Comments on: Microfinance Podcast Coincidence http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wordpress/2008/03/03/microfinance-podcast-coincidence/ A journal of geekery, music and joy Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:00:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Anca http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wordpress/2008/03/03/microfinance-podcast-coincidence/comment-page-1/#comment-50608 Anca Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:55:14 +0000 http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wordpress/2008/03/03/microfinance-podcast-coincidence/#comment-50608 Interest-bearing microloans are a wonderfully pragmatic way to bring capitalism's good qualities to bear in places where, perhaps, people have only seen the worst excesses of capitalism mixed with despotism. This is both on the lender's side (where the lender may be an ordinary citizen who has credit card debt and so forth) and on the recipient's side (whose country may have been involved in some major public works project that lined the pockets of the rulers and their lackeys, but didn't show much of a benefit for ordinary citizens). I totally agree with your point that one can personally make a bigger investment when one is able to get a return, and I'm glad you brought it up. Financially, it definitely makes more sense to put an investment into something that will have a direct beneficial return, especially if one's own livelyhood depends on making good investments. Kiva is more "pure" from an altruistic perspective, because it gives people the ability to make a small sacrifice in exchange for a social benefit that is personally measured by each individual. There are huge social organizations based on acts of individual sacrifice that bring abstract as well as concrete rewards to people. Fortunately for everyone, microfinance is a big field and there is room for financial as well as spiritual ROI. Interest-bearing microloans are a wonderfully pragmatic way to bring capitalism’s good qualities to bear in places where, perhaps, people have only seen the worst excesses of capitalism mixed with despotism. This is both on the lender’s side (where the lender may be an ordinary citizen who has credit card debt and so forth) and on the recipient’s side (whose country may have been involved in some major public works project that lined the pockets of the rulers and their lackeys, but didn’t show much of a benefit for ordinary citizens).

I totally agree with your point that one can personally make a bigger investment when one is able to get a return, and I’m glad you brought it up. Financially, it definitely makes more sense to put an investment into something that will have a direct beneficial return, especially if one’s own livelyhood depends on making good investments.

Kiva is more “pure” from an altruistic perspective, because it gives people the ability to make a small sacrifice in exchange for a social benefit that is personally measured by each individual. There are huge social organizations based on acts of individual sacrifice that bring abstract as well as concrete rewards to people.

Fortunately for everyone, microfinance is a big field and there is room for financial as well as spiritual ROI.

]]> By: heather gold http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wordpress/2008/03/03/microfinance-podcast-coincidence/comment-page-1/#comment-50603 heather gold Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:09:02 +0000 http://www.evilgeniuschronicles.org/wordpress/2008/03/03/microfinance-podcast-coincidence/#comment-50603 Hi there Slusher Evil Genius, It's really interesting to hear what you came away with from the conversation. My strongest memory is guest Thea Hillman saying she didn't trust actions based on benevolence. I came away from the whole thing more attuned to people being self-aware and taking care of their needs in any action they take in order to also meet the needs of others. It's by no means a completed conversation, but I'm certainly questioning the elevation of self-sacrifice as a good. What is the core goal? Making money? Helping others? Solving a problem? Hi there Slusher Evil Genius,

It’s really interesting to hear what you came away with from the conversation. My strongest memory is guest Thea Hillman saying she didn’t trust actions based on benevolence. I came away from the whole thing more attuned to people being self-aware and taking care of their needs in any action they take in order to also meet the needs of others.

It’s by no means a completed conversation, but I’m certainly questioning the elevation of self-sacrifice as a good.

What is the core goal? Making money? Helping others?

Solving a problem?

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