all the Haitians go to Farmer about medical and non medical needs. They trust him with their lives. Secondly, he became popular in the states and people started to donate and also help Farmer our with projects in Haiti. Farmer really did save the world because not only did he help a country out, he got poverty to become a topic of people's minds.
-Cassie Genung
Yes Paul Farmer did save people and made a difference in some many people's lives but at the same time it was at a lose. Paul Farmer was able to make such an impact because he was there in Haiti for months at a time leaving behind his wife and child in another country. So as much as Farmer made a difference in other people's lives it was at the cost of not being able to be with his family and see his son grow up.
I found the summer reading book mountains beyond mountains to be very inspiring and thought-provoking. I loved the book and it made me realize how unfortunate some people in other areas of the world really are and it also made me realize how fortunate I truly am and that I should be very thankful. I didn't realize how little i actually now about medicine as a whole around the world. This made me even more excited to be a nursing major here at URI. I think that the best way to act towards these poorer nations is that we need to start caring more about each other and not have everything be such a competition, we have to be passionate about what we do and we have to want to make a difference in the world if we actually want to make a change.
Connor Cronan
Kinesiology Major
I feel that wealthier nations have a responsibility to help poorer countries. The citizens in these countries don't all have to be like Paul Framer but maybe just donating a reasonable amount of money to a charity for the poorer countries would suffice. I believe it is a bit immoral to not do anything for these poorer countries. This book was very eye-opening to me because it proved how bad the living conditions are in countries like Haiti and even in the prisons of Russia. Wealthier nations should be more active in helping poorer nations because these people are dying in preventable ways. Money is the underlining issue of all of this. I feel that if wealthier nations take a more active apporach in educating their citizens on the hardships of third world countries then they will be able to raise more money. Making people aware of these issues is a huge step in the right direction. This is what I believe must be done.
After reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I feel that the wealthier nations should help out the underdeveloped nations. Growing up in a wealthy nation, we have everything we need to survive, and if not, we have the opportunity to make a difference. The citizens in the poorer countries do not have this opportunity, and this was displayed through the story of Dr. Farmer's work. We do not have to commit to charity work all day long to make a difference. Simple acts such as donating clothes that we have outgrown, or throwing 10 dollars a month towards a fund. Raising awareness for the countries in need is also an effective way to help them out. If a large amount of people contribute a little bit of time and effort, beneficiary changes can be made.
I think that Tracy Kiddler has brought about an extremely important aspect of life that many people may overlook. Doctor Paul Farmer has done wonders in the poorer sections of the world by providing care and services to those who are less fortunate. It is important that people are informed about the terrible living conditions and situations around the world. If more people are aware of these living conditions, there will hopefully be more people who are willing to make an effort to help these less fortunate human beings. I think it is necessary for the upperclass people of the world to "help out" the lowerclass and the people who are living in poverty such as the people whom Dr. Farmer has helped.
- Colin Stamps
I agree with Nicole F, that people have to "walk in someone elses shoes" to fully understand their situation. It is very easy to look at very poor places such as Haiti, feel sympathy, and donate some money, but is that enough? I feel as though if I were in the people of Haiti's situation I would much rather desire people physcially being in my presense, and showing support. It is one thing to recieve a small amount of money that may or may not last a week, but it is an entirely different experience to have someone come to you and tell you they are there for you. Although money is very important, it is also important to have someone care for you and have a healthy mental state of mind. That is why people should really consider stoping and really thinking about what it is like for the people in third world countries. There has been a time for everyone where they needed a helping hand, and simply receiving sympathy from someone was not enough. I believe that actually going to a third world country to help would benefit not only the people in the third world country, but the people helping out. If everyone could legitamently take time out of their life to physically be there for someone and help out, the world just may grow to be a better place.
ally m.
Hello My name is Devin D'Amico, a freshman at URI. Questions, “What responsibilities do you think individuals in wealthier nations have towards people in poor countries? What do you think is the best way to express or act on this sense of responsibility?”
For the first question, I believe other wealthier nations do not have the responsibility to help out other poor countries. I also believe that is wealthier nations want to do the right thing, they should help out. People are responsible for themselves, but it is nice to have help sometimes. This goes hand and hand with wealthier and poorer nations. Also I can relate to this question. Hurricane Sandy just hit out nation last week. Destroying plenty of homes and personal areas that I hold dear to my heart. I am from New Jersey. New Jersey got hit the hardest, along with New York. My Jersey shore is completely ruined. I cried as I saw some of the pictures on the Internet and what pictures my family sent me. My home is mostly destroyed and will take along time to rebuild itself. It is not anyone’s responsibility to help New Jersey, but I would be nice if we had more support to help us through our great loss. Going back to the actually question, America should always be there to support the other countries that need help.
The second question is asking how can we express or act on the sense for responsibility. The best way I believe we can act of this is visiting them. Letting someone know that you are there for him or her is the greatest feeling. We should also start plenty of fundraisers similar to the ones we have. For example: Box tops for education, Campbell’s soup for education and many more. Even in our own school we could start a donation to the victims of hurricane Sandy. We should make sure no one every feels alone.
After reading the book Mountains Beyond Mountains I feel that wealthy people should step up and help out the poor. The United States could really make a difference in other peoples lives. Our country needs to have a same positive attitude as Dr. Paul Farmer did and we could make a difference in other countries life. We should stop focusing all our attention on people who have money to survive and worry about the people who can't afford food, clothing, shelter, etc. Paul Farmer educated people about the poor and unhealthy living conditions these poor countries are facing and I think that is a great idea. People need to see the big picture and how terrible the poor countries have it. I feel after being educated and seeing images that people will step up and provide to help others in need just as Paul Farmer did.
-Erica Rekrut
I agree with what Chelsea Sabatino said about doing your part in your local community. It is always important to take advantage of the opportunities that surround you. If you get a chance to get involved in your neighborhood or community, you should never pass that up. The people that you live around encompass a big part of your life, and you should always try to be apart of the events that are happening around you.
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder is an inspiring book that shows the journey of Paul Farmer and his philanthropic mission to help increase the health of communities in poverty. He started his mission in Haiti establishing a hospital in a poor village where he treated people who wouldn't have been able to receive medical treatment otherwise. He treated many people for tuberculosis which was his speciality. He also embraced the Haitian culture, learned their language, and studied the nature around Haiti. He was a very smart man with an interesting past who studied at Harvard and was doing wonders for the impoverished in Haiti at a very young age. After establishing his hospital where he not only treated Haitians without charge but also trained native people to work in the hospital so it would still be able to work while he wasn't there, he went on to establish the Partners in Health foundation. The Partners in Health foundation started out as a small group of Paul Farmers friends who raised money to help Dr. Farmer fund and expand his work in Haiti. It slowly grew into a larger organization that helped not only Dr. Farmers' hospital in Haiti but also hospitals in Peru, Russia and Cuba. Dr. Farmers' incredible work in helping the impoverished spread far beyond Haiti and has had a lasting impression on the world. -Michaela DiBiase
I agree with Erica Rekrut's idea of how the United States should focus less on the people who have enough money to survive and live comfortably and focus more on people who can't afford food, clothing, shelter, etc. I think the United States should do this by sending people to work with impoverished people directly instead of just simply donating money. Although I do think donating money can be helpful to these countries I think it would be a lot more beneficial to go and establish hospitals or irrigation systems or other useful improvements that can be operated by the Haitian people themselves after we have them put in place. I think this would be a lot more effective and worthwhile then just buying food or medicine for them that they will continue to need after using it.-Michaela DiBiase
After reading "Mountains Beyond Mountains" I felt so motivated to go out and do my part. I was so motivated by Mr. Kidder's story of Paul Farmer. Dr. Paul Farmer is the perfect example of what we should all be like. He gives his time to help those in need, which is the most rewarding thing ever. The feelings of accomplishment and succes can never live up to the feeling you have after you help someone else.
In todays society we have become careless and wasteful people. This should change. Our generation needs to learn to care a little bit more and spend a little bit less. You will still survive even if you dont have that new phone or shirt or pair of sneakers. Just think of others especially as we get close to this giving season.
-Kelli Hingerton
I think sometimes people in wealthier nations take advantage of what they have and they often forget about people in poor countries who don't have these luxuries. I think wealthier people don't necessarily have responsibilities, but they should try to help others. They can help them by providing them with education. Education is the key to success. There's a saying that goes like "If you give a man a fish, he is not hungry for a day, If you teach a man how to fish, he will never be hungry". Providing food, shelter, etc is thoughtful and kind, but we should be focused on teaching others how to provide for themselves so that they can learn to thrive on their own.
Paul Farmer has done so much to help countries in need by providing services that helped many. After reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, you get a different view of the world. This book is en eye-opener to the living conditions in other countries and gets people thinking of how they can help. Once you step outside your own world and see how unfortunate others are, it makes you realize how fortunate you are and not take it for granted. Not everyone has to do as much as he did, but whatever you can do to help, will make a difference. Without being informed, people can not make a difference. I am not saying it is wealthier countries responsibility to provide for poorer countries, but by realizing and giving a little of your time can make a big difference to get poor countries to provide for themselves. Providing things for others is wonderful, but providing knowledge will make them better off in the long run.
-Tara Quinn
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