"If we could reduce the world's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this:
The village would have 61 Asians, 13 Africans, 12 Europeans, 9 Latin Americans, and 5 from the USA and Canada
50 would be male, 50 would be female
75 would be non-white; 25 white
67 would be non-Christian; 33 would be Christian
80 would live in substandard housing
16 would be unable to read or write
50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation
33 would be without access to a safe water supply
39 would lack access to improved sanitation
24 would not have any electricity (And of the 76 that do
have electricity, most would only use it for light at night.)
8 people would have access to the Internet
1 would have a college education
1 would have HIV
2 would be near birth; 1 near death
5 would control 32% of the entire world's wealth; all 5 would be US citizens
48 would live on less than US$ 2 a day
20 would live on less than US$ 1 a day"
One of my prized possessions is a globe/lamp that sits on my desk, right next to my bed. It's a touch lamp, so each time you touch it it gets brighter. If you've ever seen "While you were sleeping," it's kind of like the lamp that Lucy's mother gave to her father. Very romantic.
So, after I read through these statistics a couple of times, I sat staring at my lamp for a while, looking at the size of my home in relation to the other countries in the world and the thought struck me; I forget. I forget that most people in the world do not live the way I live. I've read these statistics before, I'm sure of it. But it is still so easy to forget... my lifestyle is unusual.
I am the 1 in the village with the college education. I wonder what it would feel like to stand with my fellow 99 other villagers knowing that I was the only one who had the choice to study whatever I wanted to study, and to become whatever I wanted to become. I am one of the 5 who will control 32% of the worlds wealth. Not sure what I did to deserve that one. I am one of the 32 villagers who can live on more than $2 a day. When I thought a bit about how I would survive on less than $2 a day, I felt hungry. If I ever feel malnourished it's because I have been too busy or lazy to make myself healthy food and have been frequenting Taco Bell a little to much.
As further example: Most people in the world don't wake up in the morning (at whatever time they choose) and try to decide how to fit in two social calls, one shopping trip, homework (that is actually super interesting), a party, and personal time for scripture study, blogging, and doing my hair. Yeah... my life is pretty... fun.
I am in a multiculturalism class right now that is really pushing me to change the way I think about my blessings (which is just one more privilege few have). We've talked about unearned privilege a lot and how we should not feel guilty because of our wealth... we just need to remember that most of our privileges are indeed unearned and that where much is given, much is required. I think that what is required of me is that I learn to not put myself above or below others. Next week as an assignment for this class I'll spend several hours at the homeless shelter doing one-on-one interviews with the homeless about their life experience. I hope that I'm not judgmental. I'm sure that I will be, but I'm going to try really hard not to assume that because I have an education, clean clothing, and peace, that I am in any way better then them. I want to learn to see all of the villagers in this global village the way God sees them.
We are not the 99%... we are the 1% (or the .01%)
