The net worth of the world’s 62 richest people is equal to the total wealth of the poorest half of the global population.
Oxfam/The Times
Since David Cameron became Prime Minister of The UK more than 400 full-time libraries have closed in the UK; around one in seven library books have gone.
CIPFA/The Daily Telegraph
Why are human beings making such a hash of governing themselves? Has common sense disappeared forever, or are we just going through some kind of temporary fit or convulsion?
Epicureanism stands for calm and rational thought. It is necessary to have around in the world a still, small voice of reason and a spirit of moderation and consideration for others. Money cannot be our prime preoccupation. (By the way I believe old-fashioned, printed books will return to popularity. Don’t destroy them).
First of all, I love libraries. I used to visit them a lot as a child, and occasionally continue to do so- though the university library is more than sufficient for most things. Its absolutely essential we promote reading amongst children, and public libraries are one of the best ways of doing so.
The reason why libraries are in decline in the UK is because of a wider program of austerity. Local councils across the country are having their budgets cut, and therefore have to make some difficult decisions. Instead of being imposed cutd from Whitehall, councils should be given the ability to raise taxes of their own, like in the US. Council tax would be abolished, and councils would be able to keep all of the business rates raised in their area. That way, Labour leaning areas could choose to have higher taxes but more services, Conservative areas could choose the opposite.
As for your overall point, the statistics are very worrying, but not for the reasons you may first think of. The reality is, absolute poverty is in serious decline, and has been worldwide since the 1960s. The proportion of people living on $1 a day is lower than ever. The reason why there is so much inequality is because a select few in the developed world have benefited from the decline in poverty in the developing world. They have used a virtually limitless supply if cheap labour to drive up profits, but traditional industries in the developed world have gone into decline. Therefore, there needs to be massive investment and redistribution of wealth towards those in the developed world who have not benefited from globalisation. We should try to give aid to those in the developing world, especially disaster relief. But at the end if the day, nations must take responsibility for themselves. We cannot afford to bail out all of the world’s poor.
“Why are human beings making such a hash of governing themselves?”
I just read your question at the beginning of the day and I want your answer on my desk by 6 p.m. tonight,
Mr. Hanrott, 🙂
Am spending much of the winter reading (printed and electronic) the history of Europe from about 550-1150 CE. I can eke out a little bit of hope. It’s hard to imagine more of a “hash” than Europe during those centuries. Out of the violence, brutishness, economic collapse, and illiteracy–Europe managed gradually to organize a system in which human beings obtained security, laws (custom), order, loving, living, and art–and did it without a state. Granted, what dims hope nowadays is that we have the power to blow humankind to smithereens.
It turns out, in my experience, that printed books and e-books can co-exist fruitfully and each has its own rewards. For example, e-books are marvelously searchable which, if you read a lot of history, is an indispensable tool. Printed books are physically more fun to handle and you can easily underline and talk back in the margins. And the paper books have their own fine scent. The End 🙂