Difference between revisions of "Existing scarcity"
From AdCiv
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=== So what surmountable scarcity exists today? === | === So what surmountable scarcity exists today? === | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Jakarta slumhome.jpg|thumb|220px|Slums built on swamp land near a garbage dump in Jakarta]] | |
| + | [[Image:Mwamongu water source.jpg|thumb|220px|Collecting water in Mwamanongu Village, Tanzania]] | ||
All the usual suspects, and a lot applies as much to Western countries as it does to the developing world. | All the usual suspects, and a lot applies as much to Western countries as it does to the developing world. | ||
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*Safe and efficient transportation that doesn't kill or maim significant numbers of passengers or contribute to changing our climate | *Safe and efficient transportation that doesn't kill or maim significant numbers of passengers or contribute to changing our climate | ||
*The facilities for people and communities to do more things for themselves - we are too reliant on machines and products from big business | *The facilities for people and communities to do more things for themselves - we are too reliant on machines and products from big business | ||
| − | *Resources to get things done that need to be done - at a community level {{em}} sounds woolly perhaps but covers uncountable worthy projects that simply don't get done through lack of funds or bureaucratic hurdles | + | *Resources to get things done that need to be done - at a community level {{em}} sounds woolly perhaps but covers uncountable worthy projects that simply don't get done through lack of funds, manpower or bureaucratic hurdles |
*Quality - quality products and architecture as examples. | *Quality - quality products and architecture as examples. | ||
*Time - people's time. Time to follow things important to the individual. Time for other people. | *Time - people's time. Time to follow things important to the individual. Time for other people. | ||
Revision as of 22:46, 24 December 2008
So what surmountable scarcity exists today?
All the usual suspects, and a lot applies as much to Western countries as it does to the developing world.
- Clean energy
- Clean water
- Nutritious food
- Medicine and medical facilities
- Decent housing in slum areas
- Sustainable development
- High quality, interesting education
- Safe and efficient transportation that doesn't kill or maim significant numbers of passengers or contribute to changing our climate
- The facilities for people and communities to do more things for themselves - we are too reliant on machines and products from big business
- Resources to get things done that need to be done - at a community level — sounds woolly perhaps but covers uncountable worthy projects that simply don't get done through lack of funds, manpower or bureaucratic hurdles
- Quality - quality products and architecture as examples.
- Time - people's time. Time to follow things important to the individual. Time for other people.
Causes
- Lack of appropriate technology
- Locked-up resources
- Short-term thinking
- Inadequate co-operation (lack of communication and sharing of knowledge)
- Self-interest (at many levels)
- Cultural inertia (that's the way it has always been done)
- Lack of trust
- Ignorance (lack of education or understanding)
- Incompetent government administration
- Bureaucracy
- War
- and in no small part, monetary economics
See also
- Scarcity (Wikipedia entry)
- Post-scarcity
- Mankind's fundamental resources
