How much money are we morally obliged to give for humanitarian aid abroad? Many people would say that although it's a nice thing to do, you don't have to give anything. Others would say that if a person has more than they need, then they should give some of what they have. Peter Singer, however, offers a radically different vision. His essay, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” focuses on the Bengal crisis of 1971 and argues that everyone is morally obligated to give as much as possible. His thesis supports the idea that "we must give until we reach the level of marginal utility – that is, the level at which, by giving more, I would cause as much suffering to myself or to my dependents whom I would relieve with my donation. » » (399). He says the obligation to give to people in need on the other side of the world is just as strong as the obligation to give to your neighbor in need. Even more, he says that we must continue to give until by giving more, we find ourselves in a worse situation than that of the people we want to help. Singer's claim is so different from the typical idea of ​​morality that it is easy to quickly dismiss it as absurd. Saying that you should provide financial assistance to the point that you are in as bad a situation as those receiving your assistance seems to go against common sense. However, when you consider the evidence he presents, it's impossible not to wonder if he's right. Singer's argument seems to be primarily an appeal to logos. In his argument, he explains why he thinks people are morally required to give in for relief from famine and other needs. However, his argument also relies heavily on pathos. The main idea of ​​his argument is: "If I pass by a shallow pond and see a child sinking... middle of paper... of morality ingrained in us." People have lived for thousands of years where the only thing we knew was near them. Even if someone had wanted to help distant people in need, it would have been impossible. Only very recently has the ability to help people all over the world emerged. With the creation of relief companies, like the Red Cross, people can give as much as they have. So perhaps the morality with which civilization has lived since its beginnings has changed. Works Cited Singer, Peter. “Famine, wealth and morality”. Current issues and lingering questions. 8th ed. Ed. Sylvan Barnett and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2008. 7-15. Print. Wong, David. “What is the Monkeysphere?” » Cracked.com - America's only humor and video site since 1958. Cracked.com. September 30, 2007. Web. March 29. 2011.