I don't really know why but recently I've been thinking a lot about living conditions all over the world. I know a lot of people think third world countries should have their living standards raised to those of say, Canada or the United States, but the problem with that is that the Earth just can't handle it. I also feel that we in Canada and the U.S. have it way too easy, and it makes me feel like a spoiled jerk. Another thing is that part of the reason places like Mexico and Africa are so poor is that we're so rich. So, before we go trying to raise other countries to our living standards, maybe we should lower our said standards a little.
I thought of all the things we could do without, or at least cut back on, so here are some of the big ones.
For starters, fast food restaurants. There's really no reason for us to have them. What are they good for, aside from making a few people rich and a lot of other people fat? Yes, they're convenient, but it's not really a convenience we need. There is also the fact that a lot of the food in poor countries is going towards our fast food addiction instead of to the people that actually need it, because their governments make more money that way. Environmental damage is also a problem, when fast food chains begin cutting down forests for farmland. I just see no good reason for them to exist.
We spend far too much money on the entertainment business as well, throwing billions of dollars away on movies that we forget within a couple of months. A movie budget should only go into the millions when it's absolutely required, and for Christ's sake, quit paying the actors such embarrassingly large sums of cash! The same goes for the games industry. I realize that people want to make games that look realistic and have amazing physics, but is it really necessary for us to be able to see every thread on a character's jacket?
Cars. I know we can't just walk every where, as I live in the second largest country in the world, but things like trains and buses exist for a reason. I'm not going to suggest that no one should drive, but rather that it should be done only when it's actually necessary. If you need some milk from the grocery store that's about a thirty minute walk away, walk there. If you need to buy a ton of groceries, then use the car.
So, anything thoughts on the situation?
I thought of all the things we could do without, or at least cut back on, so here are some of the big ones.
For starters, fast food restaurants. There's really no reason for us to have them. What are they good for, aside from making a few people rich and a lot of other people fat? Yes, they're convenient, but it's not really a convenience we need. There is also the fact that a lot of the food in poor countries is going towards our fast food addiction instead of to the people that actually need it, because their governments make more money that way. Environmental damage is also a problem, when fast food chains begin cutting down forests for farmland. I just see no good reason for them to exist.
We spend far too much money on the entertainment business as well, throwing billions of dollars away on movies that we forget within a couple of months. A movie budget should only go into the millions when it's absolutely required, and for Christ's sake, quit paying the actors such embarrassingly large sums of cash! The same goes for the games industry. I realize that people want to make games that look realistic and have amazing physics, but is it really necessary for us to be able to see every thread on a character's jacket?
Cars. I know we can't just walk every where, as I live in the second largest country in the world, but things like trains and buses exist for a reason. I'm not going to suggest that no one should drive, but rather that it should be done only when it's actually necessary. If you need some milk from the grocery store that's about a thirty minute walk away, walk there. If you need to buy a ton of groceries, then use the car.
So, anything thoughts on the situation?
