Eradication of Poverty? …. SIMPLE!

November 27, 2020

               … remove MONEY (in letter & spirit) as the operating policy of life as we know it!

(Photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/FsakSmJTzKLm3AZw9)

From the beginning of time, when barter used to be the means of exchange, humankind understood the a physical item or service had a certain value attached to it.  Barter exchange evolved into money exchange and the importance of commerce and economy developed.

However, what if money is not the defining aspect of life?  Why can’t ALL goods & services be available freely to anyone?  The value of special interest groups, big business, wars for “oil”, smuggling & exploitation, etc will become inconsequential & redundant!  The concept of exploitation of the world’s natural resources would be over.  Beggary would stop.  There would be no such thing as Poverty – because every ‘social class’ will have access to the same services & facilities as everyone else.

(photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/6RvBqpCHpaM6NmcU9)

The idea of a community, in my book, should not be defined by what economic or monetary benefit each can give the other.  No siree bob!  Under this [fairy tale’d] ‘poverty-free society’ concept, a community would provide each other goods & services with no monetary benefit because each and every one benefits from the exchange.  There would be a 1 to 1 exchange – there would be no value attached to an item or service anymore. 

The person providing a good or service is doing so for the community at large; she would be using her trade & knowledge to provide for her own family and others; and in turn would receive goods & services required by her family completely gratis.  If I become sick, I go to the hospital and get the same medical care, treatment and medication our prime ministers & presidents would get with no concept of compensation.

If money is not needed to survive, there is no “poor” person or “rich” person.  The thirst for life should move from monetary gain to a knowledge-based motive (https://dinshawavari.com/2019/06/14/what-does-a-government-do-for-us-%f0%9f%a4%94/), a quest for adventure & intellect and a thirst to live life in the true sense of LIVING & enjoying what God has given us, and to us.

Too idealistic … a pipe dream, you say? 

Yes, here & now, in our lifetime …

but hopefully not for future generations.

WISHFUL THINKING !

August 25, 2020

(Image credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/c2bfJH1KqMB7kEWw9)

More than ever, (https://dinshawavari.com/2019/06/14/what-does-a-government-do-for-us-%f0%9f%a4%94/ & https://dinshawavari.com/2020/03/26/where-are-we-heading/), I despair as to where the world is heading …

… Self destruction – whether economic, nuclear, physical !

… Conflict & strife being at one of the highest points that I can remember in my conscious life.

It basically comes down to “governments” and national policies-

Why are nations encouraging conflict with other nations?

               Shouldn’t they be looking at the welfare of their own citizens FIRST!?

Why are nations increasing arms spend?

               Shouldn’t they be spending on education & health of their own citizens instead?

What is a “government’s” purpose to come to power?

               Is it not to enhance the poor and downtrodden out of poverty instead?

How does a country’s attempt for currency & world domination/hegemony help the citizens of that nation?

               Doesn’t it instead dilute the energies & efficiencies of the government from internal enhancement?

In today’s era, how does land acquisition through war & conquest help a nation prosper?

               Doesn’t it instead divert resources from otherwise more critical LIFE purposes?

(Image credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/6RvBqpCHpaM6NmcU9)

The words in the United Nations’ charter is the ONLY KPI on which governments should be judged & held responsible for by its citizens –

“…committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights”

– and not on how strong a country’s currency is or how many wars it is fighting or how influential it is in world affairs. 

Let’s end this diatribe with a quote from Ronald Reagan’s Acceptance Speech at the Republican National Convention on July 17, 1980 [please replace “Americans” with “citizens”] …

“…millions of [Americans] find themselves out of work. Millions more have never even had a fair chance to learn new skills, hold a decent job, or secure for themselves and their families a share in the prosperity of this nation.  It is time to put [Americans] back to work, to make our cities and towns resound with the confident voices of men and women of all races, nationalities and faiths bringing home to their families a decent paycheck they can cash for honest money. For those without skills, we’ll find a way to help them get skills. For those without job opportunities, we’ll stimulate new opportunities, particularly in the inner cities where they live…”

               …This is what worlds’ governments should SOLELY strive towards…FULL STOP!

(Image Credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/b4dcHpVYwATPmNCi7)

Is COVID, Thanos’ Snap?

(…and Yet Further Tirades of a Layman [COVID] – 4)

June 12, 2020

(Do you follow Marvel Cinematic Universe?)

(Photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/ceGmi8qAB9ZarsTbA)

With one snap of his fingers, Thanos eliminates an arbitrary 50% of the world’s population; according to him it was to correct Nature’s imbalance … he was “trying to save the universe from itself”. 

Yeah, right!!!!

Compared to any other living being on Earth & the seas, humans’ capacity to harm & kill each other, and exploit & destroy the world’s resources, is unlimited.

Is the Coronavirus pandemic nature’s way of correcting our exploitation of the World?

               Is the Coronavirus pandemic a lesson to humans about the value of Life?

               Is the Coronavirus pandemic here to give mankind a taste of its own Medicine?

Whatever the reasons, we need to sit up, learn and rectify our ways.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe this is going to happen in this lifetime!  As I said, our capacity to harm others gets in the way of all the good that we, as a human “community”, can potentially do for each other.

In spite of this global pandemic, which continues to rise, these last four months have shown that we continue with strife, war and conflict; instead of banding together as one community regardless of nationality, creed, caste, religion, colour, gender to solve this threat.

In spite of this global pandemic, most countries continue to approach this threat with internal strife, no unified policy and no cohesiveness.

In spite of this global pandemic, politics and “big” business still comes in the way of human life and morals.

Few countries, like New Zealand, seem to have overcome these obstacles & been successful …

For others, is “Thanos’ Snap” imminent?

(Photo credit- https://images.app.goo.gl/92txtDavR37rkGtW6)

WHERE ARE WE HEADING

March 26, 2020

(source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts)

Insurgencies, ethnic violence, civil wars, conflicts and over 200,000 deaths in 2019 alone!

• Afghanistan conflict
• Yemen crisis
• Syrian civil war
• Kurd conflict
• Iraq conflict
• Libyan conflict
• Kashmir conflict
• Palestinian conflict

(source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts)

This list doesn’t even touch on intra-country “insurgencies”!

…and now a virus pandemic…

My personal belief is that with the current Coronavirus trajectory, COVID19 has the potential to overshadow all these world conflicts & flashpoints with fatalities.

So, what’s going on? 

• Is “nature” correcting this Century’s rife?
• Is this a wake-up call to live within the resources that Earth has given us – not to destroy it?
• Maybe this is meant to teach us forgiveness & humility towards fellow man – not hubris & greed?
• Should we encourage education & knowledge for the betterment of mankind – not child labor?
• If science is to lead the path for a better tomorrow, wouldn’t it be better to do it collaboratively and collectively – rather than conflict & strife?
• Wasn’t religion meant for our salvation & give a purpose to life – not as a means to power?
• Maybe the world needs to concentrate on “small government” to help citizens – not big business?  (also refer- https://dinshawavari.com/2019/06/14/what-does-a-government-do-for-us-%f0%9f%a4%94/)

• Is this pandemic a test to measure the level of universal aid & collaboration – or politics getting the better of humanity?

…OR, maybe the answer is ALL OF THE ABOVE???