African food shortage

[Shasta]

Once again, these people are starving. Quick- send a dollar a day! There is a huge drought and all their goats / cattle are dying, and so are the people there, as there is not enough water.

My question is: These people have been starving etc for decades. Why and/or how are they breeding? Why would they want to bring kids into this suffering? Where do they get the energy to make a baby? Is that what a dry hump is? Why do I have to watch an ad on TV showing a 8 month old baby dying, when the idiots that made it knew the kind of life it would have? If someone got them to stop having kids 20 years ago, they wouldn't still be in the same mess now.

 

[Neo_Kuja]

Mostly because of the fact that the more children they produce, the higher the chances of survival for the family in the future (also, there are other tribal and introduced religious ideals - don't use contraception and you'll go to heaven .. etc,etc).

As for the reason for the T.V producers showing the baby dying, it's purely for shock value to provoke the "Oh my god, how can I be sitting here doing nothing !" response. It's a pity that the majority of people forget about it one minute, and go back to watching their shows.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

Most aid money gets caught up in administrative costs or embezzled by corrupt African governments unfortunately. Imagine how it would be if all the aid that was really donated, every bit, got to where it was intended. I wonder what the situation would be like now.

I don't know how, at all, to recover the situation. The blame is easy to lay- western colonization, slave trade for depleting population, resource rape, and now corrupt African officials abusing their people and embezzling money. All of that is easy to say and everyone does.

But again, that's the easy part that does jack shit for them. They need help fixing the situation, but I don't think anyone knows how to fix the situation really...

 

[Shasta]

I think they could fix the problem with a hard-hitting "If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em" campaign.

 

[Raziaar]

Donating doesn't do shit in some of those countries, unfortunately, because alot of the time corrupt warlords and stuff in areas of africa will hoard all the aided food and stuff from the locals.

Kinda like in black hawk down. That shit happens.

 

[Ome_Vince]

Its basically a circle of stupidity.
The west sends cash and food, population starts depending on it and increases, the west sends more cash and food, population starts depending on that and increases.
What we actually should do is teach them how to "evolve" and "boost up their industry" so they can maintain themselves instead of depend on us. Buy their goods and sponsor that so their economy will grow.

One way to boost up their industry (its a start) is to quit sponsoring our own farming goods etc, and quit dumping our own "left-overs" for like 1/10th the price in Africa anihilating the African competition...

But this wont change because we'd rather just send cash and food once in a while then actually help other countries economy (Quote from the Emperor : all those in power are afraid to lose it).

 

[Sulkdodds]

Hahah, yes, blame the Africans for having babies.

I think one of the problems is that both the First World and anybody with any power in the Third World want the Third World to remain exactly as it is.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Sex is rumoured to be enjoyable. That's why they have sex i believe, life in the form of babies is an unwanted side-effect. This is only a theory.

So many of those African countries have been enduring decade + long civil wars yadada blablabla. Sorry i just don't care about them anymore. Let them tear themselves apart. I have my own problems to worry about, need new shoelaces.

 

[Solaris]

We need a socialist revolution, then everything will be fine.....everything.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Africa's biggest problem is corruption. Just look at some of their leaders, and you'll see where the aid money has gone.

Technocracy. That's where things should go.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[el Chi]

My question is: These people have been starving etc for decades. Why and/or how are they breeding? Why would they want to bring kids into this suffering? Where do they get the energy to make a baby? Is that what a dry hump is? Why do I have to watch an ad on TV showing a 8 month old baby dying, when the idiots that made it knew the kind of life it would have? If someone got them to stop having kids 20 years ago, they wouldn't still be in the same mess now.

Your solution to African droughts and starvation is to get them to stop "breeding"? You're being sarcastic, right?

I suppose if they had kids they could always eat them, couldn't they? I mean, then they get the benefits of having sex and they wouldn't need to worry quite as much about bringing strife to more people nor worry about getting aid, because they've got a food supply. The problem with that plan is, of course, that the supply's very irregular.

Sigh.

We need a socialist revolution, then everything will be fine.....everything.

You do realise that some of these African nations in such trouble have already had socialist revolutions? They've ended upwith crooked megalomaniacs.
And precisely how would a socialist revolution sort out the centuries of exploitation that continent has undergone that have led (at least in part) to so many of the problems we see today? Please explain that one to me, Solaris.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

He's not being sarcastic, he's actually just a seeyounexttuesday.

Props to referencing "A Modest Proposal", Chi

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Vegeta897]

Africa's biggest problem is corruption. Just look at some of their leaders, and you'll see where the aid money has gone.

After just watching Lord of War, I was about to post this same thing. It's really depressing.

 

[el Chi]

Props to referencing "A Modest Proposal", Chi

Ithangyow

And I find it beyond belief that that could really be Shasta's solution.
It's like saying "It's YOUR fault you're hungry. YOURS. If you lot hadn't kept having kids you wouldn't be in this mess... Tsk tsk."

 

[Angry Lawyer]

"It's YOUR fault you were born to a poor family! YOUR fault! Let your parents eat you!"

-Angry Lawyer

 

[clarky003]

Hahah, yes, blame the Africans for having babies.

I think one of the problems is that both the First World and anybody with any power in the Third World want the Third World to remain exactly as it is.

QFT to some extent.

 

[Solaris]

Poor people in Africa. What we need to do, is have a socialist revolution, so we become goodies, and then invade Africa. Remove all crap leaders, create a socialist heirarchy, and really invest in social welfare there. You know thoose leaflets you get were it asks you to by your freind A donkey for someone in Africa present, well lets buy everyone a donkey, and a well.

Sorted.

 

[el Chi]

Poor people in Africa. What we need to do, is have a socialist revolution, so we become goodies, and then invade Africa. Remove all crap leaders, create a socialist heirarchy, and really invest in social welfare there. You know thoose leaflets you get were it asks you to by your freind A donkey for someone in Africa present, well lets buy everyone a donkey, and a well.

Sorted.

Genius. Why did no-one ever think of that before?
Tell me, do you object to the US & Great Britain's invasion of Iraq in the name of "democracy"?
Because the reasoning behind that (forgetting about oil for a minute) is exactly the same reasoning you're proposing.

 

[Solaris]

Genius. Why did no-one ever think of that before?
Tell me, do you object to the US & Great Britain's invasion of Iraq in the name of "democracy"?
Because the reasoning behind that (forgetting about oil for a minute) is exactly the same reasoning you're proposing.

The US and GB have done nothing to re-build the infrastructure, 100% of the people are on rations.

We would be there to help, we wouldn't be shooting people, or anyone, we would just overthrow the state with minimal force and replace it with socialism. Obviously there would have to be mass propaganda before the invasion to help people understand whats going to happen, and the soldiers will all carry food and such to disperse. Who would rebel against people who are preventing your children from starving to death.

 

[The Monkey]

It's hard to tell if you're joking or not, Solaris.

 

[Ome_Vince]

The US and GB have done nothing to re-build the infrastructure, 100% of the people are on rations.

Tell me, how the **** would you know? Were you in Iraq?
I have 2 friends who served in Iraq as trained soldiers, they came back to be seen as "oppressors there" (thnx to the hippies), while all they did all day long was build roads, hospitals etc.
They told me they felt more like construction and social workers rather than soldiers.
This is common under all the coalition soldiers. This doesnt mean they're great or whatever, but for gods sake its not black and white Solaris..

Google a bit on how many countries including the USA and GB are funding Iraq and rebuilding it.
Its a slow process because after 12 years of sanctions there's a huge load that needs to be done.
Its still not good, and alot needs to be done, but saying they did NOTHING to re-build Iraq is total bs.

Now i opposed the Iraqi war, so i agree with you there, but dont come spreading propaganda crap like that around...
Sorry if im coming off like an asshole now but reading stuff like that gets me a little pissed.

 

[Solaris]

re:the Monley: I'm not.

And they build some stuff, but Iraq is is a mess, thanks to Weastern intervention.

 

[el Chi]

The US and GB have done nothing to re-build the infrastructure, 100% of the people are on rations.

We would be there to help, we wouldn't be shooting people, or anyone, we would just overthrow the state with minimal force and replace it with socialism. Obviously there would have to be mass propaganda before the invasion to help people understand whats going to happen, and the soldiers will all carry food and such to disperse. Who would rebel against people who are preventing your children from starving to death.

Solaris, that is really naive of you. When you say "We would be there to help" that's exactly what the US & GB are saying. The soldiers are not going in saying "We're here to shoot the sh*t out of you all", they're there to help too - it just depends on the idological stance of the invading forces.

You're still talking about not only a forced invasion of a nation with the intention of changing their system to fit your idea of a perfect one. You do realise that that's precisely what the Nazi's mentality was when they invaded Poland and Czechoslavakia? In their eyes, they were there for the greater good.

You're also talking, quite happily, about subverting freedom of thought by trying to dupe everyone into believing what you do by use of propaganda. You're not helping people understand, you're brain-washing the people. I thought you stood against that?

The soldiers of these invading forces of yours would not simply walk through the streets and fields. They WOULD encounter resistance and they WOULD have to kill people. Why allow the soldier with the food to overthrow your country when you can kill him, keep the food and your copuntry.

You're simply not factoring in grim realities like the idea of subjective motives and morals. I'm sorry to say it, but your vision just wouldn't work.

 

[Ome_Vince]

re:the Monley: I'm not.

And they build some stuff, but Iraq is is a mess, thanks to Weastern intervention.

Right, so Saddam had nothing to do with it?
I mean "again" i opposed the war, but i also think Saddam was pretty good and effecient at raping his own nation and getting the world to all do sanctions against him and his regime.

 

[Solaris]

Right, so Saddam had nothing to do with it?
I mean "again" i opposed the war, but i also think Saddam was pretty good and effecient at raping his own nation and getting the world to all do sanctions against him and his regime.

Who funded Sadam, who put him in power?

 

[Sulkdodds]

Thus the problem with commies is revealed.
"Communism is the only truly free system!
But if you don't like it, we're going to have to oppress you."
I once asked a communist if he really was talking about oppressing anybody who didn't agree with him, and he said 'precisely.'

Who would rebel against people who are preventing your children from starving to death.

Everybody.

 

[Solaris]

'Everybody.

Then no-one will be left to starve.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Were you going to add something to that post or did you mean to end it with a full stop?

 

[Solaris]

Full stop.

 

[el Chi]

Sod this, I've got the answer. I become King of Everywhere and everyone does whatever the hell I say, according to my own plans and anyone who disagrees with/deviates from those plans are fed to the needy. Of course, under my reign of aweome, there would be no needy.

Sound good?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

I support Chi in his aspirations for godhood.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Pajari]

Most aid money gets caught up in administrative costs or embezzled by corrupt African governments unfortunately. Imagine how it would be if all the aid that was really donated, every bit, got to where it was intended. I wonder what the situation would be like now.

I don't know how, at all, to recover the situation. The blame is easy to lay- western colonization, slave trade for depleting population, resource rape, and now corrupt African officials abusing their people and embezzling money. All of that is easy to say and everyone does.

But again, that's the easy part that does jack shit for them. They need help fixing the situation, but I don't think anyone knows how to fix the situation really...

Three posts and the thread is over.

What we need to do is exactly what Solaris suggested and remove the corruption and incompetence by force (removing bullshit trade laws and subsidies to ineffecient industries would do a great deal as well). We should have done that in Somalia back in the early nineties, and we should have done it to Sudan last summer, but in both cases we were too tied up or too afraid to do anything. We can either keep throwing money at a system that is so far beyond repair its actually making the situation worse, or we can replace the system, cut off aid, and let Africa create its own prosperity and stability.

They could easily do it, I believe, if given half a chance. Stupid shit like Live 8 isn't going to do a damn thing, but that's about the extent most of the West is willing to go for Africa.

We need a Reagan or Wilson in Africa, is all.

 

[Ome_Vince]

Who funded Sadam, who put him in power?

Who allowed Hitler to come to power? By raping Germany the allies practically opened the door for him!
Ask the germans back then (1946) what they loved more: liberated or under Hitler rule, they'd say hell bring back Hitler, for being liberated means going through a shitpool first.

I dont see the Iraq issue black and white as "liberated of Evil", there are more parties to blame, but its all to easy to blame everything on the US like you do.
The world is NOT black and white Solaris, when will you ever learn?

 

[kirovman]

I applaud el Chi's plan. Which, at this stage is already much more popular than Solaris's idea, since me and Angry Lawyer have approved it.

 

[Adabiviak]

Africa's got legions of problems, of which starvation is but another. AIDS? Corruption? Drought? Civil wars? First-world countries who 'help' just enough to exacerbate open wounds? Pirates? Amputee Camps? What's not wrong with that continent? Africa got the shaft with the Berlin Conference, and it's been stewing in its own juices ever since. Not every country in that continent is in the 'worst' shape, but an overhaul is probably going to require unilateral intervention from the rest of the entire civilized world if the goal is to truly turn the African continent into an enviable place to be. The kind of thing mused about with "if I was king" ideas - that's what it'd take, I think.

 

[Lemonking]

I think Solaris suffers from brain direa its coming out his ears.

 

[jondy]

I think Solaris suffers from brain direa its coming out his ears.

Pot.... Kettle.... some.. kind.. of.. colour....

 

[Sulkdodds]

Damnit, people should stop saying that! It's some crazy 'merican expression that I'd never heard of and had to look up a couple of days ago (previously I just assumed people had accidentally posted in politics instead of the Kitchenware Social Club Thread. But no! It's just a fancy way of saying 'you're a goddamn hypocrite!' God damnit! It's even a stupid expression, too! When you think of pots and kettles, you don't think 'ah yes, they're black from being on the stove all day' or whatever, you just think 'mmm, sexy kitchenware' or something. Now a far better saying might be 'aren't you Lord Voldemort calling Sauron evil?' or something? At least then it's an immediately recognisable cultural motif.

 

[OvA]

Damnit, people should stop saying that! It's some crazy 'merican expression that I'd never heard of and had to look up a couple of days ago (previously I just assumed people had accidentally posted in politics instead of the Kitchenware Social Club Thread. But no! It's just a fancy way of saying 'you're a goddamn hypocrite!' God damnit! It's even a stupid expression, too! When you think of pots and kettles, you don't think 'ah yes, they're black from being on the stove all day' or whatever, you just think 'mmm, sexy kitchenware' or something. Now a far better saying might be 'aren't you Lord Voldemort calling Sauron evil?' or something? At least then it's an immediately recognisable cultural motif.

panhead

 

[Lemonking]

Pot.... Kettle.... some.. kind.. of.. colour....

lame, very unorignal




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