I told a friend in a discussion: This world is square.
She replied: Hey, haven't you seen a globe before?
I added: Yeah, I wasn't arguing that the earth is square, I said the WORLD is square. No matter how much evolution we have seen and read, ultimately we are back to square one. The rich are richer, the poor are poorer.
After India and Mexico, the Philippines is the third largest recipient of remittances in the world with a record of US$10.7 billion officially sent home by Filipinos and Filipina overseas in 2005 and it was forecasted the amount to be increased to US$11.87 billion in 2006. To date, domestic helpers contribute most part of the remittance figures. On average, a Filipina domestic helper is earning five times as much as what she earned as a factory worker in the Philippines. In the animation movie Happy Feet, we saw the father protecting the hatchling from blizzard conditions waiting for the eventual return of the mother with food for them. These domestic helpers were employed to take care of others' children. In the process, "Mother" has bcome a distance memory to their own children - it has reduced to a respectable lady in a photo who calls home a few times a month and send presents on their birthday and Christmas.
Another story I read was about an Indian girl as young as 11 was asked by his parents to work as child labour in the city. While our kids are celebrating the last day of their examinations, listening to iPod and asking where do we want to take them for year end holidays; this young Indian girl is washing dishes. Her employer pays her nothing just provides her with leftover food, old clothes and a space on the floor to sleep.
If the world was round then there should be a way to break the vicious cycle of poverty and exploitation.
Every child in this world has the right to grow up under good parental care, go to school and should be able to play and enjoy their childhood.
4 comments:
And the sad thing is, the children who do grow up privileged never appreciate the opportunities they have. The ones who live the "hard" life grow up much more humbled. If only there was a way for the iPod listeners to tune into the plight of poverty and the polarization of the economic classes. Perhaps that may help make the world more "round."
You have a great idea re iPod on poverty & polarisation.
I've been thinking these few days on a mechanism/tool to bridge the gap between the "lucky" and the "unfortunate".
What can make the lucky one realise the importance of sympathy? What can make the unfortunate one stand up and tell the world that "Hey, stop bullying".
I believe one of the important steps to "un-square" is "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you".
I've been too philosophical lately. A friend recently commented that I speak like a nun minus my stilettos, of course. HaHa.
Great idea you have. Well, making people listen is easy, however to make people willingly to do it, that's another story.
I personally think those great men and women who dared to step out of their comfort zone in making a difference have great faith and know the purpose of life.
There is one thing that holds them together and persevere - detremination (because they're focused).
We have to internalize the purpose so that when we make the avenue [ie. iPod thingy], people don't giveup easier but they persevere.
Like what was mentioned in Before Sunset, "The greatest people are those who try their very best to send pencils to teach the 'unreached' kids to write."
And I added "Anyone who has a commercial interest in mind will fail the porject. It's more useful to teach the children to write than give them pencil, pencil case or even iPod."
Just my two cents...:)
Yes absolutely! Cultural awareness and guidance on values are important. Some adults are too self-centred and hurt many people in the process. Some kids do not aware of their rights. They were told not to talk back, not to speak when elderly talk, not to say no. I never believe in telling kids anything without the backup of good reasoning. Every one in this world deserves to know the truth and their rights.
Post a Comment