This is an essay that I had to do for my Social Studies this semester. It's a bit choppy but I think that the general idea is comprehensible. The assignment was to "Explain why world population growth is a serious problem and suggest what you feel would be a solution to the crisis."
These days many people are worried about the great increase in the world's population as we move further into the 21st century. They are worried about the resources that we may not have available in the future because of our sudden, and drastic, growth in population.
Africa is especially finding difficulties with the increases in its population. This problem is mostly due to AIDS and the lack of education that the population is receiving. In the world it is estimated that 125 million children are uneducated, 1,400 children die from AIDS everyday in Africa, 1,800 children that are below the age of 15 have become HIV-positive the same day in Africa, and 1,400 children become AIDS infected kids during their birth, in Africa.
I think that in order to help countries like Africa we need to, perhaps, lower our standards of living ourselves. I find that these days in North America most parents are in the work force getting money for extra pleasures. Some families need the extra income, but most families don't. For now women are more interested in a career than loving their children and raising them to be the children they ought to be. By neglecting this, many children are searching for attention and acceptance through drugs, boyfriends/girlfriends, selfish pleasures and gangs. (That's another story, though.) Also, women in the olden days had more freedom to help their neighbors and join societies that were interested in helping the poor because they weren't working. Do families really need (not want) both parents to work?
If we, maybe, give up all the extra things, like all the expensive vacations, extra computers, ipods, clothes, money and other pleasures in life, then we could help so many others with the extra money that we don't need. We would feel so much more happiness when we help others than if we keep buying all the possessions the world has to offer. As well, we would be giving people the essentials that they need to live and be successful--something we already have.
People will have to live with the consequences of their actions, such as the many babies that they have because of the intercourse they've had with men--abortion, for me, is just not something we should even contemplate, it's wrong. If you wouldn't murder, you won't abort someone (look up that word, abort, and see what it means...essential the meaning is murder) a baby, or fetus, is alive before it is born, otherwise how would it grow? Can you grow a dead thing, or bring a dead thing to life?
Another consequence that these 'now made better off people' would have to face are enemies and debts. Debts we could help them with, although it's sometimes a good idea for people to experience how to deal with getting out of their debts.
As we clean up the poorness in these poor countries and better educate these people, less people will be born or die, so then we all will have more resources that can be used in the future and knock on a few more days for us to live. If we, in North America, would stop over-consuming all these fast food restaurants and stop eating more than we need to, that would also help to knock on a few more days for us to live.
As you can see, it's not just the poorest country's problems that we are overpopulated and have a minimal amount of available resources. It's our (North America's) problem too that we are using up more and more of the food and trees etc. With less litter and more recycling we can have more paper and bottles and whatever else glass or aluminum is used for. As well, if we wouldn't consume so much unhealthy food, or eat unhealthy portions, or waste ingredients on these extra, unneeded things, then our resources would be more in stock.
So it's not just poor countries, like I've said, that need to get their act together so that we don't have these problems. It's everyone's, in this entire world('s), problem....so we all need to pitch in and help, no matter what the cost, so that we can overcome these situations that we have created by economic disparity.
Bibliography:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking-point/726939.stm
http://vqronline.org/articles/2006/winter/genoways-scourge/
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
An Essay: Definition of Success
I would really like to hear your definition of success. I'd really like to know what your thoughts are whenever you hear the word 'success'. Here is my definition of success:
There are many definitions of success in this world. Most of them have the basis for being selfish. 'Success is how much stuff I can get and how much fun I can have in life'. 'Success is getting the job I want, the family I want and the life I want'. 'Success is how much happiness I can get from the things that I buy and the people that I have as my friends and the different things I'm involved in'. I'd say the basis for these definitions also has to do with what will make us feel content and satisfied with life. I'm afraid that my definition of success is quite different from these possible definitions, however.
How would you feel if you had all the latest toys, games, clothes, cars, electronics (ie. ipod nano, DVD system, cell phone, palm schedule thingamajiggers) and food and had money to spare for expensive vacations? You've traveled everywhere and seen everything and have all the material possessions that you could ever want. You are one cool person. After all that, may I ask, what's left? You've succeeded in getting rich, you've succeeded in getting all you might want. Would you be happy? My answer for that is 'no, not really'. All this latest stuff would start to get boring.
It's like Christmas--you get a lot of cool stuff and you use it all the time. Days and even weeks later you still use all this cool stuff, but it doesn't have the same excitement attached to it. And then one day you find that you don't really want to use it--you just lug it around cuz everyone else has this kinda stuff, it's the fad to have one, and if you don't have this kinda stuff you really aren't that cool.
But then a new and better type of your stuff comes out and you notice that everyone else seems to have that and you don't. 'Oh, my friends have such a cool car now--my 'brand' of car is so dumb cuz all it can do is this...while my friends car can do this...'
There's always going to be something newer and better out there. So do you think you'll ever feel satisfied with the 'success' money has bought you? How can you succeed in getting happy and 'un-bored' for life?
You know, there is one thing in this world that is free that you don't have to spend long, worrisome hours at work for so that you can have it. (By the way, if your goal is to become so that you can get the latest stuff--don't bother, all you'll want next is the new and better type and you'll be plagued with jealousy and greed and never feeling satisfied.)
I always feel the greatest and happiest when I do something for someone else. Big or little, I know that what I've done is right, clean and good. Being nice to people, a lot of the time, though, is really, really hard. It's impossible to be nice every second of everyday. And you know, that's where you'll feel the happiest--making other's lives better and cleaner and safer. That's what God wants us to do, what He'll help us to do. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can do the 'impossible' things that He wants for us to do.
We are successful, I believe, when we do the things that our Creator put us on earth for. Only then can we find true happiness and the feeling of content and 'success'. If my job in life was to put batteries in watches, yet I didn't do it, the watches, obviously, wouldn't work and no one would be on time. Things would get a little messed up and disorganized. If we don't do what God wants us to do in life, just think what a mess the world would become! If no one loved what was true, pure, right, lovely and worthy of thought or praise, then we would be foul mouthed, uncontrollable, smug, murderous, un-pure, hateful, abusive and down right ugly people.
We're only successful in gaining happiness, joy, peace, contentment and true love when we do exactly what we were meant to do from the beginning of time...which is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind....and to love your neighbor (this also means friends, family and other people you meet in life) as you would love youself'.
True success comes from, and is, God. When we have developed a relationship and love for Him, and when we do His will, we will find everything that we are looking for. Success is not easy to obtain and maintain, just ask the big tycoons of this world, but with God's help and His love, strength and abundant patience we can slowly, but surely, gain the right kind of success and the right kind of happiness and goal for our lives.
There are many definitions of success in this world. Most of them have the basis for being selfish. 'Success is how much stuff I can get and how much fun I can have in life'. 'Success is getting the job I want, the family I want and the life I want'. 'Success is how much happiness I can get from the things that I buy and the people that I have as my friends and the different things I'm involved in'. I'd say the basis for these definitions also has to do with what will make us feel content and satisfied with life. I'm afraid that my definition of success is quite different from these possible definitions, however.
How would you feel if you had all the latest toys, games, clothes, cars, electronics (ie. ipod nano, DVD system, cell phone, palm schedule thingamajiggers) and food and had money to spare for expensive vacations? You've traveled everywhere and seen everything and have all the material possessions that you could ever want. You are one cool person. After all that, may I ask, what's left? You've succeeded in getting rich, you've succeeded in getting all you might want. Would you be happy? My answer for that is 'no, not really'. All this latest stuff would start to get boring.
It's like Christmas--you get a lot of cool stuff and you use it all the time. Days and even weeks later you still use all this cool stuff, but it doesn't have the same excitement attached to it. And then one day you find that you don't really want to use it--you just lug it around cuz everyone else has this kinda stuff, it's the fad to have one, and if you don't have this kinda stuff you really aren't that cool.
But then a new and better type of your stuff comes out and you notice that everyone else seems to have that and you don't. 'Oh, my friends have such a cool car now--my 'brand' of car is so dumb cuz all it can do is this...while my friends car can do this...'
There's always going to be something newer and better out there. So do you think you'll ever feel satisfied with the 'success' money has bought you? How can you succeed in getting happy and 'un-bored' for life?
You know, there is one thing in this world that is free that you don't have to spend long, worrisome hours at work for so that you can have it. (By the way, if your goal is to become so that you can get the latest stuff--don't bother, all you'll want next is the new and better type and you'll be plagued with jealousy and greed and never feeling satisfied.)
I always feel the greatest and happiest when I do something for someone else. Big or little, I know that what I've done is right, clean and good. Being nice to people, a lot of the time, though, is really, really hard. It's impossible to be nice every second of everyday. And you know, that's where you'll feel the happiest--making other's lives better and cleaner and safer. That's what God wants us to do, what He'll help us to do. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can do the 'impossible' things that He wants for us to do.
We are successful, I believe, when we do the things that our Creator put us on earth for. Only then can we find true happiness and the feeling of content and 'success'. If my job in life was to put batteries in watches, yet I didn't do it, the watches, obviously, wouldn't work and no one would be on time. Things would get a little messed up and disorganized. If we don't do what God wants us to do in life, just think what a mess the world would become! If no one loved what was true, pure, right, lovely and worthy of thought or praise, then we would be foul mouthed, uncontrollable, smug, murderous, un-pure, hateful, abusive and down right ugly people.
We're only successful in gaining happiness, joy, peace, contentment and true love when we do exactly what we were meant to do from the beginning of time...which is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind....and to love your neighbor (this also means friends, family and other people you meet in life) as you would love youself'.
True success comes from, and is, God. When we have developed a relationship and love for Him, and when we do His will, we will find everything that we are looking for. Success is not easy to obtain and maintain, just ask the big tycoons of this world, but with God's help and His love, strength and abundant patience we can slowly, but surely, gain the right kind of success and the right kind of happiness and goal for our lives.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
A Story
Here's a little story that I wrote a couple of years ago. I wasn't sure what else to start my blog with, but this just happened to pop to my mind--so here it is.
She watched him pace back and forth, back and forth, back and forth until it made her head swim. Finally he stopped and went to the large mahogany desk and pulled at one of the gold handled drawers. Picking out an intricately carved, oak box he selected a fat, brown cigar and stuck it into his broad mouth. Again he rummaged through the drawer and pulled out a smaller version of the first box. Opening it, he took out a match and struck it against the box and a little flame burst up. With shaking fingers he held it to the end of his cigar. The rings on his last three fingers of his left hand sparkled momentarily then died out. He took a deep breath from the cigar and blew. Smoke curled up to the ceiling in a grey, lacy formation, then it faded gracefully into the already stifling air.
She had watched the whole process and now he lifted his eyes to meet hers and his two large, black eyes flickered with annoyance. He smiled; his already curved, raven like nose became more curved and even more raven like. His smile was extremely big because of his broad mouth, but the smile was not kind--no indeed. Rather, Amanda saw a secret smile that promised that she was in for something; something bad and wicked and full of trouble.
She felt sick, not from the worry of what was to come, but of the large man in front of her. He sat and folded his claws--no they were not claws, but hands with dirty cream colored grime underneath his talons--no! he had not talons!
She felt dizzy and wanted to get out of the room. She needed fresh air, now! She looked desperately at the tightly closed and locked French doors at the end of the room and wanted to open them, to feel the feather light breeze move about her and blow away her loneliness and sickness. Freedom--she needed it--that only would be her medicine, but the knowing look on the big man's face told her he would not open those doors for as long as she was in the room.
Amanda breathed deeply and folded her hands tightly in her lap. Come, come, she thought feverishly. Come, let's get it over with. She squeezed her eyes tightly. Then, finally, the door behind her creaked open and three men came in. She let out a shaky breath--now her fate would be decided.
It took long enough to have the three men settle down, and yet exchange greetings, and every other formality that existed, before eventually getting to the present case. Well, really, only two of the three men had to undergo all the formalities and introductions that ever existed, for the third man, who was younger than the other two, and had apparently, to Amanda's eyes, not ever entered the room before, stood unnoticed for a while until one of the men noticed to introduce him. Otherwise the younger man looked about the room with calculated interest. Too bad he had to be here now, Amanda thought as dryly as the warm, swimming air permitted.
The younger man's gaze came to rest on Amanda and he looked at her with piercing black eyes that glittered and said that he wasn't pleased to be there, but was there anyhow. Amanda looked back with hard scrutiny. She didn't like the look of things, and the fact that she had a hopeless situation--for everything would point against her and none of the men would ever stand up for her as they hadn't even been there--made her feel as if she were shriveling, yet not shriveling for she was not dying, but was shriveling into something hot (like a grape too long in the sun) and noticable.
That gaze...Amanda looked away and stared with rising anger at the desk in front of her. Her cheeks felt hot and she was feeling rather faint....
I'm afraid this is all you're going to see of this story, for I am not known for finishing them. You may see it one day between a hard or soft cover with a title and an author...but for now it is here.
She watched him pace back and forth, back and forth, back and forth until it made her head swim. Finally he stopped and went to the large mahogany desk and pulled at one of the gold handled drawers. Picking out an intricately carved, oak box he selected a fat, brown cigar and stuck it into his broad mouth. Again he rummaged through the drawer and pulled out a smaller version of the first box. Opening it, he took out a match and struck it against the box and a little flame burst up. With shaking fingers he held it to the end of his cigar. The rings on his last three fingers of his left hand sparkled momentarily then died out. He took a deep breath from the cigar and blew. Smoke curled up to the ceiling in a grey, lacy formation, then it faded gracefully into the already stifling air.
She had watched the whole process and now he lifted his eyes to meet hers and his two large, black eyes flickered with annoyance. He smiled; his already curved, raven like nose became more curved and even more raven like. His smile was extremely big because of his broad mouth, but the smile was not kind--no indeed. Rather, Amanda saw a secret smile that promised that she was in for something; something bad and wicked and full of trouble.
She felt sick, not from the worry of what was to come, but of the large man in front of her. He sat and folded his claws--no they were not claws, but hands with dirty cream colored grime underneath his talons--no! he had not talons!
She felt dizzy and wanted to get out of the room. She needed fresh air, now! She looked desperately at the tightly closed and locked French doors at the end of the room and wanted to open them, to feel the feather light breeze move about her and blow away her loneliness and sickness. Freedom--she needed it--that only would be her medicine, but the knowing look on the big man's face told her he would not open those doors for as long as she was in the room.
Amanda breathed deeply and folded her hands tightly in her lap. Come, come, she thought feverishly. Come, let's get it over with. She squeezed her eyes tightly. Then, finally, the door behind her creaked open and three men came in. She let out a shaky breath--now her fate would be decided.
It took long enough to have the three men settle down, and yet exchange greetings, and every other formality that existed, before eventually getting to the present case. Well, really, only two of the three men had to undergo all the formalities and introductions that ever existed, for the third man, who was younger than the other two, and had apparently, to Amanda's eyes, not ever entered the room before, stood unnoticed for a while until one of the men noticed to introduce him. Otherwise the younger man looked about the room with calculated interest. Too bad he had to be here now, Amanda thought as dryly as the warm, swimming air permitted.
The younger man's gaze came to rest on Amanda and he looked at her with piercing black eyes that glittered and said that he wasn't pleased to be there, but was there anyhow. Amanda looked back with hard scrutiny. She didn't like the look of things, and the fact that she had a hopeless situation--for everything would point against her and none of the men would ever stand up for her as they hadn't even been there--made her feel as if she were shriveling, yet not shriveling for she was not dying, but was shriveling into something hot (like a grape too long in the sun) and noticable.
That gaze...Amanda looked away and stared with rising anger at the desk in front of her. Her cheeks felt hot and she was feeling rather faint....
I'm afraid this is all you're going to see of this story, for I am not known for finishing them. You may see it one day between a hard or soft cover with a title and an author...but for now it is here.
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