Pondering The Numbers
Let’s look at the world a little differently. Perhaps an alternate perspective will help us understand a little more about our neighbours – across the street and around the world
The world is a complicated place. There are over 6.6 billion people living together on this small planet. Everyday we deal with natural disasters, environmental dilemmas and global issues that affect us all. And sometimes it’s difficult to comprehend the enormity of our situation.
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:
60 Asians
14 Africans
12 Europeans
8 Latin Americans
5 North Americans
51 would be male – 49 would be female
82 would be non-white – 18 white
89 heterosexual – 11 homosexual
67 would be non-Christian – 33 would be Christian
5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth, and all of them would be US citizens
80 would live in substandard housing and 24 would not have any electricity (And of the 76% that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night.)
67 would be unable to read and only one would have a college education
50 people would be malnourished and one dying of starvation and one would have HIV/AIDS
One would be near death and two would be near birth.
7 people would have access to the Internet.
If you look at the world from this condensed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes evident.
If you woke up this morning with more health than sickness, you are luckier than the million that will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced a war, an imprisonment, torture or a famine, you are happier, than 500 million people in this world.
If you are able to go to church, mosque or synagogue without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are happier, than 3 billion persons in this world.
If there is a meal in your refrigerator, if you are dressed and have got shoes, if you have a bed and a roof above your head, you are better off, than 75% of people in this world.
It’s just something to think about.
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