Every noble organisations talk about it, and every governments trying to boost profile or enhance propaganda talk about it. But will it be reality? Do they really want that to happen?
I think it’s all a load of bullshit.
The fuel that keeps the world turning is called money. Money makes the world go round. The rich and the poor, the have(s) and have not(s) form the very core of our human community. It shaped and continues to shape our civilisation. That’s how we function.
Without poverty, who is going tap rubber so that your cars have tyres to run on?
Without poverty, who is going to be factory workers building cheap electronics in China for you to use?
Without poverty, who is going to do your foot massage?
Who is going to be your garbage collector?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun building roads that you drive on?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun building houses that you live in?
Who is going to be your maid?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun harvesting oil palm fruits so that there will be oil to cook your nasi-lemak, char-kuey-teow and bak-kut-teh?
Who is going to clean the dirty sewerage, filled with your “digested” nasi-lemak, char-kuey-teow and bak-kut-teh?
Without poverty, who is going to risk their lives to mine poisonous minerals in order to build the computer that you are using right now to read this?
Who? Do I need to ask more questions?
The truth is, the whole world will collapse without poverty. Equality in wealth will result in a halt in the human operating system. In fact, we do not need to look at those in poverty to see the ugliness of human wealth hierarchy.
Look around (or in the mirror)… for a few thousand RM (or a few hundred USD), people will work hard and diligently work overtime without a noise, people will betray their dignity to work for their company. These people are not even poor, they are just not rich enough.
I am not saying that people should be kept poor, certainly not. I am just saying that the truth is ugly, and that elimination of poverty is a myth. It will never be achieved not because it is not unachievable.
It will never be achieved because the rich will never allow it.
3 years ago… Chef of the day
I think it’s all a load of bullshit.
The fuel that keeps the world turning is called money. Money makes the world go round. The rich and the poor, the have(s) and have not(s) form the very core of our human community. It shaped and continues to shape our civilisation. That’s how we function.
Without poverty, who is going tap rubber so that your cars have tyres to run on?Without poverty, who is going to be factory workers building cheap electronics in China for you to use?
Without poverty, who is going to do your foot massage?
Who is going to be your garbage collector?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun building roads that you drive on?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun building houses that you live in?
Who is going to be your maid?
Who is going to work under the hot blazing sun harvesting oil palm fruits so that there will be oil to cook your nasi-lemak, char-kuey-teow and bak-kut-teh?
Who is going to clean the dirty sewerage, filled with your “digested” nasi-lemak, char-kuey-teow and bak-kut-teh?
Without poverty, who is going to risk their lives to mine poisonous minerals in order to build the computer that you are using right now to read this?
Who? Do I need to ask more questions?
The truth is, the whole world will collapse without poverty. Equality in wealth will result in a halt in the human operating system. In fact, we do not need to look at those in poverty to see the ugliness of human wealth hierarchy.
Look around (or in the mirror)… for a few thousand RM (or a few hundred USD), people will work hard and diligently work overtime without a noise, people will betray their dignity to work for their company. These people are not even poor, they are just not rich enough.I am not saying that people should be kept poor, certainly not. I am just saying that the truth is ugly, and that elimination of poverty is a myth. It will never be achieved not because it is not unachievable.
It will never be achieved because the rich will never allow it.
3 years ago… Chef of the day
24 comments:
zewt, where do you find the energy to blog everyday?
One day, and really, I do envision this one day (one day far far away), automatons [robots] should be able to do most of what you mentioned above.
But back to your point, another reason why poverty will never be eliminated because there will always be lazy people in this world, or people who just happen to lose everything (think chronic gamblers).
yeah the truth is always so ugly :) erm well we all need a balanced society with the poor and rich... just like bad person and good fufu =p
It's more about balance I guess. Like how sharks and tigers should be kept alive because it is nature.
Anw, on my blog, it wasn't a friend who said that. It was from an iritating bastard and I'm just poking him back. :)
You said it.. It is a conspiracy. But there's another aspect which isnt highlighted...
Population will go bust outta control without poverty. How so? Being poor, child survival is slim especially in places with no clean water and constant food supply.
I know its cruel and ugly to mention but it is obvious.
Its all back to the basic biology actually.
Populations of living organisms are controlled by natural means so that they do not fluctuate too greatly or too little. Its the law of nature and it applies to everything.
Every organism has its niche are to play. The plants absorb sunlight to grow and become the base of the food chain. Rats nibble plants. Snakes swallow up rats. Eagles pounce on snakes.
Every living thing has a role to play in an ecosystem so that balance is maintained.
Its just whether you are way below or high up in the food chain.
"Slave labour on a massive scale supplied the productive foundation of almost all ancient societies. Feudalism altered that foundation only slightly. Recently, the rising number of families with 2 wage earners barely maintained household incomes – and that at the expense of child care, housekeeping, volunteer work, and other informal services." - Owen Paepke, Evolution of Progress, 1993, adapted
With high wages and adequate legal protection, the nature of jobs will change, whereby they become less dirty, demeaning and dangerous. This however will not suit employers incapable of adaptation. Therefore, they will use bribes to maintain the status quo.
I agree with you that the rich will never allow the eradication of poverty.
I agree we will lose cheap labour but society will not cease to exist. If these people came out of poverty, prices of goods and services will increase but everyone will be able to afford. Everyone has a price and they will be willing to work if the price is right. At this point of time, the price has always be suppressed and low. The only gap is that there are the ones who has more money than others. However increasing the quality of living and their standards of life does not necessarily mean the end of the existence of society. That's why we have the poverty line which is always debatable and it is a feel good line for the rich.
Poverty is ugly and poverty is dehumanising. We should fight it as how we can afford to.
Then there is also the whole argument of laziness. Oh well, it is all relative because we value different things. The problem in Malaysia is that the Chinese sees others as lazy but it is always relative. The other take their family work life more seriously. This is only a general statement. It varies.
Living in London, there is poverty every where in the city. People living a 10 minutes walk from the London Eye haven't been on it because they cannot afford to. Some cannot enter university because they do not have the £20 for the application. A lot of kids haven't been on the underground tube eventhough they lived in London. I know one southeast londener who haven't been to Potabello Road market in Noting Hill because she can't afford the day out and the bus fares. Poverty is real and poverty is evil. One of the few reasons why Islamic terrorism is on the rise is because of poverty. These people have nothing much but only religion. Nothing to lose. When ideas clash, they go around bombing the shit outta people. If they have more money, more education, more to lose, you think they go bombing people? A simplistic statement but has some truths in it. Although it is hard to stop a religion whacko! Read the Evening Standard. They have a piece on poverty in London called the Dispossessed.
Well said, zewt, well said, you has hit the inner core again with this excellent post! Keep it up! *applause*
I guess this is why John Lennon composed the song 'imagine'... where everyone is equal. but yes, it will probably be chaotic without order.
Argghh...yr post is again soooo depressing =S I’m among the poor that are working my arse off contributing to ppl’s wealth..while me struggling hard here to keep away from poverty =P *unfair unfair unfair*
LOL @
Anonymous said...
zewt, where do you find the energy to blog everyday?
What the heck??? :P
You're right. Poverty is a fact and always was part of every society, even much crueler than these days most around the developed world. But the strive to fight poverty is noble. All we can do is improve the status of those lowest classes. At leas what we could do is provide food and water for those in the graves need.
I think it can look at both ways. Yes, at the moment, those jobs you mentioned belong to that range of wage band. However, if poverty is merely a function of wages, then having them getting more pay does solve it ( disregard whether this drives higher cost ... )
I mean, I heard in some country the guy then manages the shit earns damn alot.. I mean, real shit
Geez, I'm finally able to get back to blogging.
Yet another thought-provoking story from Zewt..... most profound.
Without slaves, where would bosses be to exercise their authority?
only 3 ways to be rich
1: mk sure u mk more $$$$ than da other guy (employee mentality)
2: mk sure da other guy mk less $$$ than u (businessman mentality)
3: join umno/perkasa/mca/mic/gerakan (only applicable to malaysian citizen and any other tom dick harry from indonesia who swim across malaca straits n buy a msian ic)
Poverty refers to the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs such as clean water, nutrition, health care, clothing and shelter.
I think we will always have the poor, but I think people should work to eradicate poverty because it is a human travesty to allow it.
actually that's what I thought too. who's gonna do all the dirty work (as in low paying)? I think it's fair that the economy is in a check and balance where you have rich on one extreme and the poor on the other. So if you want to be rich, work hard and earn the money and not sit there and wait for the govt to give you money!
anon @ 29/3 11.11pm - in you! haha.
Klaw - that one day is a bit far away my friend.
fufu - good fufu... hahaha.. okies
T (H) (B) - should mosquitoes be kept alive?
pinknpurplelizard - indeed, that is a very ugly and cruel truth. when i was in school, a christian teached once said... the annual death in india is necessary to ensure the population is within control. very sad...
Sapphire Dragon - true... but then again, the current system is not a natural order. it's a man-made order. it's an order derived from money, a man made item.
semuanya OK kot - u talking about a boleh nation eh? :P
Dangerous Variable - i must say it's quite eye opening to read about ppl in london havent been in the underground and some havent been to portobello because they cant afford the bus fare. i suppose we over-rated the western nation. as for terrorism, yeah, they are manipulated because of poverty. hence, i suppose they will be kept poor so that the powerful will remain... in power.
zewtreader - cheers... i am losing mojo on such topics.
blackjack - it will be.
Chloe Teah - i dont think you are in poverty lah... just not rich enough :)
MKL - we can try, but at the end of the day, we will still put our interest first, no?
Observer - well, when you pay more to these ppl to do this... they will be able to afford more things and then, they will refuse to do the shit...
j_yenn - hahaha... without antony, where would you be venting your anger?
InjusticeSistem - are u joining yet? :P
Crankster - there are still some extreme things and no one wants to do and it's done so that others can enjoy luxury. those in luxury will ensure that there are ppl desperate enough to do it. yes, we should eradicate it, but it's a tough nut to crack.
eiling lim - but... working hard doesnt mean you will be rich though.
hmm, true, it is a myth. like you said, whose gonna do all those job. hmm... am i being bimbo feeling sorry when i see those working under hot blazing sun, collecting garbage, cleaning the roads etc? sigh...
and reading this post makes me realised, how much i enjoy reading your blog, zewt.
oh, ps, its Swee Ping here :)
But here, if you don't work also you can be rich though. Depends on who you know and what colour you are!
I second the notion! ^^
iamlazymouse aka swee ping - i like this nick :P reality is sad isnt it? and thanks for the support :)
eiling lim - hmmm.... very subtle :P
Melisa - high five!
Post a Comment