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27.9%ANMag Issue 27 Global Awareness
Pollution Worse, Stock Market Up Fabulously
By Danellandia Foundation
Danellandia Foundation – A picture in Newsweek of people walking in smoggy streets and keeping their hands on their mouths was accompanied by the words "pollution has grown worse, but the stock market has grown fabulously".
This summarizes what has happened not only to the streets of our cities, but to our very planet as well. Enormous wealth has been created at the expense of Nature and at the expense of many people too.
Fabulously? Stock markets are indeed an indicator of wealth when you look at the world as an economist. Ever more people try their luck at them. But do they provide the riches that we want? Is our "household" - the world - being managed properly (in the true sense of economics)?
We would have preferred wealth to be less and to be distributed better worldwide. A large part of the wealth throughout history has been built on exploitation of people or even worse on theft of their properties.
The world's view on our environment and our planet is gradually changing for the better and becoming more respectful of Nature as a whole. Yet, too many companies are still shortsighted and look first at how their stock prices are doing instead of at the well-being of people and Nature.
The world's view on people could do with a major overhaul too. Increasingly, people complain that there is no room for humanity on the work floor anymore and that everything is being concentrated on money. In the future, it might even become forbidden to laugh on the work floor.
What a pity? Are we not supposed to enjoy life?
"Fabulous" wealth for part of the world's population in a polluted environment and a dehumanized society. Some cities in the world offer you the intake equivalent of 20 cigarettes a day when you live there, just by breathing their air. Some people think they have to earn ever more, because they are made to believe they need to consume ever more. It is like giving in to temptations. Is this the world that we want?
Definitely not. The main priority should be the people (worldwide) and Nature.
Economics should be redefined as "managing the world in an equitable way in harmony with Nature and in the deepest respect for the human being wherever on planet Earth". Economics as we have had it till today too often smells of selfishness and neglect.
If we do not reduce selfishness and neglect, we may well have to keep our hands on our mouths soon. While continuing to virtually neglect the poor countries in the world.
Danellandia Foundation is a not for profit organization for healthy people on a healthy planet