Assuming this is a sincere question,my answer- different humans have different needs, and there are guests & family members to consider. Of course there are questions. The more we spend “on ourselves” the less we have available to give to tzedakah, but it is not exactly an either or equation. With AC I personally can function (without it I am like a beached whale!) and functioning also means I can earn more dollars, or raise funds for a cause, thereby having AC AND even more dollars for tzedakah. Each day I try to think twice, briefly, before switching it on, about the extra hours we will work to pay the electric bill, and the planetary resources we use. But I am NOT entirely a fan of “back to the simpler times”. When I grew up FEW households in my low income neighborhood had AC. We got ONE after two members of our family became violently ill from the heat one night. People slept on roofs at night. Argued about who got to sit in the bathtub full of cold water. Fled to the streets and got in irritable-mood fights. Insects got in open windows and spread illness. During heat spells shelters had to be opened and people died from the heat regularly. I am happy we have other choices.
Menu