Re: Salinger's world

Sam Sundberg (stray@well.com)
Thu, 12 Aug 1999 04:01:37 +0200

Sean Draine wrote:
>Everyone wants to end world hunger. The question of how is where the
>controversy lies. You're post implies a solution: we trade in our BMWs for
>Saturns and send the proceeds off (as food?) to the third world. This is at
>best a short-sighted plan.
>Rather than writing a long and boring dissertation on contemporary
>economics, I'll simply put forward a short and boring alternative plan.

Well, I have to admit it: your solution sounds more plausible than the one
you think I'm advocating. It's just that, well, I'm not advocating any such
solution.


And Jim wrote, among other things:

<<< It's kinda off to think that the WORLD'S resources are being used
largely for
luxury consumption.  You can only think that by projecting the spending
habits of Americans onto the whole world.  I promise you the poor in Mexico,
India, and China (together making up far more than the population of the US)
do not spend their resources Largely on "luxury consumption."  They spend
what little they have on survival.
If you want to talk about "world resources," then do so.  But don't mistake
American spending habits for world spending habits. >>>

The thing is: We, the rich kids of the world (and I'm still not only talking
about Americans, if you can believe it), are using up a wee bit more of the
world's resources per capita than do the poor in Wherever.

Now, it's not my intention to be impolite, but I really can't be bothered to
pursue this discussion any further. It is an interesting discussion, to be
sure, but not one I'm keen on clogging up the bananafish list with.
Can't we all agree to keep this forum focused on more pressing matters, such
as the sudden swooning of young bourgoise girls?

/Sam