Monday, March 29, 2010

Last installment on First World Thoughts

On analyzing the behavior of the people in rich & developed countries, we find that the great majority follow the following principles in their lives:

1. Ethics, as a basic principle. Not true. A large number of people in rich and developed countries are extremely unethical and dishonest – just the same as anywhere else. Their wealth is as a result of theft, murder and oppression of people who don’t look like them. This is nothing to be proud of. Their treatment of their own kind is pretty abysmal too – depending on how much money a person has or how much social power or what class they belong to. The fact is that the average ‘first worlder’ is too willfully ignorant of the things that affect them to be bothered by being oppressed – most can’t even be arsed to vote.

2. Integrity. Same as above. In my experience people in developed countries on the whole lack integrity.

3. Responsibility. Also untrue – they are not responsible at all. They rely on the spoils of the stolen riches or the government’s largesse on the whole.

4. Respect to the laws & rules. Again, untrue. A large number have no respect for the law and rules.

5. Respect to the rights of other citizens. To a certain extent – as long as they look like them and conform.

6. Work loving. No. They have devised a culture where the appearance of effort and presenteeism is lauded as ‘hard work’ but the economy is proving that this doesn’t actually produce anything. Actual hard work needs to be substituted. It’s the immigrants on the whole that work hard.

7. Strive for saving & investment. Ha! No they don’t! They borrow like mad for all kinds of ridiculous things. They will mortgage their house to borrow money to go on holiday. Give me a break!

8. Will of super action. Eh?

9. Punctuality. Yes, true for the most part. But what you do once you are there on time is also very important and herein often lies the problem.

In poor countries, only a minority follow these basic principles in their daily life. This is true but it is also true of the majority of citizens in developed countries. If the citizens in underdeveloped countries had the advantage of 400+ years of free labour from elsewhere and loan repayments with high interest rates then their attitude would probably not matter with regards to their wealth either.

We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel to us.

In some cases nature being cruel does indeed cause poverty – be fair, have a thought for those poor sods who get hit by hurricanes and floods year after year – of course it affects them. If first world countries were hit by natural disasters year in and year out don’t you think that would affect their wealth?

We are poor because we lack attitude.

This is true because out attitude does not include acknowledgement in conjunction with smart actions.

We lack the will to comply with and teach these functional principles of rich & developed societies. No, we have to think up our own principles, ones that include fairness with intelligence that works in today’s world. To follow the principles of rich societies is to be unprincipled, thieves, murderers, oppressors and unwilling and unable to reason. We must base our principles on our beliefs and on what is required for success, success as we have defined it for our cultures.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Remainder of first world thoughts

(My thoughts in normal type)

Executives from rich countries who communicate with their counterparts in poor countries show that there is no significant intellectual difference.

Actually there often is, people in developing countries who are educated are often the recipients of a superior education due to a culture of embracing education and the fact they had to hustle to get it. This should be reflected in a better result for them but it isn’t. That’s because most people will flash to a safer environment – the well educated can earn a packet in Jamaica, indeed they can be more well off there than in ‘foreign’ but you can’t be well off when you are dead can you? More educated Jamaicans would stay if there was less crime. And that’s up to us.

Race or skin color are also not important: immigrants labeled lazy in their countries of origin are the productive power in rich European countries.

True.

What is the difference then?

The difference is the attitude of the people, framed along the years by the education & the culture.

No, the difference is that the developed world benefited from the fruits of free labour while the underdeveloped world has had to manage with having given away that labour and its fruits. Also, our attitude must involve an acknowledgement of the past but an understanding of what behaviour will work to prosper us. And that means while we ac knowledge the past atrocities, we employ attitudes and actions that prosper us. Too many acknowledge and re-live the past whilst indulging in self destructive practices which they blame on past oppression and don’t indulge in progressive practices in the here and now. Why pay continuous homage to a brutal past only? We must, like the Jews, be knowledgeable about the past and pass this knowledge onto our kids, but along with this they must be taught how we responded in order to produce a better future for them and we can only do this if we do create a better future. Give you an example – Mugabe took the farms back because the land had been stolen but he didn’t prepare his people to manage them so they could benefit from the wealth. His bitterness has led to his people’s destruction. He should have taken back the stolen land in a more systematic and feasible way – and with a time frame for training his people to manage things.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

First World vs. Third Part 2

Here are my thoughts on the email my friend sent me. They are in two sections – I’ll post the rest on Friday.

**

Original copy in bold, my comments in normal type.

The following does not take into account the fact that many first world countries stole resources and labour from the poorer countries for centuries and systematically brainwashed their people into believing they are inferior. This mindset has repercussions today. In spite of this people from underdeveloped nations cannot expect to prosper by remaining enslaved to these actions. As unpalatable as it might be we have to forget to the extent that the past doesn’t mortgage our future. And we must learn from the thieving, murderous actions of these oppressors and don’t become like them. The following should be seen within this context.

To reflect and... Act.

The difference between the poor countries and the rich ones is not the age of the country.

This can be shown by countries like India & Egypt that are more than 2000 years old and are poor.

Remember, they were stolen from and oppressed by first world countries.

On the other hand, Canada, Australia & New Zealand, that 150 years ago were inexpressive, today are developed countries and are rich. As a result of stealing and oppression. But we mustn’t steal, murder and oppress in order to become wealthy.

The difference between poor & rich countries does not reside in the available natural resources.

Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous, inadequate for agriculture & cattle raising, but it is the second world economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.

True, they make the optimum use of what they have and don’t waste time bemoaning what they don’t.

Another example is Switzerland, which does not plant cocoa but has the best chocolate of the world. In its little territory they raise animals and plant the soil during 4 months per year. Not enough, they produce dairy products of the best quality. It is a small country that transmits an image of security, order & labor, which made it the world’s strong safe.

Again, true – we must change out attitudes, the existing atmosphere and social climate is up to us, in spite of our past.

More on Friday.

Monday, March 15, 2010

First World vs. Third World

Someone sent me the following:

To reflect and... Act.

The difference between the poor countries and the rich ones is not the age of the country.

This can be shown by countries like India & Egypt, that are more than 2000 years old and are poor.

On the other hand, Canada, Australia & New Zealand, that 150 years ago were inexpressive, today are developed countries and are rich.

The difference between poor & rich countries does not reside in the available natural resources.

Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous, inadequate for agriculture & cattle raising, but it is the second world economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.

Another example is Switzerland, which does not plant cocoa but has the best chocolate of the world. In its little territory they raise animals and plant the soil during 4 months per year. Not enough, they produce dairy products of the best quality.

It is a small country that transmits an image of security, order & labor, which made it the world’s strong safe.

Executives from rich countries who communicate with their counterparts in poor countries show that there is no significant intellectual difference.

Race or skin color are also not important: immigrants labeled lazy in their countries of origin are the productive power in rich European countries.

What is the difference then?

The difference is the attitude of the people, framed along the years by the education & the culture.

On analyzing the behavior of the people in rich & developed countries, we find that the great majority follow the following principles in their lives:

1. Ethics, as a basic principle.
2. Integrity.

3. Responsibility.

4. Respect to the laws & rules.

5. Respect to the rights of other citizens.

6. Work loving.

7. Strive for saving & investment.

8. Will of super action.
9. Punctuality.

In poor countries, only a minority follow these basic principles in their daily life.

We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel to us.

We are poor because we lack attitude.

We lack the will to comply with and teach these functional principles of rich & developed societies.

I think whoever wrote this has missed the point big time. My thoughts on Wednesday.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Forward thinking or just not thinking?

Take a look at these two links. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8557236.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6262328.stm

It is time we re-evaluate what type of country we are – a forward thinking one that cares for its people or a fourth world place with a formerly strong currency?

Monday, March 08, 2010

Persecuting Christians

Once again Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria. I pray that those affected will remain strong in their faith and I also pay for a cessation of this persecution. But then again, we expect persecution don’t we? Lord be with them. Amen.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Quality Music

Let us bring back high quality music and great artistes. Let us be done with talentless weirdoes who just want so desperately to be famous. It is time to bring back the magic!

Monday, March 01, 2010

Three D – A New Era

Went to see Avatar in 3D on Saturday. I was speechless. It was by far the best move experience I have ever had! This wasn’t just because the 3D experience was out of this world, because it was but it was also because the story was excellent, the cinematography fantastic and the acting were also wonderful (I think it is unfair that no actors were nominated for Oscars – they did act, it isn’t animation).

When I went to see the Matrix, I knew I was witnessing a step change in movie making and here is another one. There were several trailers before the movie started the next Shrek movie, Alice in Wonderland and others so the trend is already in place. I hope they keep the trend of keeping a great story plus excellent acting to go along with the great technology. It can only be good news for movie goers.