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'Poor people are supposed to be poor'

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posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 07:21 PM
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I just really got into a discussion over at another site, no need to name it. It involved the evident early success of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program and organization.

One member posted a comment stating that there are people who are hoping for the failure of this. You have large technology companies all wanting to get their OS's on these laptops. You have those who feel a laptop is not going to solve a damn thing anywhere when clean water is the main concern. And of course, he wrote, you have those out there who basically feel it's none of or business. Their sum opinion is that these kids in these poor countries are in their situation for a reason. Poor people are poor for reasons that do not involve us.



How do you feel? And once you think about it are you as troubled as I am that there are people that feel this way about something that has the ability to change so much?

The original article discussed is here.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 07:44 PM
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Of course poor people are supposed to be poor. God made them that way because they follow heathen religions, or are born the wrong colour. This is the exact reason why Americans are rich and natural rulers of the world. Its all part of a divine plan written in a book whose words are as true today as they were when they were written thousands of years ago. Anyone who tries to help these poor people will suffer gods wrath and rightly so.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 07:57 PM
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reply to post by Scalamander
 


LOL!!!

Duh! They were MEANT to be poor! I say, "Why complain"? Their poor!

Ha! I'm sure the bible will back me up when I say "Don't help the poor, they are SUPPOSED to be that way".

In your face poor people!

Now God, can you make some deformed people too? Just for good measure? WHAT!? They already exist? Oh man, what a wonderful world. Now let's just get rid of the scientists and doctors trying to help these people, and we're set!



Seriously though, whoever said this probably never graduated the 3rd grade. I guess people like Norman Borlaug are going STRAIGHT to Hell, bwahahaha!



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:03 PM
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I think my sarcas-o-meter might have maxed out there for a bit. I was trying to by cynical but I think I might have come out as fervent accidentally.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:05 PM
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Scalamander
Please tell me that your kidding......right?...I mean you are kidding right?
is that what you really believe or am i just that gullible that you sucked me in.
(dude that is some twisted stuff you are saying.


Money is not the root of all evil....religion is


aha i see I am that gullible............


[edit on 24-12-2007 by Maya432]



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:08 PM
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reply to post by Scalamander
 


Really? C'mon, really?

It's one thing to consider laptops appropriate technology for a developing nation that can hardly keep e-Coli bacteria out of their drinking water supplies, but these people certainly aren't poor because they deserve to be poor or that they are heathens. Improvements in these countries needs to start with education, that's for sure, and laptops could be integrated into that program of education.

I think people need to look at the effects of Cold War lending when western lenders like the IMF and the World Bank gave these developing countries so much money, even to countries with dictators who never shared it with the people. The financial institutions knew that these countries could never pay that money back, and because of this, these countries are forced to pull money from their education and health care budgets to pay these loans back. This keeps these people in perpetual states of poverty and without funds for education to better themselves.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:11 PM
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reply to post by Scalamander
 


No, I got ya. I think there's a couple of people above me who might be a little lost though.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE, it was a sarcastic post, hence my response.

Funny though.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:14 PM
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reply to post by bigbert81
 


I was hoping the intial response to the OP was in jest. When I posted my response, there were a few others ahead of me that I didn't know were there yet.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 08:18 PM
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Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.
Judging by your interest in this topic, I think you would really enjoy this book.

These people are not poor because they are meant to be poor, but they are poor for a reason. A lot of that reason has to do with the geographic location that these cultures have evolved in, and relatively little to do with the people themselves.
If you aren't interested in finding the book, there is a documentary here:

Guns, Germs, and Steel:
Part I

Part II

Part III

They're about an hour each, but very interesting and well worth the time. Enjoy!

[edit for speling]

[edit on 12/24/07 by Nutrients]



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 09:47 PM
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I honestly think that its an utter travesty the way some people live in the world today. There are many factors at work that help to continue the horrible situation and in my mind, each is just as reprehensible as the next. Things like shifty aid programs, quick fixes just to earn votes, racism and corporate profiteering. Like it or not, those of us who live in the first world countries like USA, Canada, EU and others contribute to this by blindly supporting issues we don't really understand and basic apathy.
I have tried to do my part by sponsoring children in India, sending aid packages and trying to raise local awareness but sometimes the work of one person is just not enough. In the end most of us are focused on what immediately concerns us and could care less about what is happening on the other side of world. Its not really a bad thing, its basically ingrained in human nature to put our survival and well-being ahead of strangers.
The only way I can ever see this attitude changed is by a truly massive social change all around the world in which we all recognize that we are one people and should all be treated equally regardless of any class structure, country, religion or race.
I don't see this happening in the near future, simply because so many people who are well meaning are easily suckered into supporting programs that don't do the things they say they will. The sad fact is that many of these supposed AID initiatives are either scams, poorly planned or thwarted by other corrupt officials and contractors. I hope to participate in a few programs in the near future where I will actually live in these places and do my best to help them with my own two hands.
I also wish to apologize for any misconceptions my first post may have generated. When an issue affects me deeply I tend to become sarcastic and many people get the wrong idea. I really hope that I and others like me and can start a trend that will make a difference. There are no quick fixes to this problem because so much has to be changed in the way society, people and world functions before we can begin to deal with problems of poverty in third world countries.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 10:30 PM
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The plan with these laptops is to raise a low income hi-tech work force.

China is investing heavily in Africa, chinese people are demanding a better quality of life, they are tired of being slaves, same goes for hundreds of millions of Indians.

Africans will be the next low wage work force without having to pack them into boats in shackles.

The first report of students with these laptops told how they were not learning with them, but surfing for porn. Yay for technology.

When you support these third world charities you are supporting people who live in filth and have multiple children in the filth. There are homeless and poor families in your own back yard that got that way because you supported corporations who off shored their jobs to people who were living off your hand outs before that.

Here's another little eye opener, if you goet $1 to a charity, they are not required by law to spend more than 20 cents of that dollar on the disadvantage they represent.
The other 80 cents goes into the pocket of the board of directors, paper pushers, and advertising agencies.

Give all you want, America needs more billionaires.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 10:33 PM
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reply to post by Scalamander
 


What you said about going to live in some of these places and personally helping is great. Most people confuse the act of donating money with empathy. They just aren't the same thing, so for that, I commend your intentions.

Regarding your initial post, I was nearly under the boat.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 10:42 PM
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i read guns, germs and steel. i thought it was bull. an easy way out
of being responsible. the love of power and greed period.



posted on Dec, 24 2007 @ 11:14 PM
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reply to post by Scalamander
 


I suppose then you have no problem with the biblical phrase that "the poor are blessed?" I don't know what god you worship that would want anyone to go hungry or to starve, but it certainly isn't the GOD that I know and love...




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