The Ticking Clock
It’s true, the primary reason for poverty and starvation is a poor distribution of resources. It is also true that finding a method to better organize them could lead to greater health and happiness for humanity as a whole. But how long would that last?
Reuse and Recycle
Let’s face it, with the exception of little bits of debris dragged through the Earth’s atmosphere by her gravitational field, everything we have is basically matter that has been recycled; the water we drink has probably been everywhere in the globe at one point or another, and already been drunk by countless other creatures. Minerals, proteins, and other substances vital to our survival comes from bio-matter that has already been processed by thousands upon thousands of people and animals before us.
This leads to a simple, inescapable truth; our resources, though renewable to an extent, are in no way unlimited, or inexhaustible.
The Normal Problem
Poverty and hunger today isn’t due to a lack of resources, but rather because these existing resources are poorly distributed. There are several reasons for this;
-The planet’s varied climate means that some parts of the globe are fertile, with abundant flora and fauna to support the occupants, while others border on wastelands, where survival requires a great deal more effort.
-Existing borders formed by countries forms a “we” and “they” mentality; Canada will, naturally, share some of its resources with less privileged countries via charities and even some federal programs, but this does not mean that we have given up enough to have a noticeable impact upon our own economy, or comfort.
-Within a country, particularly those whom use capitalism as an economic model, money is (generally,) given in proportion to the amount you contribute to the rest of the population, be it via business, entertainment, or military enlistment. This is meant, in part, as a model to keep a society thriving, and growing; if you are going to receive the same amount of money no matter how much (or how little,) you work, then you may be inclined to just hang on the coattails of society; how many people would feel like mopping floors in an elementary school if their survival didn’t depend on it?
Naturally, those who either have superior skills, or find themselves in a more advantageous position to profit, will end up with a great deal more money than the rest of society.
Simple enough, right? The answer would be to somehow enforce productivity, and still ensure that every man, woman and child on the planet leads fairly prosperous lives, regardless of their job, geographical position, etc.
But what happens when we “run out”?
Population
Yes, as stated previously, our food and water supplies are essentially renewable; were they not, we would have all starved thousands of years ago. The problem, therefore, is what will happen when the resources that the planet can offer is no longer sufficient to support our rising population, regardless of how much we spread it around?
Liked it
