If we could shrink the earth's population...

Submitted by Jamie on Wed, 11/26/2008 at 10:25am.

A friend sent this email to me, and I thought it was a valuable read just before Thanksgiving. Sure made me grateful to be who and where I am! 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. There would be: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south 8 would be Africans 42 would have mental or physical disabilities 52 would be female 48 would be male 30 would be white 70 would be non-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 substandard housing 70 would be unable to read 50 would suffer from malnutrition 1 would be near death 1 would be near birth 1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education 1 (yes, only1) would own computer And, therefore . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. 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 worlds wealthy. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. If you have 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 read this message you are more blessed than the over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

» posted in Jamie's blog

Comments:

by camharsev - 3 years ago
West Linn, OR United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 1472

Wow, Jamie.  What a great little blurb.  I already feel less than deserving of all the things we already have, and this really puts things into perspective.  We, in the US, don't even realize that what we have is so far above what the majority of the people on this earth have.  The excess it is all around us, all the time.  We are used to it.  We are so fortunate, and hopefully a day doesn't go by that we don't appreciate all that we do have, instead of focusing on what we don't.  I am so grateful, foremost, for my health, education and freedom.  Without those, all else is trivial. What a blessing it is, to live in this land, where so many things are possible. Thanks for sharing.

by geoff - 3 years ago
Fountain Valley, CA United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 11604
thats great, thanks for sharing, Jamie.  It is a constant mental exercise, to not forget my day-to-day fortunes.  I even find it amazing after 37 years, to have all 10 fingers, both arms and legs and eyes.
by Sean - 3 years ago
Beaverton United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 8412

I think the same thing when I look around me at work or hanging with Robie's family.  People around here love to chop their fingers off, not sure why.  I can think of at least 5 people here at work missing fingers and a few in Robie's family.  I don't think I knew anybody in Cali missing fingers, even at the NUMMI plant where there was sharp sheet metal and machines large enough to chew up a man and spit them out.

 

But this is definitely the promised land.  We are all rich and overweight.   

by hseverson - 3 years ago
Portland, OR United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 2273
I love this, Jamie!  Thanks for sharing.  I am truly blessed with my life.  My job provides so many examples of this on a weekly basis, but we all need the little reminders of all that we have.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
by Jodie - 3 years ago
United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 1877
Wow, this gave me chills.  Thanks for sharing.
by Chaco - 3 years ago
LO - aka The Bubble United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 3068
Very nice Jamie. Alex just completed a research paper on world hunger for his history class. He started with the hypothesis that 2/3's of the world is hungry because there is not enough food for everyone. He was surprised to learn through his research, however, that there is enough food produced in the world to provide every single person with 3 meals a day. Still, each year 15 million children die of hunger.
by jennlynne - 3 years ago
Noth Pole United States
Member Since: Jan 2007
Member Points: 1355

wow- thank you for reminding me to be so grateful. we live in the land of plenty, yet feel we never have enough. we are surrounded by loved ones, yet feel so alone.

 

i love you sister and i am so thankful for you. i thankful for all that i have and for those that love me.

by delaney - 3 years ago
Tualatin, OR United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 90
Wow. That was intense. I really liked it though, and it makes me feel a lot more grateful for what I have.
by Franky - 3 years ago
Sherwood, OR United States
Member Since: Apr 2007
Member Points: 921
We are ever amazed at how blessed we both are to have our wonderful home, wonderful family and at our age to have better than average good health. We feel that we are especially thankful to be a member of the Church and to have a loving Father in Heaven who has given us so much and and Elder brother who gave his life for us.  How belssed we are!!!!! 
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