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Who has it better?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
I was watching something on TV earlier about Sports Aid and it really got me thinking.
Who has it better?
Do we in the Western world, with all our consumer goods, reality TV shows, fancy cars and fast food outlets have it better than those in the Third World?
Just thought it would make for some interesting discussion.
Who has it better?
Do we in the Western world, with all our consumer goods, reality TV shows, fancy cars and fast food outlets have it better than those in the Third World?
Just thought it would make for some interesting discussion.
0
Comments
we can always choose, you see. we could, if we wanted to, escape greed and capitalism, move to the third world. or some remote rural village.
but it's very hard to upgrade.
A lot of people don't realise there is an upgrade though. They aren't aware of the Western World and don't realise there is 'something better' to aim for. Personally I think not having the burden of always feeling you need to better yourself must be refreshing.
obviously we do.
So I think we do.
Of course, we can have a lot of stress with work etc. but I'm sure worrying about if your children would have contracted a deadly disease from the water they are drinking is a little more stressful than a few exams or whatever!
Yes, those people are worrying about the things you've all mentioned but they don't know any different. We can look at them and think 'oooh, that must be awful' but for them that is normal... they are not aware that there is another existence to be had and so in reality we can't impose our ideals on them and suggest that, in short, life must really suck for them!
If a man is born poor and dies rich he is happy
however
if a man is born rich and dies poor he is unhappy
its all relative to what you are used to. If you are poor and know no different you see it as normal and so it doesn't bother you. However, if you know what you are missing and are used to it you are unhappy!
:yes:
Happiness in this country is measured by what you have and what you don't have. They don't measure their happiness in that way... they treasure the chance to be taught and to learn.
Children in the west are spoilt. Hardship to the average 7 year old in the UK is not getting a new Barbie doll.
Some do know of it.... they just know it's to far out there reach.. they know they can never make it to the life style they lead..
I'm referring to the poorest of the poor though.
yeah.. and think about it.. they get aid workers out there.. in like eiphiopia and they see how good they have life... (a small glimps of a better life) so they must know there is more out there..
Where as the poorer people appreciate stuff more. They appreciate the food they get. The clothes they wear and the water they drink
Exactly. You know, I hate to say it but you've made more sense than people give you credit for.
Why do you hate to say it:(
Next time I'm eating and Remember this post I'll appriciate the food more..
i mean, yes, there is the innocence, and the awe and wonder, and thirst for learning. the simple pleasures. i visited a village in india, and while we were meeting the local kids, i got a biro out of my bag while i was looking for sun cream. and the kids looked at me like i'd just brought the crown jewels out of my bag. and when i told one of the kids he could keep it, he looked at me like i'd just donated him a £3million winning lottery ticket.
but there's a flip side. the disease, the starvation, the desperation. the mothers who cut off their own children's limbs, or blind them, so they'll make more money begging. the kids who rummage through bins, or around on the floor to find food, cause otherwise they won't eat. war, famine, horror. there is no simple life.
I swear it was you who said about how tribal life and historical tradition is being ruined... or something.. you started nattering after I was talking about what tattoos I was getting.. although you seemed drunk..:p
A horrible existance is still a horrible existance, whether for us or for them. I do however see where you are coming from with the 'never knew any different' side of things, but in the same way that kids will look through the toy shop window at the biggest most expensive toy and feel incomplete for a time without it [speaking in hypothetics], i think that it might actually be the same with starving third world inhabitants and hearing of our greed and overeating problems.
I think if i was south of the economic divide, i'd be angry about the malnutrition and illness caused to everyone and think badly of the inhabitants of more economically developed countries.
I'm making very little sense. *shuts up*
This will sound stupid but thats sweet.. I mean yeah.. I might not seem anything to us.. but it's alot to them.. It's like the charitys where you donate £5/10 a month/week.. Not much to us but will feed a family over there..
They have so little but what they do have they are glad for.. Thats one thing us...us western people don't get.. the wealthier people,
If you sent someone like you or me out there no way would we last.. we'd strive for more.. where as they're happy with what they get, they're glad for what they got where as if it was you or me.. we'd hate it.. be angry.. not appriciate it.
One thing I respect the third world people for is there sense of community and respect for each other, they'll help as much as they can and work together, they try to better themselfs by working hard for what they have.
Re reading that it's probably complete and utter bullshit..
See i have to disagree with you there. I think you'd actually start to appreciate the small things more if you lost everything. I was out the other week walking around in a nature park place with my mates and i would gladly have stayed there for the whole day without any food or computers etc, because it was very relaxed. I think one thing they do get from having very little is stronger community spirit, as they will tend to socialise a lot more and often live in smaller, closer groups.
I wouldn't go anywhere near as far as to say that they would enjoy life as much as us though i have to say. Mainly for reasons like us having the safeguard of knowing that if ever we fell ill, we'd have healthcare just round the corner to sort us out, whereas they could fall ill at any time and simply be half left to die.
you ever been to a third world country? it's not always the way they show it on TV you know.
I don't think they are happy living that way?
not you, genius
Oh
I am but a lowly Halford's employee
[Never told you i got the job did i?
I got the job.
There, told you
But they only know the way they live.. they make themselfs happy with what they got.. Well thats my opinion..
But how do you know that they only know the way they live? I've got a lot, and yet I dream about becoming a lot richer.
If those people got nothing to start with, they may appreciate more what they get, but I doubt they are happy all the time about what they got, and especially if they're the poorest of the poor.
I don't think they're any happier.