CHAPTER 07: White Skeleton Walking
Chapter seven describes the dangers of a new emerging global economic power in the South. The growing consumer classes in the developing countries will create a greater demand on their resources. Then, consumers in the North will not have it easy to over-consume global resources as cheaply as in the past. Suffering from hunger, malnutrition, poverty is generally associated with the Black, Brown or Yellow parts of the world population. A new world order is emerging and poverty may shift to the western world creating a serious human challenge.
(from pg 119) ....."We are not accustomed to seeing white skeletons of living men, women or children. But the picture of the white skeleton-man does demonstrate the fact that different circumstances can create white suffering as well. The threat of climate change may well shift the zones of suffering in the world. The emerging consumer classes in the South have already started to enjoy the power over their own resources, technological advancement, market dominance and power in global governance. An emerging world order suggests that the resources for over consumption in the developed nations are becoming harder to come by the day.....
(from pg 120) ..... "I grew up reading Gandhi’s life and work in India and witnessing voluntary service movements like Sarvodaya working to empower the poor. Before I became the chief advisor to Sarvodaya for a short period, I had listened to its leader Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne speaking to school children and very correctly saying that there is enough food for everyone on earth and it is only a matter of sharing. I keep asking why anyone in India should ever be hungry as it produces a surplus of grain? Ecologist Dr. Vandana Shiva says “more grain from two or three commodities arrived on national and international markets, but less food was eaten by farm families in the third world”. Then the problem must lie within the economic development driven governance system that refuses to distribute the grain amongst its own people. "
Chapter seven describes the dangers of a new emerging global economic power in the South. The growing consumer classes in the developing countries will create a greater demand on their resources. Then, consumers in the North will not have it easy to over-consume global resources as cheaply as in the past. Suffering from hunger, malnutrition, poverty is generally associated with the Black, Brown or Yellow parts of the world population. A new world order is emerging and poverty may shift to the western world creating a serious human challenge.
(from pg 119) ....."We are not accustomed to seeing white skeletons of living men, women or children. But the picture of the white skeleton-man does demonstrate the fact that different circumstances can create white suffering as well. The threat of climate change may well shift the zones of suffering in the world. The emerging consumer classes in the South have already started to enjoy the power over their own resources, technological advancement, market dominance and power in global governance. An emerging world order suggests that the resources for over consumption in the developed nations are becoming harder to come by the day.....
(from pg 120) ..... "I grew up reading Gandhi’s life and work in India and witnessing voluntary service movements like Sarvodaya working to empower the poor. Before I became the chief advisor to Sarvodaya for a short period, I had listened to its leader Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne speaking to school children and very correctly saying that there is enough food for everyone on earth and it is only a matter of sharing. I keep asking why anyone in India should ever be hungry as it produces a surplus of grain? Ecologist Dr. Vandana Shiva says “more grain from two or three commodities arrived on national and international markets, but less food was eaten by farm families in the third world”. Then the problem must lie within the economic development driven governance system that refuses to distribute the grain amongst its own people. "
(from pg 122) ..... "Just like the climate, the world order too is definitely changing. The psychological warfare games are now better understood by smaller and poorer nations who are forging new alliances creating new balances in global power politics. Developing countries no longer fear the technological secretiveness and possessiveness of the developed countries. ..... "
(from pg 123) ..... A changing world order needs a vision of greater equity in global wellbeing. The dream for a better world is not about a change of hands in power and dominance in the world. What difference would it make to poverty or climate change if the black skeleton-man scenario shifts to a white skeleton-man? It is not just a nightmare, but a very wicked dream to have. No man, woman, child or animal should be in the state of a living skeleton. No one should ever suffer from poverty. No one should ever have to worry about the next meal or how to pay the doctor’s bill. No one should have to search high and low for clean drinking water. No one should be made to steal from the other to survive or prosper. A better world may sound a myopic or mythical illusion in the context of the prevailing world order. But the mind of the changing world order cannot be without such thoughts of an equitable and better world for all."
(from pg 129)..... "I would like to see Mr. Obama and his administration succeeding in changing the prevalent system in the USA. But, I would not want to place my world order to succeed only on his strengths and weaknesses. I would appreciate if Mr. Obama and his fellow Americans work towards a shared world order and cohabit with the rest of us in equity....."
(from pg 123) ..... A changing world order needs a vision of greater equity in global wellbeing. The dream for a better world is not about a change of hands in power and dominance in the world. What difference would it make to poverty or climate change if the black skeleton-man scenario shifts to a white skeleton-man? It is not just a nightmare, but a very wicked dream to have. No man, woman, child or animal should be in the state of a living skeleton. No one should ever suffer from poverty. No one should ever have to worry about the next meal or how to pay the doctor’s bill. No one should have to search high and low for clean drinking water. No one should be made to steal from the other to survive or prosper. A better world may sound a myopic or mythical illusion in the context of the prevailing world order. But the mind of the changing world order cannot be without such thoughts of an equitable and better world for all."
(from pg 129)..... "I would like to see Mr. Obama and his administration succeeding in changing the prevalent system in the USA. But, I would not want to place my world order to succeed only on his strengths and weaknesses. I would appreciate if Mr. Obama and his fellow Americans work towards a shared world order and cohabit with the rest of us in equity....."
