“There are 85 human beings alive who have as much wealth as another 3,500,000,000 human beings.”
For me, it doesn’t really matter where the above “fact” came from, though for those keeping score it was a study by Oxfam. It’s more about how we choose to react to it.
Do I think those are completely accurate figures? Honestly…how could they be?
But do I believe that it is within touching distance of the truth? Absolutely.
This is precisely why I have had enough of the characterization of political thought as being “left vs right”.
When we accept this premise, we instantly afford half the ground to those 85 and their minions.
For me, the only true discussion is about how we can share the world’s vast resources more equally among everyone, and by “everyone” I include the 85.
I say let them bandy about their phrases like “Liberal”, “tree hugger”, “socialist” whatever they want. Just because they have the wealth doesn’t mean they should get to set the premise.
If we want to truly represent those 3.5 billion people we need to spend more time looking at the world as it is and less at how it is being presented to us.
Not giving a damn about the drivel coming out of Davos would be a pretty good start. The fact that they claim to be setting a “Global Agenda” says it all. JLP
First Person Plural 