“Are they my poor?” This line from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, aptly titled “Self-reliance”, does not actually advocate for altruism. Instead, the American individualist asks why he should care about the downtrodden if he doesn’t know them. His question, however uncomfortable it may sound to modern ears, is one that underpins many current conversations about where we focus our outrage.
Coverage of the undoubtedly devastating Hurricane Harvey in the United States has dominated news headlines internationally. Yet at the same time, flooding of arguably worse magnitudes has been wreaking havoc in large swathes of South Asia, such as India and Nepal, among communities already disproportionately affected by climate change.
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month
Content from our partners
