“The human race is an unfair and stupid competition. A lot of the runners don’t even get decent sneakers or clean drinking water. Some people are born with a massive head start, every possible help along the way and still the referees seem to be on their side. It’s not surprising some people have given up competing altogether and gone to sit in the grandstand, eat junk food and shout abuse.
What we need in this race is a lot more streakers.”
- Banksy in Cut it Out
“I’m sorry. I dont want to be an emperor.That’s not my business. I dont want to rule or conquer anyone. I shall like to help everyone if possible. Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there’s room for everyone and the good Earth is rich. And can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful but we have lost the way.
Greed has poison men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives us abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind.
We think too much and feel too little.
More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men. Cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all.
Even now, my voice is reaching millions throughout the world. Millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.
To those who can hear me, I say, do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed. The bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will past and dictators die. And the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
Soldiers, don’t give yourselves to brutes. Men who despise you and slave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do what to think and what to feel. Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men with machine minds and with machine hearts. You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have a love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate, only the unloved hate. The unloved and the unnatural.
Soldiers, don’t fight for slavery. Fight for liberty. In the 17th chapter of St.Lucas it is written, the kingdom of God is within men, not in one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you. You the people have the power. The power to create machines. The power to create happiness. You, the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful. To make this life a wonderful adventure. Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world. That will give men a chance, to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie. They do not fulfill, their promise, they never will.
Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people.
Now let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world.
To do away with national barriers. To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance.
Let us fight for a world with reason.
A world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.
Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!”
- Charlie Chaplin in his film “The Great Dictator” / “Look up Hannah”
Saudi Arabia’s legal system is based on highly sadistic, crude and tyrannical ideas. To help them mask their atrocities, they claim that their legal system is merely their own interpretation of the Sharia. This mask in turn, makes two things possible. First, tyranny reigns freely without serious criticism by those who can, if not deluded, effectively put an end to all of this. Second, Islam gets attacked by people who rightly see the tyranny that persists in the country.
Let us consider the case of a rape victim who may possibly be given 100 lashes (In 2007, a female rape victim was given 200 lashes). Now, it may at first seem absurd that a rape victim is being handed out a punishment. Well, because it actually is absurd. No. it is wrong. Plain wrong and anyone who says otherwise…..
And it is because of this – the legal system in Saudi Arabia, that some people have just given up on the law institution in the country altogether. This include rape victims. I mean, why would anyone file for a criminal charge against their rapist if all they are going to end up with is a 100 lashes on the body, and a jail sentence too?
So what happens therefore, is that rape cases are simply just not being reported. This in turn, keeps the official statistics of rape counts, low. This then gives out to people in other countries, especially Muslims, the impression that the sharia as per the Saudi’s interpretation – which entails subjugating women – is indeed a good thing as evident from the low crime rates. But alas, all these may just be mere illusions.
John Perkins has written three books that revolve around the ideas of corporatocracy: “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”, “The Secret of the American Empire” and his latest, “Hoodwinked.” If you ever have the opportunity to read any of these, I highly recommend that you do, at least the first two cause I haven’t read his third book yet. Nonetheless, John’s an excellent writer and he’ll keep you engaged throughout the pages but most importantly, you’ll end up being enlightened (and astonished) on how the world works.
The world is full of problems: poverty, wars, diseases, global warming and traffic jams just to name a few. In our pursuit for a Utopia, we are always looking for ways to solve them all. But this it seems, is just impossible. And so we would resolve to at least make the world a better place, by reducing the number of problems that currently plague us all. But which problems do we need to seriously look at and try to solve if not minimize? Lomborg argues that by using economic calculations and analysis, it is actually possible for us to identify the problems that need to be given priorities.
In his book How to Spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place, he admitted at the outset, that ranking of problems based on its severity is indeed “unpleasant.” Nonetheless, he argues that it is necessary, so that money may be spent effectively, improving the most number of human lives and not spent on a problem that is merely popular. He argues that one such popular problem is climate change.
He argues that the threat of climate change is actually minimal and affects only a few. This problem has thus been given too much of our attention and energy (no pun intended) and he seems to suggest that this is injustice to the many people who are facing other immediate and high-impact problems. He argues instead, that the problems that need to be solved first are HIV/AIDS, Malnutrition and hunger and Trade liberalization, in that order. The list goes beyond these three and throughout the book, Lomborg makes a cost and benefit analysis of solving each of these problems. Now herein lies Lomborg’s flawed arguments.
Lomborg’s main flaw is in his assumption that each problem may be isolated and analyzed individually. This however, is not the case. The world’s problems are complexly interconnected with one another and they all occur within specific cultural and ideological frameworks. For example, the problem of depleted water sources in India by Coca Cola shows how flawed policies give rise to environmental injustice and exacerbate poverty. We cannot just therefore attempt to solve the problem by merely giving new water sources to these population. The problem of AIDS too, cannot be isolated on its own. Significantly, it is linked with political concerns regardless whether the solution is either treatment or prevention. The former concerns patent rights of medicine and healthcare technologies. Only the rich would end up being able to afford effective treatment where the prices are set by pharmaceutical corporations. The latter is of political concerns – not all political actors are willing to endorse the free distribution of condoms because such endorsement would also mean the endorsement of casual sex. And this could tarnish their political image. There might also be movements against such free distribution of condoms by religious groups as well, especially in countries where its population are highly religious.
On another note, we only need to look at the wars going on in the Gulf region. Here we can see how political, economical, environmental and health issues are all part of one huge mess. The depleted Uranium being used by American military, for example, have toxicated the environment and there is just no way of detoxicating the region. This inevitably leads to polluted natural resources, birth defects and adverse health conditions not just for existing generation, but also the future. Isolating health issues on its own by just providing healthcare infrastructures are just not enough. They have to go together with solutions that addresses environmental problems (e.g polluted agricultural land and water sources) as well as poverty issues.
On another point, the problems listed by Lomborg are problems that concern only the human population. He did however listed climate change, albeit the last (and least significant) on his list of problems. But he has failed to see that climate change affects not just the human population, but the entire world’s ecosystem. Plants and animals all included. And he has not in fact, factored these non-human beings into his arguments. Sure, we all want to make the world a better place. But for who? For ourselves alone? This is simply human-centric and such mentality is what have caused this world to be in the mess it is in right now.
In sum, Lomborg have failed to realize that problems do not occur in isolation. Some of these problems are connected with one another and that political and cultural factors play a huge factor. I would think that Lomborg’s failure to understand this complexity is from his lack of understanding on why the various problems exist in the first place. In any case, I have to say that I am not arguing against solving problems individually or locally. In fact that is what we should do – to act locally and also to think globally, so that we may understand how global forces have given rise to cultural and political specific problems. It is only then can we come up with effective solutions that are not merely of temporary good. Merely pumping money into a problem will not make it go away.
To Lomborg’s credit, his ideas and arguments are based on the noble idea of making the world a better place by solving the most dire problems first. The world however, is not the sum of its parts.
Here’s a short documentary that showcase some of the shit that Indonesian domestic workers face in Singapore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6kqvZx1Bzw
One may argue that not all domestic workers go through shit. But this is highly arguable. Domestic workers spend most of their time indoors and as such, however they work and live remains hidden from public knowledge. There is also a lack of research conducted on the working and living conditions of domestic workers. I am not arguing that most domestic workers are indeed being abused. I hope not and would like to think this is not the case (because I like to believe that most Singaporeans are not douchebags). I am just saying that we do not know.
George Soros gave a lecture on Open Society at Central Europian University.
Watch Video Lecture
Read Transcript
I am currently taking a subject called Sociology of Emotions. And to date, this has been the most riveting subject I have taken yet. It grabs me by my collar and shakes me up. It tells me I am a human. It tells me that as a human, I am in my very nature, emotional. Whether we like it or not, whether we suppress our emotions or deny it, it is what makes us humans. And this is one of the things that makes this subject so special. Because it accepts the fact that there is such a thing as human nature, unlike most other sociological enquiries that starts from the point of “there is no human nature.” It also does not deny the possibility of things such as souls and a multiple self and that these are important elements of our emotions.
For those of us who are not sociologically trained, then you may wonder what exactly is so special about saying there is human nature? Well, besides this standpoint, sociology of emotions being a sociological enquiry, also tells you that social and cultural factors play an important role in shaping how you feel towards certain objects, towards certain people, towards certain events.
Sociology of emotions also tells you that not everyone values the same emotions equally. Anger is natural. But whether or not we see the value of anger depends on what our culture has to say about it. This subject also tells you that emotions in today’s world are being bought and sold. Happiness is bought. Bought by airline companies. And in this highly corporatised world, this is all that emotions is good for – profit. Hate this very idea?
Then come let’s get emotional. Get angry, get happy. Cry and laugh. Appreciate all the emotions that are innate in us! But as with all other matters, please, do not overdo it. Moderation is key.
“Do not allow public issues as they are officially formulated, or troubles as they are privately felt, to determine the problems that you take up for study. Above all, do not give up your moral and political autonomy by accepting in somebody else’s terms the illiberal practicality of the bureaucratic ethose or the liberal parcticality of the moral scatter. Know that many personal troubles cannot be solved merely as troubles, but must be understood in terms of public issues – and in terms of the problems of history-making. Know that the human meaning of public issues must be revealed by relating them to personal troubles – and to the problems of the individual life. Know that the problems of social science, when adequately forumulated, must include both troubles and issues, both biography and history, and the range of their intricate relations. Within that range the life of the individual and the making of societies occur; and within that range the sociological imagination has its chance to make a difference in the quality of human life in our time.”
- C. Wright Mills
extracted from: The Sociological Imagination
May I not be among the silent if I were to witness an oppression taking place!
Bill Gates talking about two things that are close to me personally – Malaria and Teachers.
Great presentation.
This above is a teaser for a 20min video. Titled, “The Story of Stuff,” the video looks at production and consumption patterns. It exposes “the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world.”
For the full video, visit: http://www.storyofstuff.com/
A teenager in Florida committed suicide by taking an overdose of anti-depressent pills. He did so in front of live viewers as he broadcast himself over the internet via a webcam. Some viewers commented things like, “Go ahead and do it” and “Oh, that’s not enough to kill you.”
It seems that viewers did not think the suicide attempt was real, that it was simply a joke. But as hours went by, some realized that this was for real. The police was eventually called in and the boy was found dead when his room was busted in.
This news reminded me of the film “Untraceable.” In this film, a murderer kidnaps people and puts them under an intricate “murder machine” that is hooked up to a webcam and the set is broadcast live to a website on the internet. The more visitors to the website, the faster the victim dies. The depressing part is that overtime, the popularity of the website grew, arguably due to the Police warning the public not to go the website.
Even though Untraceable is just another Hollywood movie, the basic idea of being entertained by watching other get hurt is a reflection of our modern society. The YouTube for example, has countless videos of “funny accidents.” And this to me only shows how we have become so alienated from one another that we no longer care.
Back to the teenager who committed suicide, the father argued, “You don’t assume. You have to find out if it was true or false.”
Hitting harder with soft-sell ad;
Subtlety, realism characterise the new MCYS ad
BY: Clarissa Oon
A HEADSTRONG teenage girl tussles with her patient single father before realising that he means well in the latest pro-family television commercial put out by the Government.
There are no slogans, just the word ‘family’ at the end of this commercial shot by critically acclaimed Malaysian film-maker Yasmin Ahmad.
What happened to the beaming two-parent families and winsome little tykes that laughed and frolicked their way through previous commercials produced by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS)?
Singaporeans nowadays have less appetite for such overt messages, much less the didactic ‘Girl or boy, two is enough’ slogans of the 1970s family-planning advertisements, said a veteran of such campaigns.
‘People are more sophisticated now through travel and the Internet and we thought we could take a leaf from how film-makers use storytelling to engage audiences,’ said Mr Richard Tan, the ministry’s director of communications and international relations.
So is the Government’s new tack – a more reality- based soft-sell of the importance of family – working?
Going by responses on the Internet and interviews done by Insight Special, it would seem to be. Many found the commercial moving and not overly cloying.
Finance industry professional Daryl Wong, 33, said: ‘I thought it was pretty sweet. The message seems to be that one does not have to provide the best materially to one’s kids to have fulfilling family relationships – all that matters is love.’
Housewife Clara Kan, 30, found it ‘a good reaction to how many families are structured today’.
‘No more cookie-cutter, perfect family shots with 2.5 children and a dog,’ she said.
However, she added: ‘But I’d love it if they did one with a single mother. That’d be a real turning point.’
It was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who suggested that the MCYS commission Ms Yasmin to produce a commercial. She won international awards not just for films such as Sepet (2004), but also for her ongoing series of television commercials for Malaysian oil company Petronas.
‘Yasmin has pioneered the use of storytelling to communicate social issues in advertising. The PM saw her Petronas ads and found them very powerful,’ said Mr Tan.
For example, a Chinese New Year commercial she did for the company shows a young boy unable to produce a drawing of his family reunion dinner during art class.
The viewer later discovers he is an orphan. The ad ends with a simple exhortation: ‘Please go home for reunion dinner if you can.’
Ms Yasmin agreed to work with MCYS on the condition that they gave her complete creative control. It is the ministry’s first time working with an independent film-maker.
Mr Tan admitted that her idea of portraying a widowed single father and his daughter caused them some uneasiness: ‘Normally, the politically correct way of communicating a family is two parents and with grandparents around. But I thought to myself: This is not Yasmin’s style.’
It was his boss, Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who gave it the go-ahead.
‘He said that if we have to communicate using a slice of life that we don’t normally talk about, we should be brave about it,’ said Mr Tan.
The commercial, which began airing on television on June 21, ended its run earlier this week. It will have a second run in the cinemas later this month.
The MCYS is also planning a second collaboration with Ms Yasmin to produce more family-themed commercials.
clare@sph.com.sg
OOO yeh! Matt is at it again! Truly inspirational!
Matt’s official website: http://www.wherethehellismatt.com
Matchmaking is a rather common practice in the past – at least among Singapore Muslims. And it certainly is not the same as modern day matchmaking.
In the past, parents choose a husband or a wife for their children when they think it’s about time their kids get married. Once a potential partner is found, the two male and female simply either agree or disagree. There’s hardly any ‘trial’ sessions – (read: no dating sessions).
Today however, matchmaking is popularly done by commercial organizations. And I find this amusing because we actually have to pay to be matchmaked even though there is the hgh possibility of being mismatched. Another diffrence between traditional matchmaking (by parents) and modern matchmaking (paid services) is that the candidates get to spend time with each other for as long as they like. Heck, they can go on being ‘potential life partners’ for decades without actually getting married for real.
In any case, it seems to me that most people today are reluctant to be matchmaked by their parents. And I think the main reason for this is ego. Yes, it’s plain and simple, people simply do not want their parents to matchmake because they they want to find their life partner on their own. This stems out from the mentality that if a person has to be matchmaked, then that person is probably a loser that no one wants to fall in love with. Definitely not good for the self-esteem (many would probably disagree with me – well, who wants to admit they are egoistic anyway?).
Being egoistic is actually not problematic for most people, but it certainly is problematic for practicing Muslims. The problem starts when (practicing) Muslim Singaporeans adhere to the strict Islamic conduct of “dating is impermissible.” When they restrict themselves to such a conduct while at the same time refuse to be matchmaked, they have effectively closed all avenues to find themselves a life partner. And when this happens, they get sort of mildly frustrated and annoyed. They want to get married because marriage is a highly encouraged act – a Sunnah. However, they seem they cannot do this for reasons that are not apparent to them.
In contrast to Muslim Singaporeans, I have come to know two Muslim men from South Asia, in their early 30′s, who are waiting for their marriage day. Their wife to be? Their mothers’ choice. And to them, my congratulations.
What: Pangea Day
When: 10th May
About: People in local communities all over the world will gather together, to watch films that have been produced by independents. There will be a total of 24 short films and they have been chosen based on their ability to inspire and help us see the world through another person’s eyes.
More Information: http://www.pangeaday.org/index.php
The problem of food shortage is no longer a threat exclusive to developing countries. In the future, it may be a problem that concerns every country on the planet.
Throughout known history, the number of agricultural products have always outweighed world population. Undeniably, some people are unintentionally undernourished and many have actually died of hunger. However, the problem has always been about lack of opportunities and unequal distribution of food and resources.
However, by 2050, humanity may unfortunately face the real threat of food shortage. With a forecasted population of over 9 billion, experts are concerned that the agricultural industry would not be able to produce enough food for everyone.
But the booming world population is just one issue. The problem also probably lies in the fact that in this modern world, people are consuming more than needed. And with the population of China and India being modernised, there will definitely be a spike in the demand of food product.
Some experts believe that the only way to prevent a real shortage of food is to embrace genetic engineering within the agricultural industry.
However, Genetic Engineering does have its own sets of problems. The main ones being the fact that it is under the oligopoly of big corporations with no moral obligations.
Whether or not we will be able to prevent a serious food crisis from happening remains to be seen.
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International Herald Tribune: Tensions rise as world faces short rations
Globe and Mail: The Crisis Felt Around the World
Seattle Times: Rice shortages spur producers to limit exports
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Narrated Abu Huraira:
A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah’s Apostle said, “Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?” An Ansar man said, “I.” So he took him to his wife and said to her, “Entertain generously the guest of Allah’s Apostle ” She said, “We have got nothing except the meals of my children.” He said, “Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper.” So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah’s Apostle who said, “Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action.” Then Allah revealed:
“But give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful.” (59.9)
- Sahih Bukhari
A few days ago, I met up with an old friend on the bus. He was on his way back home after a hard day’s work at the office. He’s a clerk earning no more than $700 a month. Cheap labour? No, he’s actually serving the nation. It’s called National Service. It seems that he will be released from his obligatory duties in a few months time. From then on, he’d like to pursue a degree programme at a local university. However, sees some obstacles. He offered two of them, 1. his mediocre Diploma results and 2. the lack of financial support. Ahhh….. the classic case of lacking financial support. This is where things get interesting.
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In Singapore, the Malays need not worry about financial burden when it comes to education. A large sum of educational expenses are paid for by a Government body called MENDAKI. This special provision is only for the Malays since the Malays are seen as the indigenous people of Singapore. Besides this, Malays are also often portrayed as “lacking behind” and thus, they need all the help they can get to “catch up” with other members of the society. It is also important to note that MENDAKI identifies itself as an Islamic organization, albeit one that targets a particular race.
In any case, at first glance, you’d think that my friend would not have to worry about financing his education because he has all the characteristics of a Malay. He has a Malay name, he “looks Malay”, eats Malay food, speaks Malay, and does whatever a Malay is expected to do (whatever is a Malay expected to do anyway?). The only non-Malay about him is the word “Indian” printed on his Identity Card.
I can relate to all his woes. I have Indian on my Identity Card too. And the only “Indian” root I have is of my father’s father (i.e grandfather) from Pakistan. He married a local Malay Singaporean lady. My other grandparents are Malay. So technically, I am 1/4 Indian and 3/4 Malay. But we cannot have fractions or percentages as part of our race. We are either this race or that race. And since Singapore adopts a patriarchic system, my race is thus “Indian”.
And as Indians, My friend and I do not enjoy the privileges that other Malays enjoy. Why don’t we then get aid from the Indian support group? That is what they all say. The answer to this is in the fact that the indian support group aka SINDA provides educational financial aid only for pre-tertiary level. Beyond that, any Indian seeking financial support must be a Hindu. And I am no Hindu, neither is my “Indian” friend. We are Muslims, just like the Malays (in Singapore, the Malays are automatically deemed to be Muslims unless they officially declare otherwise).
And as Muslims, it hurts to see a fellow Muslim priotizing political concerns over the needs of another Muslim. In this case, a Muslim organization ignoring the needs of a Muslim simply because of racial issues. Is this not contradictory to the fundamentals of Islam, that there should not be any racial prejudices?
Lacking Behind
Let us now relook at the idea that the Malays are often being portrayed as ‘lacking behind’. Essentially, this means that the Malays are earning less in the labour market and have lower educational achievement.
Singapore Sociologist Chua Beng Huat, once pointed out that the significance of the Malays being portrayed as lacking behind is that they are made to priotize worldy materials when in fact, as Muslims, the Malays should be priotizing religious affairs.
I think he hit the nail on the head. But sadly though, I think the Malays are not willing to admit it. Malays are afraid to admit that pursuing worldly materials can in fact be contradictory to the pursuit of Allah’s pleasure. However, as a Muslim, I accept the idea that Islam does not forbid the pursuit of worldly materials. In fact, the two can coexist beautifully together. But this is not possible in Singapore. For instance, for the Muslim male employees and students, there is always the possibility of conflict between friday prayers and work/study hours. In fact, even normal daily prayers are sometimes neglected due to working hours that do not permit the Muslim to excuse oneself during working hours.
Strings Pulled
We have so far taken a look at
1. how a Muslim organization has taken priority of Government policy of race over a fundamental value in Islam – no racial prejudice.
2. the Muslim is made to priotize worldly materials over Islamic obligations.
and from these two scenarios, we can observe that these are essentially the result of the Government’s actions. That is to say, the Government are telling the Muslims who they are – they are Malays first, then Muslims – and what they should priotize – economic gains first then religious affairs.
And so it seems that the Singapore Muslims have their strings pulled in some matters. I can offer no solution to this problem except that we can only hope that one day, Muslims are given the freedom to define for ourselves, who we are and decide how we want to contribute to society. And for this, it is at least comforting to know that some Muslims have already decided for themselves how they want to contribute. For instance, the case of providing humanitarian aid to populations beyond the Singapore border. And so it is not really a dark picture but it is a picture that can be improved nontheless. We are losing out on a lot of possibilities if our strings are pulled.
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Note: My critique is not against the mentioned organizations or the individuals working there. My critique is against the system that we are in. And that we are ‘blind’ to the social implications that these systems have.
Subhanallah.
While we awe at the wonders of the distant galaxies,
it is here on Earth, where our home really is.
But it is not Earth in itself that makes this planet our home.
It is the people.
Yes, unfortunately some people can be incredibly stupid and idiotic like Giuliani, Eric Cartman, and my sister’s Primary 1 teacher.
But as Gandhi tells us, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty”.
” Remember when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place mankind generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks (exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.’ Allah said: ‘I know that which you do not know.’ “
- Baqarah: 30
” Oh humankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured among you in the sight of Allah is the who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things) “
- Hujuraat: 13
Poverty did not exist out of thin air,
but from political injustices; a man exploiting another man.
In the Agrarian Justice, Thomas Paine talked about the fact that poverty is the product of human actions. It is not a natural thing. In the Author’s English Preface, he said,
“It is wrong to say that God made rich and poor; He made only male and female, and He gave them the whole earth for their inheritance.”
200 years have passed since Thomas Paine’s Agrarian Justice. And yet, such inbalance distribution of natural resources still exist. And we are not talking about oil, gold or diamond. But basic biological needs – water and agricultural food.
Just take a look at what’s happening in Palestine:
“One and a half million people depending on the good will of the system that holds them under siege, depending on the diligence and hard work of the truck drivers and the Major’s cheerful few who stand with their clip boards all day sweating in the hot dusty desert while in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Gaza City and Ramallah, Cairo and Riyadh, Brussels and Washington the powerful deliberate and plot, self styled Olympian gods toying with the fate of mere mortals.”- Oxfam’s Gaza Blog: On the road again