- 1.3 billion people living today on less than a dollar a day.
- Half the world's population lives on two dollars a day, and 800 million people are malnourished in developing countries.
- 1.3 billion people who have no clean water.
- Two billion people have no sanitation.
- Two billion have no electricity.
- Almost 1.5 billion people have dangerous outdoor air pollution, and probably 2 to 2.5 billion are exposed to dangerous indoor air pollution or vector (insect)-borne diseases. Many live in areas of civil strife and are vulnerable to natural disasters.
And if this hasn't made you stop to think and appreciate your life for a second, then let me continue. According to the United Nations, about 70 percent of the human population lives in poverty, most of which has never felt the luxuries that we take for granted - cars, computers, food on the table every night, a warm bed, safety, good water, malls, or education.
This article is directed towards privileged people here in America. I'm not condemning anyone for having money, being rich, being American, or being free of strife. No, that's fine, you've earned your money, or your parents and family. You (or your parents) have worked hard for it. We deserve it. That's not what bothers me. I'd be a real ignorant fool if I can condemn anyone for just being themselves and having money. What bothers me, and what I want to point out, are the minute things that people make out to be big deals and the end of their "shitty" world.
Around me, I've listened to people bitch and bitch and complain like its the end of the world about how life is so bad because you're doing horrible in school (at your own fault, because you go downtown four nights a week) or how your life is ruined because you didn't make the Lacrosse team. I've heard people say its the end of their world because their bf/gf cheated on them and broke up with them, yeah - its definitely the end of the world. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, DON'T JUST SIT THERE AND CRY.
I've listened to people bitch, complain, and throw tantrums because mommy and daddy didn't spend the extra 15K to buy you that new BMW. I've heard and seen a NINETEEN year old brag and show off her new $50,000 2006 7 Series BMW to her friends that mommy and daddy bought for her because (and get this) because she lost 15 lbs. They made an agreement that if she lost 15 fucking pounds, they'd buy her a new 7 series B-M-FUCKING-W. It's sad; they had to bargain with their daughter to LOSE WEIGHT AND BE HEALTHY (wow there's a revelation, something is wrong with her if she doesn't want to be healthy on her own). Sorry, I apologize; I don't hate fat people or anything – no…. Just something about that bargain and situation isn't right. When a person is being persuaded to lose weight and bargained with, 800 million people around the world are wishing they could gain weight and eat, but are malnourished, hungry, starving, and dying.
I'm no saint, but I'm certainly not ignorant. Complaining about minute things and making it the end of the world because daddy won't spent the extra $15,000 for your new bimmer or self-indulging yourself in your pity and believing life as we know it "sucks" because your asshole loser boyfriend broke up with you shows your ignorance of worldly affairs and immaturity in life.
My final point I'd like to make is a positive one: appreciate how fortunate you are and forget about the little things, there are bigger things in this world to worry about.
Live life and be happy
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