Feeding the world is not a moral
question. We should. It is not a question of sufficiency. There is
plenty of arable land in the world to feed everyone, with a surplus.
It is largely a question of logistics and the will to do so.
So why don't we?
The answer is money. Not that there
isn't enough of it, or that we can't get it into the right hands, but
that we are stuck on money at all. Money is a representation of
scarcity, which, when discussing the ability to fulfill basic
physical needs, only exists now as an artificial construct
intended... to make sure that the money keeps going round.
Every economy (in fact, the entire
concept of economy) is based on scarcity. Barter, coinage, all kinds
of trader are built around the idea that there is less than enough to
go around, that some people can have something, and others can't.
But this no longer applies to certain
things. Food, clean water, shelter, education and medical care can
all be supplied worldwide. We have not chosen to do this yet,
largely because of the inertia of the concept of money.
So what would happen, what terrible
consequences would there be, if we changed our ideas about economies,
about money, about scarcity?
Well, we in the First World (peal of
trumpets) would have to suffer the indignity of watching people
around the world find themselves eating regularly, living in actual
homes, living free lives full of potential. How awful.
And there are suggestions of very
interesting side effects. People who are well-fed seem to breed less
often, which would result in a natural population control. People
who have opportunities, education and a safe place to sleep at night
tend to commit fewer crimes, participate in more positive social
activities, and even (heaven for fend) give back to their own
communities, and those of other people.
It's almost like, if we stopped being
societally selfish, and actually, I don't know, took care of each
other, we might find that the world in which we live improves.
Has anyone ever suggested that we stop
being jerks? Ever? Seems to me it must have been said, once or
twice, down the millennia.
How about we try listening?
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