This post was originally published on November 14, 2011
This weekend, I watched the documentary: End Of Poverty? and there were several things that stood out.
• In Bolivia, water was privatized to the point that collecting rainfall was considered illegal (thank goodness the people revolted and ran that company out of the country).
• Most countries in the southern hemisphere are not economically independent–heavily saddled with debt that they will never be able to pay back.
• People die in hospitals while waiting for family to scrape money together for their care. These victims are not even treated until they show the hospitals the money.
• Violence usually increases when there is a gap between rich and poor.
Which brings me to today’s post.
I’ve sensed a change of climate in the States over the past decade. We all heard the news reports of the wealth gap, and how the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
Hence the reason for the Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread across the country.
But what it really feels like is that there are no more rocks to bleed elsewhere. So now, the knives are turned on ourselves.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed. ~Mahatma Gandhi
• More Americans are sinking into poverty each year.
• Millions are out of work.
• The highest types of jobs that are opening are in the service sector or part-time (which does not equal the pay that most Americans lost).
It just seems like a precedent has been or is being set for the future generation–our children’s generation.
I can look at a documentary about another country and say “that’s a shame.”
But the reality that we live in is that Americans are being replaced as the consumers–corporations are making their money elsewhere. Jobs are being moved elsewhere, and opportunities are shrinking.
All I know is that my daughter’s future is at stake as well as all children’s. I know it must sound like all doom and gloom over here, but I think it’s natural for a parent to wonder about the world that our children are going to inherit.
What’s more important is the attitude that we show to our children about our feelings of people being exploited. After all, if we are okay with it, then they will see nothing wrong.
This post has been added to #WorthRevisit linkup hosted by Theology is a Verb, and Reconciled to You.
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It is a doom and gloom world and I worry so much about the state of my kids. I think our parents worried when they went through a recession and somehow they came out well and some of them taught us well about saving money and only buying what is needed. I need to watch that documentary.
That’s true. I know that this generation of kids who old enough to understand what this recession is about is going to have habits that will last them a lifetime. It’s like the children who grew up during the great depression (my grandmother); she KNOWS how to save a dollar!
I have heard reports that this is one of the first generations that will grow up and be worse off than their parents, instead of better (financially). I hope that doesn’t prove to be true, but I won’t be surprised if it does.
We have got to teach our kids how to survive with the basics and save for a rainy day.
It does all sound like doom an gloom, but, unfortunately it’s our reality. I do think, often, about the kind of world, the kind of America, that my children may inherit and it makes me sad. I want, of course, only the best for them, I want my memories of this country to be theirs. I think the realization that neither of these may ever happen have caused me to consider moving elsewhere. And, this is something that I would have never considered before.
I do understand the feeling of wanting to move elsewhere too, my husband and I considered it. But where would we go, and what opportunities will be there for us? or our kids? Its hard to say, but moving could move us out of the frying pan and into the fire. One thing that I do hope, is that our kids, even our generation can try and fix what’s going on now.
Very well said! I must say that our opportunities shrink more here in Europe than yours in the U.S.A., and that is a pity.I don’t know how our children turn out to be, the pressure on them is very big.
I agree, the pressure on them is very big, almost too big for their shoulders. We’ve made a horrible mess of the plant, foreign and domestic policies, and now we’re leaving the bill and all the problems up to our kids. I hope that we can straighten some of this mess out before our kids come of age.
We’re larger than the average family so we’ve always had to find “unique” ways of saving for rainy and sunny days. We teach our children and remind ourselves the difference between a want and a need. A responsible person knows that the “need” should always win.
I pray our children don’t have to dig this nation out of a situation they don’t create. At times it sure looks that way.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Such an important post. I think it’s important to have these conversations with our children at an early age. Introduce them to this concept of social justice and show them what it looks/feels like. It’s a difficult but necessary thing to do given the world we live in .
You’re right Laila, it’s good to have these conversations with our children. It’s also good to have it when they are young so that they understand from the very beginning. It’s sad, but it is necessary to explain these things to them.
You are speaking the truth. It’s pretty scary how things are changing. The way we’re going, I don’t know what my son will be walking into. My husband and I are trying to raise him to think like an entrepreneur. The security that we used to think a job provided doesn’t exist. I want him to be in a position to create jobs for others but not be dependent on someone for employment. Occupy Wall Street is such an important movement. It’s just as shame that this is what it’s come to.
I love the idea of entrepreneurship. You can’t stress enough how important it is to be your own boss. Also, by stressing it, you help your kids to see a need for a service or business and fill the gap.