Our Place In The World

I found this in the Bethesda Gazette (my hometown paper) and in one of the columns reproduced the following from an e-mail called the "Miniature Earth" that is going around. I thought it was very interesting, and even enlightening, so I'm reproducing here as well:

If we could turn the population of the earth into a small community of 100 people, keeping the same proportions we have today, it would be something like this:

*61 Asians

*12 Europeans

*14 Americans (from North and South America)

*13 Africans

*50 women

*50 men

*33 are Christian (Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox)

*18 are Muslims

*16 are Hindus

*16 are non-religious

*6 are Buddhists

*11 practice other religions

*41 live without basic sanitation

*16 live without an improved water source

*6 people own 59 percent of the entire wealth of the community

*13 are hungry or malnourished

*14 can’t read

*7 are educated at a secondary level

*8 have a computer

*4 have an Internet connection

*If you keep your food in a refrigerator

And your clothes in a closet

If you have a roof over your head

And have a bed to sleep in,

You are richer than 75 percent of the population.

*If you have a bank account,

You are one of the 30 wealthiest people.

*25 struggle to live on U.S. $ 1 per day or less.

*47 struggle to live on U.S. $ 2 per day or less.”

The final two lines of the piece simply state:

‘‘Appreciate what you have And do your best for a better world.”

Wow. Enlightening was a good word for that. Very good.

This is a favorite tactic of the social justice wing of the church. It always makes me feel guilty. Then I blame the martians and it goes away.

I don't feel guilty, just very grateful for what I do have. One should only feel guilty if they're not doing something in their lives to help other people.

It is enlightening -- and it does make you wonder. It also makes me want to help out in my community more. Oh! If only I had more bodies!

Yeah, it does make you feel I'm-gonna-go-singlehandedly-save-the-starving-children-in-Sudan-ish. *grabs soup can and runs ...er...west, I do think*

Whoa. I am grateful for what I have, but I also want to help. But... I have to wait until I am older because my mum and dad wont let me. I'm sad now.

Oh, you can definitely help!

But you don't have to go out to different parts of the world. You can start in the community.

One of the simplest things you can do for your community is pick up litter. This means you get to deal with cans, which might bring you some spare change while beautifying the community. It's pretty good, and by being active you might inspire others to be cleaner.

Visit the elderly. They're lonely and may want someone to talk to. Listen to them -- some of the greatest ideas I've gotten have come from working with older people.

Tutor! Everyone here is somewhat of a critic, and if you're particularly helpful in explaining things, you can be invaluable to those who need it.

Be involved with your church or the scouts. These programs will give you plenty of community service.

There's so many things you can volunteer at. Just because you're not an adult doesn't mean you can't make a difference.

Snoink wrote:Visit the elderly. They're lonely and may want someone to talk to. Listen to them -- some of the greatest ideas I've gotten have come from working with older people.

Oh that is a good idea. I live right next to an old people's home. Maybe I could go visit them. I have helped some when i was younger, like help and old woman with her shopping and getting out the car, because of her legs. That felt good.

Thanks. *feels happy*