Singer Solution

In class we read the 'Singer Solution to World Poverty' to be honest, I really did not enjoy it. It was very brutal on his behalf to write such a paper on world poverty. Singer proposes two different situations, one of Dora and the other of Bob. In Dora's situation she takes a boy to an orphanage and is paid money so she can buy her big t.v. she always wanted. Unfortuantely she finds out that the boy is not going to the orphanage, instead he will be killed and his organs will be donated. Dora is overwhelmed with guilt but she really likes her new t.v. and is reluctant to give it up if it comes to that the organization she gave the boy to wants their money back.
The second situation is with Bob. Bob is a train track operator. One day a train is running of the wrong track and is heading for a little boy who is on that track unaware of the train coming. Bob can do nothing to warn the boy because he is out of calling distance. Bobs only option is to flip a switch that will throw the train off the tracks and into a parking lot. That way no one is killed. But he is stuck because if he flips the switch and the train goes into the parking lot, it will crush his favorite car. His car means everything to him and Bob refuses to voluntarily destroy it. Bob does not flip the switch and the boy dies.
Singer twists the situation putting us in the place of Bob and Dora. He proposes that we live in situations like this every day of our lives. He gives us the organizations that we could donate to and help homeless and starving children in poverty. He said our decision not to help and not to donate is just like not flipping the switch. Its like us valueing our material things over another persons life.
My opinion is that yes all this is partially true. But our situations in our lives differ a lot from the situations of Bob and Dora. For example Bob and Dora's situations affected the lives of their children more directly then ours do. Its pretty messed up that he would write us off as murderers. I do give often to the McDonald house, I've been there and helped out and so I am moved to donate to a organization I have seen work with my own eyes. It is pointless to donate to an organization you would not trust. I would not give my money to help children in Africa if the money is not totally going to help children in Africa. There are so many fake and corrupt organizations in the world.
In some ways I do agree with Singer. The fact that we choose to buy $70 shoes instead of giving some of our extra money to a charitable organization is money that will never help homeless children. But you have to find a line or a boundary that says where enough is or where a good amount of money is. I believe $1 is enough if you're giving it with a willing heart. I truly believe it is selfish to give money just because it makes you feel better about yourself and you care nothing about who its going to and who it is affecting. Singer touches apon this as well in his paper. There are so many questions that go unanswered.