Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]From: Michael Reichmann <michael.reichmann@alphanet.net> Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 14:46:05 -0500 Certainly I own Leicas as well as other posessions which are far in excess of the lifetime assets of millions around the world. But, what of it? I do many things in my business and personal life to try and make the world a better place, including donations to social causes which I support. To not take my Leica to India and use it in taking photographs would be as hypocritical as giving the Leica to that farmer. In fact, it would be moraly repugnant to me to even get rid of the Leica because there are people for whom the value of that Leica is essentially incomprehensible. Michael, can you explain why it is hypocritical to give a valuable object to an impoverished person, or why the value of a Leica is "essentially incomprehensible" to many people? I don't believe I have ever met any healthy adults, in the third world or in the developed world, who couldn't comprehend the idea "object worth about $2000." Consider for example that one sees automobiles in the third world, and many of these are worth more than a Leica. I'm puzzled by some of the things people have said in this discussion about third-world poverty and Leicas. Leicas are not jet aircraft or supercomputers. They do not require man-years to construct or maintain. A typical Leica is worth only a fraction as much as a typical automobile. - -Patrick