Title
Strangers Drowning: Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices, and the Urge to Help,Used
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What does it mean to devote yourself wholly to helping others? In Strangers Drowning, Larissa MacFarquhar seeks out people living lives of extreme ethical commitment and tells their deeply intimate stories; their stubborn integrity and their compromises; their bravery and their recklessness; their joys and defeats and wrenching dilemmas.A couple adopts two children in distress. But then they think: If they can change two lives, why not four? Or ten? They adopt twenty. But how do they weigh the needs of unknown children in distress against the needs of the children they already have?Another couple founds a leprosy colony in the wilderness in India, living in huts with no walls, knowing that their two small children may contract leprosy or be eaten by panthers. The children survive. But what if they hadnt? How would their parents risk have been judged?A woman believes that if she spends money on herself, rather than donate it to buy lifesaving medicine, then shes responsible for the deaths that result. She lives on a fraction of her income, but wonders: when is compromise selfindulgence and when is it essential?We honor such generosity and high ideals; but when we call people dogooders there is skepticism in it, even hostility. Why do moral people make us uneasy? Between her stories, MacFarquhar threads a lively history of the literature, philosophy, social science, and selfhelp that have contributed to a deep suspicion of dogooders in Western culture.Through its sympathetic and beautifully vivid storytelling, Strangers Drowning confronts us with fundamental questions about what it means to be human. In a world of strangers drowning in need, how much should we help, and how much can we help? Is it right to care for strangers even at the expense of those we are closest to? Moving and provocative, Strangers Drowning challenges us to think about what we value most, and why.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Strangers Drowning'? A: The main theme of 'Strangers Drowning' is the exploration of extreme ethical commitment and the complexities of helping others. It examines the moral dilemmas faced by individuals who dedicate their lives to altruism.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Strangers Drowning'? A: The author of 'Strangers Drowning' is Larissa MacFarquhar.
- Q: How many pages does 'Strangers Drowning' have? A: 'Strangers Drowning' has a total of 336 pages.
- Q: What is the binding type of this book? A: The binding type of 'Strangers Drowning' is paperback.
- Q: When was 'Strangers Drowning' published? A: 'Strangers Drowning' was published on September 27, 2016.
- Q: What category does 'Strangers Drowning' fall under? A: 'Strangers Drowning' falls under the category of Interpersonal Relations.
- Q: Is 'Strangers Drowning' suitable for readers interested in moral philosophy? A: 'Strangers Drowning' is suitable for readers interested in moral philosophy, as it delves into ethical questions and the philosophy of altruism.
- Q: What type of stories does Larissa MacFarquhar tell in this book? A: Larissa MacFarquhar shares deeply intimate stories of individuals living lives of extreme ethical commitment, highlighting their challenges and moral dilemmas.
- Q: Does 'Strangers Drowning' provide historical context on altruism? A: 'Strangers Drowning' includes a lively history of literature, philosophy, and social science that shapes our understanding of altruism and do-gooders in Western culture.
- Q: What can readers expect to gain from reading 'Strangers Drowning'? A: Readers can expect to gain insights into the complexities of ethical commitment and the challenges of helping others, prompting reflection on personal values and moral choices.