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by inglor_cz 992 days ago
There is 8 billion people in the world, with the number increasing still. You will always have to choose whom you feel responsibility towards, because all 8 billion are beyond anyone's capability.
1 comments

I don't know about you but my answer is "the ones standing next to me that I have the means and ability to help sustainably."
The point is, regardless of individual answers, there is always a person that doesn't make your cut.

Same applies to entire countries; their capabilities and societal will are greater than an individual's, but still limited.

Declarations of very broad commitments towards the rest of humanity may sound noble, but wise(r) people should stay away from them.

I feel like you're applying programmer brain to statements that aren't actually commitments but north stars pointing us in the direction of how we should try and do better. Or phrased differently, "We might be the greatest country on earth, but an even greater country would ___"

And in this case to me the blank is "take on the world's tired huddled masses and set them up to be just as self-sufficient and successful as their native born." And I think that's pretty actionable, just about anyone could probably think of more than a few things that would push us closer to this.

We can't even help the current homeless.
I'm not sure _can't_ is the right word. I think we could all imagine some type of system or incentive that would help them.
"Can't" as in "don't want to"
If anything else, as is, this statement could be used by both sides