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Previous: How to Stay Inspired | All blog entries Coming Attractions: Tuesday, February 6, 2007 Thoughts from China to Walmart I love China, its people, culture, history, language and countryside. Parts of China are very beautiful. Near Guilin in southern China, rows of limestone crags look like an ancient ink painting, exquisitely fading into mist… Actually, nowadays it’s more pollution … I hate China, the pollution - even in countryside far from major cities, a growing number of greenhouse-gas emitting cars, a lack of democracy, the military buildup (though still far smaller than the USA), the corruption…. What's the best way for the USA and other nations to relate to China? More on that next week.... Latest additions: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Some Insomnia, Re-creation, and the Human Side of Poverty Statistics Some insomnia I don't think that's why I have insomnia. My relationship with my family wasn't always perfect, but it's much better now. I used to think the problems were mostly others' fault. I still think there were things they could've done better. But a big part of why the relationship is better is I've changed how I relate to them. The importance of re-creation I think it's important to take time off, even if you enjoy and strongly believe in what you do, as I do. In the past I've worked up to seven days a week on Hearts & Minds. Burnout was sometimes a serious problem for me. I concluded I'll do more in the long run with a more balanced life. I'm doing a fair amount of work these five days in Florida, writing a manual to guide local, grassroots lobbing offices for our Global Poverty Campaign. I guess you could include this blog as part of my work, though it's nice to share what's going on with me . I'm also taking time to relax, time for re-creation. I can then return to the office re-energized for our Poverty Campaign. In the quiet of this early morning, I’m thinking about global poverty, how much we can change, what’s already happening and what may never happen, if we don’t make it happen. I'm thinking over the abstract statistics on global poverty and its solution. How can we make those come alive for the public? How can we inspire people to support the best, most creative, proven solutions for poverty that could help hundreds of millions more people? Massive stats
Some good questions What does any of this have to do with me? These are good questions, and the answers are more interesting than many people think... Distant poverty
Fortunately - and unfortunately - none of this is exactly true. Why fortunately? How unfortunately? Fortunately because once people understand, they'll support programs to help end poverty much more quickly. Unfortunately, until they do, millions more people will suffer and die tragically and needlessly. A host of false assumptions Poverty anywhere in the world threatens us right here. It can - and often does - lead to political instability, war, refugee crises, epidemics and terrorism… There is a cure for poverty. Hundreds of millions of people have escaped poverty. But 1.2 billion people still suffer extreme poverty. They live on less than a dollar a day. And every one of them matters, just as you and I matter. That's the human side of all the statistics. And all of this can change, as it has many times in history... A couple hundred years ago, the quality of life in today's wealthy countries was similar to what we now see in Africa and Asia. We escaped poverty and others can, too. The most effective programs benefit from understanding what worked for the West - and what can work even better for today's poorer nations. There are proven methods to escape poverty: We Can End Global Hunger and Poverty by 2012 You can join us to support programs to end extreme poverty - at surprising low cost especially considering how much it will benefit hundreds of millions of people in poverty. It will also greatly benefit us with a more just, sustainable and safer world. Every person makes a big difference. You can. And it's easy to Join Us. Previous blog: How to Stay Inspired | All blog entries Comments and Questions: greatchange@gmail.com.
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