this is a handout from mckendree's service learning class. i've seen similar sheets before, i'm sure it is a chain email. but give it a chance. it brings home just how lucky we are to be on this journey and to be so privileged.
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if we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
57 asians
21 europeans
14 from the western hemisphere (north &south america)
08 africans
52 female
48 male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-christian
30 would be christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the united states
80 would live in sub-standard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer
when one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes apparent
the following is also something to ponder:
...if you woke up this morning with more health than illness.. you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week
...if you never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation.. you are ahead of 500 million people in the world
...if you can attend a religious meeting of your choice without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death.. you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
...if you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep.. you are richer than 75% of this world
...if you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace.. you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy
...if your parents are still alive and still married.. you are very rare, even in the united states &canada
...if you can hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful.. you are lucky because the majority can but most do not
...if you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder.. you are lucky because you can offer a healing touch.
...if you can read this message.. you are luckier than over 2 billion people in the world who cannot read at all
(sources: central intelligence agency world factbook, the information please almanac, the united nations human development report &the world development report)
3 comments:
thanks Laura, this was a very mind opening perspective to think about. I had no idea about how imbalanced some of the numbers were
Just had to post because the word is adism: clever things said by your brother AD.
momma
Hi love, wanna know something crazy?! This is the exact speech we do before we go on all our break trips aka I was getting this read to me the same exact day you posted it. Kinda freaky huh? Miss you tons love
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