At this stage in our development we could already have a world in which every person on this planet has a right to:
Sanitation -- it is not that difficult to bring clean water to even the most remote parts of the world these days and yet we prefer to bring fracking. We waste squillions of gallons of water every day and there are those who even argue that water is not a basic human right and would prefer to SELL it to the poorest coutries in the world to make -- guess -- MONEY. It is the one thing none of us can do without. Doesn't that make it a basic right?? And toilet facilities do not even have to involve water -- waste can be composted and used to make ground productive.
Health Care -- we have medicines in the developed world and scientists who do vital research. If that was rolled out to all humanity, then we would not now be facing the spectre of Ebola. Everyone would have proper facilities on hand, trained staff and hospitals and no volunteers would be needed to GO anywhere. This and many other situations are a result of negligence by world powers who are interested only in the welfare of the few. In addition our own government here in the UK is trying to undermine the NHS so thay can -- guess -- make MONEY out of PRIVATE health care which they can then invest in.( I know it is overstretched butwell thought out immegration rules could settle that. )
Nutrition -- an increasingly obese population (me included I have to admit) :( eats three times as much as we need and can't make up our minds between chicken kiev and roast beef whilst others starve or butcher monkeys/shoot down cuckoos -- whatever it takes -- to survive. You know everybody could eat -- today! Instead we destroy tons of food every year in order to keep prices atrificially high so that big corporates can make -- guess -- MONEY
Power -- we can use waves, wind, solar panels, hydrogen. Do we? Not if the OWNERS of the power companies have anything to say about it -- they and their political puppets! Instead they want to make more £££££££££ $$$$$$$$$ maybe even by FRACKING and contaminating WATER.
Well you can't eat and drink ££££££££ and you can't take $$$$$$$$$ as a cure for ebola. Mind you, you could burn both as fuel -- but not if you want to go on breathing this thin envelope of air which is all we have to breathe!
Here is a FUN interactice map that lets you play about with climate change and simply
WATCH YOUR WORLD DISAPPEAR
Co-operation not competition. We have the technology.
Related links: Bewildering stories
Thank you, Oonah, for the very spirited discussion! The late Bronze Age really drew a bad hand: uncertain peace, unstable economies, prolonged natural calamities, and invasions from "outer space." Those cards are still in the deck and are still being dealt.
ReplyDeleteThe ancient Tiwanaku, in present-day Bolivia, seem to have had a very good time for several centuries: an advanced agriculture organized cooperatively. No kings, etc., but lots of artists, especially weavers, painters, musicians and architects. They built a huge stage, of a sort, for festivals that must have been really wild parties: lots of music and dancing, with beer and hallucinogens.
The Tiwanaku culture spread widely. Unlike the Incas, they didn't conquer anybody; they just invited all their neighbours to their parties. What's not to like?! Unfortunately, they drew the drought card at some time about the year 1100 CE, and the parties were over.