i just want to say that i have met sufis in iran, hindus in india, buddhist in nepal, poor they may be but they are extraordinarily happy, and yet here despite all our wealth i have never seen more discontent, disatisfactoriness and unhappiness
will there be a point where this affects us as a whole? will we be able to recover if the population growth turns out to have adverse effects on our environment? its sad that you have idiots that command a finite amount of money, something satisfactory to their own needs, that shut out the rest of the world feeling lucky they have it. money and religion are the most powerful detaching factors on humans. do we hold our past in such high regard that we would sacrifice our future? i dont deny that money makes things easier for me but depending on what i do to obtain this money is the type of damage i do on our future. madoff is an example somewhat, not a perfect example, but a recent and simplified example.
this is defnitely part of my point, money has been mostly a manipulative tool on humans, there has to be some point where an intelligent being would know this. to have some money, to be left alone with what was given to you, equates to short term happiness? when the truth of it is realized by an individual you will see the dissatisfaction, unhappiness and the discontentment personafied. to embrace rule by money is to sacrifice the future.
Have you traveled beyound your county border? Why don't you enlighten us why inner cities look like Haiti? ( or liberia or angola ... ) And it should be apparent to any thinking person that God does not give two shits about you or anyone else.
Why are living standards in the western world still far ahead of emerging countries? Answer: Because a certain group of western europeans founded "the western world", and they have two ablities that serve them well to this day. Innovate, and organize.
The Western Civilization is the foundation of our collective progress. Yes there have been other centers throughout the world, but it is clear that where we as humanity are today is because of western culture: its ability to adopt, invent, and improve. India and China are able to produce and develop because 150 years ago there was an Industrial Revolution in Europe and it s going to be a long time (if ever) before the roles reverse. Let's not confuse skillful thievery and illegal copying of western technologies which combined with ultra low and super obedient and plentiful work force produce the so called miracle of China and India. I would love to see them compete with Western countries with western wages and benefits provided for their employees. BTW I think many developing countries should stop boasting about their economic prowess and start with the basic things like keeping their toilets operational and clean. I have yet to visit a toilet in Germany for example where the place would look dirty, smelly with excrement all over the place, stench and total lack of basic hygiene present. sadly, the same cannot be said about most developing countries.
I feel no hate towards people from third world countries. Having said that I am tired of hearing certain groups tirades about how their country is this or that and will soon be much better than US or Western Europe. This kind of chest puffing occurs regularly in the US where most natives do not venture much outside their continent. If they did, a picture of misery, poverty and utter lack of cleanliness would engulf them withing 30 seconds of leaving the hotel. I still vividly remember the "coffee cups" some Asians in our department would keep for their bathroom ass cleaning and I am sure I am not the only one who LOL when the gov. of Peking would try to teach the natives not to spit all over the place before the Olympics. Too bad the message was not introduced by the city officials in NYC. There is nothing like loud Chinese talking, gesticulating and spiting nice thick green to yellow mucus from time to time while riding a subway. Must be that 4000 years of development and "culture" they always mention.