Rich Pockets, Poor Souls
The picture of an eight year old boy with icicles in his hair and frostbite on his hands this month highlighted the poverty many children suffer in rural China. Little Wang from Yunnan province has to walk over an hour to get to school every morning, and his clothes were less than adequate. He is a "left-behind" child. Those are children whose parents have to migrate to work in larger cities, leaving behind their children with relatives. Even sending home some money every month, the relatives don't have enough money to buy winter clothing, or even meat. But the boy has never missed a day of school, even in the frozen winter. He wants to study to be a policeman and "catch the bad men." The publication of his picture, taken by his teacher, in social media, has led to an outpouring of clothing and money.
Two fourteen year old boys in a working class neighborhood of Bilbao brutally murdered a couple in their eighties in their home to rob their valuables. They were from broken families and with little income. A sixteen year old friend has also been arrested in connection with the barbarous crime. One of them was hiding with relatives, and the other two were convinced to turn themselves in. With the law as it is, they will most likely receive five years internment in a reformatory and then three years probation. Their picture has not been shown because they are minors, yet whenever they wandered around the neighborhood, neighbors would hold on more tightly to their wallets and purses, and give them a wide berth.
What a difference between two sets of children, both poor, both without the benefit of good parental guidance, yet living in worlds apart in every sense of the words. A child who has nothing does not despair, he simply gives of himself to acquire an education to one day contribute to his society. Two other children who, though poor, still have more material wealth, despair of the future, and simply reach out to take what they want.
Their social surroundings place such a large part in their reactions to poverty. While I am not advocating for Communism, Chinese or otherwise, there is a different approach to poverty in southwest rural China than in western Europe. There is an invisible support system, and what is most valued is not material goods, but things which cannot be touched. There is an inborn respect toward others, and things such as respect, mutual help, and education are seen as the most important aspects of life. I still wouldn't want to live there, but having those values is much more important than having the latest iPhone.
In western Europe, thanks more than anything to the Protestant work ethic which has become ingrained in the richer northern countries, and from there to the United States, and just about everywhere in Europe, poverty is seen as the fault of the poor. Poverty here is something to be ashamed of. A poor person may not feel poor as long as they have the basics of life, yet society here makes them feel ashamed of not having material goods, just like their neighbors might have. Society here has devolved into placing more value on acquiring the latest technology, the latest fashion, the latest talked-about item, and little or no value on the things that make possible a good life. While political parties and different Churches speak about respect for life, the importance of education, etc., they are speaking empty platitudes even they don't believe in.
What kind of people are turned out by these different systems? While someone from rural China may be shaped by the Communist system into someone who will not think critically because they are too much in fear of authority, they will also be shaped by what is considered socially important in their circles, and it is not material wealth, but rather by how they respect each other and learn to work together. People who grow up in the west, unless they are taught to think critically (and our society also discourages this), will always see material wealth as possibly the most important aspect of life, because it shows that they have "succeeded" in life. Yet, that stems from Calvin, the misguided founder of the modern capitalist system. Those that acquired much earthly wealth were blessed by God, and part of the elect, therefore these were going to heaven. Those who did not acquire wealth were not elect and were not going to heaven. Who wouldn't want to acquire wealth with those beliefs dominating their society?
Have we really succeeded when the most important thing in our lives is the numbers in our bank account, and not the people in our lives and our relationship with them and with those that cross our path? Have we really succeeded when our children kill to obtain empty things?
Two fourteen year old boys in a working class neighborhood of Bilbao brutally murdered a couple in their eighties in their home to rob their valuables. They were from broken families and with little income. A sixteen year old friend has also been arrested in connection with the barbarous crime. One of them was hiding with relatives, and the other two were convinced to turn themselves in. With the law as it is, they will most likely receive five years internment in a reformatory and then three years probation. Their picture has not been shown because they are minors, yet whenever they wandered around the neighborhood, neighbors would hold on more tightly to their wallets and purses, and give them a wide berth.
What a difference between two sets of children, both poor, both without the benefit of good parental guidance, yet living in worlds apart in every sense of the words. A child who has nothing does not despair, he simply gives of himself to acquire an education to one day contribute to his society. Two other children who, though poor, still have more material wealth, despair of the future, and simply reach out to take what they want.
Their social surroundings place such a large part in their reactions to poverty. While I am not advocating for Communism, Chinese or otherwise, there is a different approach to poverty in southwest rural China than in western Europe. There is an invisible support system, and what is most valued is not material goods, but things which cannot be touched. There is an inborn respect toward others, and things such as respect, mutual help, and education are seen as the most important aspects of life. I still wouldn't want to live there, but having those values is much more important than having the latest iPhone.
In western Europe, thanks more than anything to the Protestant work ethic which has become ingrained in the richer northern countries, and from there to the United States, and just about everywhere in Europe, poverty is seen as the fault of the poor. Poverty here is something to be ashamed of. A poor person may not feel poor as long as they have the basics of life, yet society here makes them feel ashamed of not having material goods, just like their neighbors might have. Society here has devolved into placing more value on acquiring the latest technology, the latest fashion, the latest talked-about item, and little or no value on the things that make possible a good life. While political parties and different Churches speak about respect for life, the importance of education, etc., they are speaking empty platitudes even they don't believe in.
What kind of people are turned out by these different systems? While someone from rural China may be shaped by the Communist system into someone who will not think critically because they are too much in fear of authority, they will also be shaped by what is considered socially important in their circles, and it is not material wealth, but rather by how they respect each other and learn to work together. People who grow up in the west, unless they are taught to think critically (and our society also discourages this), will always see material wealth as possibly the most important aspect of life, because it shows that they have "succeeded" in life. Yet, that stems from Calvin, the misguided founder of the modern capitalist system. Those that acquired much earthly wealth were blessed by God, and part of the elect, therefore these were going to heaven. Those who did not acquire wealth were not elect and were not going to heaven. Who wouldn't want to acquire wealth with those beliefs dominating their society?
Have we really succeeded when the most important thing in our lives is the numbers in our bank account, and not the people in our lives and our relationship with them and with those that cross our path? Have we really succeeded when our children kill to obtain empty things?
well said
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