5d ago

Pretty interesting when you really think about it.

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I think about this a few times a year and I become sad each time. We only get this one planet in the whole ass universe. And we can barely see all of it, unless we're lucky and/or rich (at least moreso than most of humankind).
It's profoundly ridiculous.
- I was flying to south East Asia, looking at the digital map of the plane. From above, you can kinda see the country lines.
  What made me feel that incredible sadness is that within a 1000 mile radius, a child born might live in a world where they struggle with starvation and have worms in their stomach, or wake up each day with anime and toys. Some countries have so much wealth and resources. Where others barely have anything. I think about all of that as I fly to my vacation destination, having been incredibly lucky to have been born in a pretty wealthy country.
  One could argue that you can be poor/abused anywhere. But there's a clear difference in quality of life here.
  
  One could argue that you can be poor/abused anywhere. But there's a clear difference in quality of life here.
  Very true. You've captured my exact sentiment here.
  And also, the very fact that you can be poor even in rich countries is an even greater failure of the system. Nobody in a "rich" country should be impoverished. There are plenty of resources there to take care of everyone as long as we all work together. But the system rewards only those who work for themselves.
  
  Hell, no one in the world would need to work more than 10hr a week if it was our goal and we just decided to equitably and efficiently share resources.
  
  That would be pretty sweet if accurate. Just satisfy the bare necessities and be free the rest of the time. Exploring other topics, for fun and benefit.
  
  If we can supply this many people with the basics necessary for survival and work under our current extractive systems, and these systems concentrate resources in the wealthy few, then we clearly have enough to raise the standard of living worldwide. All the while reducing individual labor requirements,
- Mobility is better now than it has ever been, so don't get too sad about that.
  
  But only for the rich. If you don't have money, you can't ~~escape~~ leave your country. Barely even travel in your own country. Society has broken our nomadic heritage. We did it to ourselves eons ago when we started cultivation of the land, but with the modern borders and stuff, it's just been made so much harder.
  
  Cool, just down vote instead of having a conversation...
  
  You're totally right about this. I find it frustrating in a different way that the ability to travel is easier and possible, which hasn't been the case for the majority of humanity, but (generally) artificial restrictions prevent it from happening.
  I'm from Canada and my partner was born in Europe. When I hear how easily she was able to travel by train and plane, it makes me sad that we don't have a similar system. Even airfare is significantly cheaper there because trains are a worthy competitor.
  A friend of mine who has relatives in China has talked about how people my age (university age) have been using the new train system to see so much of their country than they otherwise would be able to.
  I hope that eventually there will be a similar transit system in Canada that allows poor people to see the country they live in. And I understand that by even living in Canada I don't really count amongst the global impoverished population. I understand the privilege.

162 comments