Sunday, May 25, 2008

Food for Thought 1

This is from the article The Bus vs. the Bear from the Washington Post, written by Tom Howarth. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302610.html

" The former head of the Jesuit order, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, once said that there are not enough resources in the world for all peoples to be brought up to middle-class American standards of living. Something has to give. We have to learn to slow down and live simpler lives so that others can simply live. "

What a quote, I love it! It reminds me of:

"Don't live within your means, but rather within your needs."
I think we all need to reconsider what we really "need" to live well and happy. Not Huge SUV's, $1000 designer handbags, 4000 sq feet of living space....
An insulated place to live that protects from the weather's worst faces, enough food and water to survive and keep healthy, a few outfits (vs. closets full of them) , decent health care, to name the important few.
Of course with what's happening with the prices of these, our means may soon only cover our basic "needs".
Why didn't we think of this sooner? Don't get me going on that one..or just read the previous post.

2 comments:

Taffiny said...

Amy,

I've tagged you for a meme,
(feel free to scan the post just for questions, it is a tad loooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnng).
If you find you do not have the time, that is fine, but if you do have the time, I would be interested in reading your answers.
:)
Taff

Vesper said...

I agree with you, Amy.
However, my fear is that, even if many of us would slow down, the surplus will still not go to the less fortunate people in the world.