It's horrible and heart breaking, Sean. We have left that child alone.
The vulture can't help it. It needs food too.
I don't know what the journalist has done. At least he/she shot the picture. And made this known to us.
Enjoy the cookies Sean. The child needs other things. And many other children do. Isn't it a luxury to be ashamed?
The birth of Christ has never appealed to me. Being a third generation atheist, that wont help genetically speaking. But the lengthening of the days in the Northern hemisphere gives us new energy and creativity. And i just hope energy and creativity will revive in the lands where hunger is a lethal (and often political) weapon. For only in co-operation we can do something and try and make a difference.
That child needs us. But in the first place it needs its mother, its family, its country. Otherwise we may save its life only for it to starve again. And how can we prevent that?
When we venture out of our warm little circle, this is the ugly reality of the world we live in. Africa is not that far away. It's on the planet Earth. And hunger is not just in Africa.
As Bertus suggests, instant solution (giving food to one child) is no good. Actually giving food to everybody is no good. If I understand Bertus well, what is needed is making it possible for a continent, a country, a family, to grow its own food.
It would require altruistic sharing of knowledge and of technology from prosperous nations with poor nations. Also public denonciations of profiteers biotech companies like Monsanto. Below this photo, the labels send us to your very informative posts on food monopoly, Sean. When I first read them, I could hardly believe the cold facts you presented.
It's everyday that we should look at the face of hunger. Then maybe (repeating my previous comment)we'll be angry enough to raise our voices, and demand that our leaders do something positive about it.
But the key is tackling the corrupt and dysfunctional "governments" that are in place. Africa actually has everything it needs to be a thriving continent. It could be a wonderful place, but what happened in Zimbabwe shows how one perverted regime can turn relative prosperity into catastrophe. We have no mechanism for tackling this problem, because we do not function collectively as a species in any efficient way at all, and until we do the problem will not only remain, but get worse. But then people throw their hands up in the air and scream "One world government! It was in the prophecies. It is the work of the Devil!" We are, I fear, doomed to live in a substantially dreadful world until reason and fairness can triumph over tribalism and superstition in substantialy more minds.
Bertus, this very picture is amongst those which often appear on on my inner screen; and it's part of an article I have not written, yet. I've been pondering about your question Isn't it a luxury to be ashamed).
Is it but my poor English, or am I right when thinking to find several questions within this question?
One of many possible attempts to answers it / them: Often I do feel ashamed of that I do almost nothing to change anything for better. Words, words, words, while enjoying cookies. Sometimes I am sick of myself. Where are my deeds?
If only I had an idea - the idea! Maybe, I am a vulture, well-fed with cookies so that I can afford not to (hungrily) wait for a child dying from starvation.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts, Bertus.
Claudia, allow me to focus but on your second paragraph: Quite!
Andrew, echoing Nevin: You said it well.
So true: We have no mechanism for tackling this problem, because we do not function collectively as a species in any efficient way at all, and until we do the problem will not only remain, but get worse.
Thanks a lot for putting into one sentence what I'd probably were not able to put into fifty.
CherryPie, thank you for your understanding. Unfortunately it is timely 365 days a year, and 366 in leap year.
Don't feel sick of yourself Sean. Being able to feeling ashamed in itself gives you the ability to know why you feel ashamed and others don't. In the mean time i trust you'll do your best anyway. We shouldn't feel victimized by bad moral standards.
Ah, Bertus, feeling sick of myself sounds harsh, but I am sure you know what I mean. A state of helplessness? Who would know better than yourself. May I ask what let you decide tw quit working in human rights business? Did you choose writing the term 'business' on purpose? :)
It is a business because i earned a good living from it, untill the day before yesterday that is.
There are two reasons. A positive one: I want to be back in the arts. A less positive one: i'm not dissatisfied but it has worn me out.
So the situation is now that i am looking for a less commanding job to earn my money with and in the mean time building up my own work and may be find a niche to create my own job.
In the mean time human rights, and especially refugees - whom i have been working for - will of course never be far from my mind. But i have done my job there.
Bertus, thanks, both for telling and for your patience. :) I think I do understand you(r decision) very well. Doing what you did up til now was certainly more than just a job. Caring, often even fighting for 'other' people (and their trust and thankfulness) does certainly give a kind of inner power, and surely sometimes, more or less often one does live moments of happiness, but ... well, as said, I think I do understand you very well. Good luck, my friend. Lots of inspiration, discipline, success and (inner) serenity. Please keep me / us informed.
Buon Natale, caro signor Sean. x
ReplyDeleteIt's horrible and heart breaking, Sean. We have left that child alone.
ReplyDeleteThe vulture can't help it. It needs food too.
I don't know what the journalist has done. At least he/she shot the picture. And made this known to us.
Enjoy the cookies Sean. The child needs other things. And many other children do. Isn't it a luxury to be ashamed?
The birth of Christ has never appealed to me. Being a third generation atheist, that wont help genetically speaking. But the lengthening of the days in the Northern hemisphere gives us new energy and creativity. And i just hope energy and creativity will revive in the lands where hunger is a lethal (and often political) weapon. For only in co-operation we can do something and try and make a difference.
That child needs us. But in the first place it needs its mother, its family, its country. Otherwise we may save its life only for it to starve again. And how can we prevent that?
By the way, that vulture needs protection too...
Bertus
Well that cuts through all the crap.
ReplyDeleteWhen we venture out of our warm little circle, this is the ugly reality of the world we live in.
ReplyDeleteAfrica is not that far away. It's on the planet Earth. And hunger is not just in Africa.
As Bertus suggests, instant solution (giving food to one child) is no good. Actually giving food to everybody is no good. If I understand Bertus well, what is needed is making it possible for a continent, a country, a family, to grow its own food.
It would require altruistic sharing of knowledge and of technology from prosperous nations with poor nations. Also public denonciations of profiteers biotech companies like Monsanto. Below this photo, the labels send us to your very informative posts on food monopoly, Sean. When I first read them, I could hardly believe the cold facts you presented.
It's everyday that we should look at the face of hunger. Then maybe (repeating my previous comment)we'll be angry enough to raise our voices, and demand that our leaders do something positive about it.
Thank you for this post, Sean.
But the key is tackling the corrupt and dysfunctional "governments" that are in place. Africa actually has everything it needs to be a thriving continent. It could be a wonderful place, but what happened in Zimbabwe shows how one perverted regime can turn relative prosperity into catastrophe. We have no mechanism for tackling this problem, because we do not function collectively as a species in any efficient way at all, and until we do the problem will not only remain, but get worse. But then people throw their hands up in the air and scream "One world government! It was in the prophecies. It is the work of the Devil!" We are, I fear, doomed to live in a substantially dreadful world until reason and fairness can triumph over tribalism and superstition in substantialy more minds.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Scott: You said it well.... :(
ReplyDeleteA timely reminder.
ReplyDeleteGrazie a te, signora Limoncello. :)
ReplyDeleteBertus,
this very picture is amongst those which often appear on on my inner screen; and it's part of an article I have not written, yet.
I've been pondering about your question
Isn't it a luxury to be ashamed).
Is it but my poor English, or am I right when thinking to find several questions within this question?
One of many possible attempts to answers it / them: Often I do feel ashamed of that I do almost nothing to change anything for better. Words, words, words, while enjoying cookies.
Sometimes I am sick of myself. Where are my deeds?
If only I had an idea - the idea!
Maybe, I am a vulture, well-fed with cookies so that I can afford not to (hungrily) wait for a child dying from starvation.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts, Bertus.
Claudia,
allow me to focus but on your second paragraph: Quite!
Andrew,
echoing Nevin: You said it well.
So true: We have no mechanism for tackling this problem, because we do not function collectively as a species in any efficient way at all, and until we do the problem will not only remain, but get worse.
Thanks a lot for putting into one sentence what I'd probably were not able to put into fifty.
CherryPie,
thank you for your understanding.
Unfortunately it is timely 365 days a year, and 366 in leap year.
Don't feel sick of yourself Sean. Being able to feeling ashamed in itself gives you the ability to know why you feel ashamed and others don't. In the mean time i trust you'll do your best anyway. We shouldn't feel victimized by bad moral standards.
ReplyDeleteBertus
Ah, Bertus,
ReplyDeletefeeling sick of myself sounds harsh, but I am sure you know what I mean. A state of helplessness?
Who would know better than yourself. May I ask what let you decide tw quit working in human rights business? Did you choose writing the term 'business' on purpose? :)
It is a business because i earned a good living from it, untill the day before yesterday that is.
ReplyDeleteThere are two reasons.
A positive one: I want to be back in the arts.
A less positive one: i'm not dissatisfied but it has worn me out.
So the situation is now that i am looking for a less commanding job to earn my money with and in the mean time building up my own work and may be find a niche to create my own job.
In the mean time human rights, and especially refugees - whom i have been working for - will of course never be far from my mind. But i have done my job there.
Bertus
Bertus,
ReplyDeletethanks, both for telling and for your patience. :)
I think I do understand you(r decision) very well. Doing what you did up til now was certainly more than just a job. Caring, often even fighting for 'other' people (and their trust and thankfulness) does certainly give a kind of inner power, and surely sometimes, more or less often one does live moments of happiness, but ... well, as said, I think I do understand you very well.
Good luck, my friend. Lots of inspiration, discipline, success and (inner) serenity.
Please keep me / us informed.