2008 Woodie Awards
All You Have to Do is Care
Juan Bernal
Issue date: 9/18/06 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 1
In this world of iPods, Plasma TVs, internet, hybrid cars and cellular phones, sometimes you start to think that everyone is privileged with this kind of stuff, but that is far from the truth. However, for roughly three weeks to a month every year, I get a taste of what that kind of life is like in the Dominican Republic which is a third world country. The chance for me to visit such a place is gratifying because you get to see how good we have it here in the U.S.
The "third world" is a term that many refer to in a derogatory way. French statesman Emmanuel Sieyès described it as the "third estate that is scorned, ignored and wants to become something of itself." Later, French demographer Alfred Sauvy used the term "tiers monde" to refer to Sieyès term.
However, those "developing" countries have problems that many people here take for granted. For example, the social structures in most third world countries are in shambles. Most of the money is held by the economic elite, while the rest of the country meddles in unimaginable poverty.
In order to attack this problem there are agencies that raise money in the United States to help people in the third world attack the problem of unemployment and underemployment. One of the prime problems in Latin America is that once you are born in poverty, it makes it increasingly difficult to get out, no matter how hard you work. Many kids with potential to do well in school or sports are often forced to drop out of school so that they can get a low end job shining shoes so that there families can pay rent.
While many of the jobs that these kids are exposed to are on the streets, they often adopt the malicious habits of these streets. Many will find prostitutes, a profession in which many young girls are forced into to help their families make money.
In the year 2000, it was estimated that 11 million babies under the age of five died in third world countries each year. Part of the reason this happens is because many of these people are chronically undernourished. It is estimated that 790 million people reside in the developing world and 1.7 of these 11 million babies will die because their countries governments did not do enough to fight poverty in their countries.
Instead, these countries are more concerned with paying debts that are virtually unpayable. The stem of the problems in these countries is that their own governments don't care and no matter how many organizations are founded or how much foreign aid is given to these countries, there is nothing that anyone can do if these countries' governments don't care.
In this age of capitalism, where everyone is out to make a good living for themselves, the statistics indicate that people tend to be more selfish than ever as well. When 0.13% of the world controls 25% of its assets and when Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Paul Allen are worth more than the GDP of the poorest 48 countries in the World, it's just a telling tale that the Third World has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the World.
The first step to doing that is to reach out to the government, but they don't care.
The "third world" is a term that many refer to in a derogatory way. French statesman Emmanuel Sieyès described it as the "third estate that is scorned, ignored and wants to become something of itself." Later, French demographer Alfred Sauvy used the term "tiers monde" to refer to Sieyès term.
However, those "developing" countries have problems that many people here take for granted. For example, the social structures in most third world countries are in shambles. Most of the money is held by the economic elite, while the rest of the country meddles in unimaginable poverty.
In order to attack this problem there are agencies that raise money in the United States to help people in the third world attack the problem of unemployment and underemployment. One of the prime problems in Latin America is that once you are born in poverty, it makes it increasingly difficult to get out, no matter how hard you work. Many kids with potential to do well in school or sports are often forced to drop out of school so that they can get a low end job shining shoes so that there families can pay rent.
While many of the jobs that these kids are exposed to are on the streets, they often adopt the malicious habits of these streets. Many will find prostitutes, a profession in which many young girls are forced into to help their families make money.
In the year 2000, it was estimated that 11 million babies under the age of five died in third world countries each year. Part of the reason this happens is because many of these people are chronically undernourished. It is estimated that 790 million people reside in the developing world and 1.7 of these 11 million babies will die because their countries governments did not do enough to fight poverty in their countries.
Instead, these countries are more concerned with paying debts that are virtually unpayable. The stem of the problems in these countries is that their own governments don't care and no matter how many organizations are founded or how much foreign aid is given to these countries, there is nothing that anyone can do if these countries' governments don't care.
In this age of capitalism, where everyone is out to make a good living for themselves, the statistics indicate that people tend to be more selfish than ever as well. When 0.13% of the world controls 25% of its assets and when Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Paul Allen are worth more than the GDP of the poorest 48 countries in the World, it's just a telling tale that the Third World has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the World.
The first step to doing that is to reach out to the government, but they don't care.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
CellphoneSavant
posted 9/18/06 @ 10:53 PM EST
Really great article. I look forward to your future work.
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