Living near agriculture many of us have been exposed to some of these topics covered such as endemic hunger and food distribution. The market setting production rather rather than need creates an unfortunate barrier for developing countries to overcome in need to feed their people. In similar fashion the approach to medical advancements has taken the same route. If there is little to no money to be made from producing certain cures to treatable diseases companies do not peruse these studies. I feel the lack of incentives from the market is the stem of the issue. There have been instances in history where the market have punished corporations for making what most people would agree beneficial for the populace. An example of this is DOW industries handling of the Union Carbide (UC) plant in Bhopal India in the aftermath of the 1982 disaster. In a hoax targeting the DOW corporation a man claiming to represent DOW industries announced on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news that they would be selling off UC to pay for the cleanup of the offending polluter (2002). The people of Bhopal, BBC, as well as concerned individuals around the world applauded DOWs decision even though it was 20 years late. DOW lost millions when the market turned on the corporation, the actions were not in line with making profits and investors. Quickly DOW rectified the situation revealing the hoax however the aftermath was certain that the market may not reward humanitarian efforts as it does capitalism. A 2009 report documents that UC is still releasing pollutants at the time almost 30 years after the incident with no change in site from coming from DOW Industries.
Response #4 to Robbins Ch. 6 Ok to be honest the part that caught my eye really had very little relevance to anything except the fact that I am very fond of Gin which is covered in chapter six on page 178-180 as an illegal drug in London. This created an informal economy in London. I thought that it was very interesting that women accounted for about 20% of known gin retailers and 70% of those who were charged under the Gin Act of 1736. Another thing that I found interesting about that fact that the government was regulating the sale of gin , but were doing nothing for the regulation of beer which was consumed much more heavily than gin. I also really enjoyed the prints by William Hogarth on page 179 showing Gin Lane and Beer Street. -Garfield Anderson
I found chapter six of Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism to be extremely interesting because poverty, and the issues that arise from living in it, is something that really makes my heart ache. Just the first page of the chapter was enough to hurt my heart and to make me wish I could do something more to fight poverty. Robbins says that “at the end of World War II,” it was widely believed that, due to advances in modern technology, the twentieth century would bring the end of poverty, hunger, famine (Robbins, 155). I sincerely wish that were the case. Having had the opportunity to travel to a few less developed nations, I have witnessed some of the poverty that exists in the world. Robbins quotes the World Health Organization’s World Health Report as saying that every year “12.2 million children under 5 years die, most of them from causes which could be prevented for just a few US cents per child” (Robbins, 155). Before this quotation is printed, there is another from Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen that points out the way most westerners respond to the subject of world hunger. People often respond with cynicism or complacency. Westerners often believe that the conditions of poverty in the world are not their issue to deal with, and that there is nothing they can do to help. I do not believe either of those statements is true. Westerners have the ability to affect change simply because of all the money they possess, money that can be used in poverty-stricken nations to change the conditions in which much of the population resides. Much might be done to alleviate the conditions in which so much of the world lives. Clearly, that first page of chapter 6 got me rather worked up because of the complacent, indifferent feelings that so many westerners have toward the issue of poverty.
I agree with your above response. We as Westerners do have the ability to affect world hunger amongst the poorest nations. Yet, I do not believe that it rests entirely on the shoulders of the individual as much as it does developed nations as a whole. People living in the West do care about poverty and hunger, and most are severely heart broken upon hearing about these horrible conditions. Although as much as we feel the need to help and posses the funds, developed nations and their citizens must first unite in the cause before a real effect can take place. Kelsi Swenson
In chapter 6 the author discussed the relation of hunger and how poverty influences how much food is available to a population. I found it extremely disheartening that the globe produces enough food to feed every one and then some but still people are forced to starve only because of silly economic issues. Another topic that also made my guts turn was discussed in chapter 8 in regards to people in poverty receiving poor health care and no support from the pharmaceutical industry. I understand that there will always be people and nations who will have the short end of the stick in the global economy but why should we let that be a death sentence to the innocents?
Poverty causing hunger epidemics has taken a rise, although the attention admitted to this issue has minimal coverage because it is overlooked when famine and other issues seem to supersede the importance over hunger. Another pending issue is the policies made by governments that pertain to economic and social aspects, might be held accountable for promoting hunger. Citizens who are members of states that have governments which fail to adequately provide the necessities to the people will often go unreported to the outside world because the government will sometimes refuse to recognize hunger as a specific issue because it is often classified as a medical problem. Thus, without properly identifying hunger, solutions will be prevented from being imposed. Extending from the detrimental issue of hunger is the domino effect it creates among people; such as, poor work and study performance. This can be assumed to lead to even greater issues down the line. The death of infants might be one of the most heartbreaking consequences of hunger.
The issue of hunger is the most saddening because the myths we've been told about hunger simply aren't true: there is enough food for everyone, and it's no one's fault that they starve. No one wants that for their family. High prices of food keep many economies from expanding as their workforce is underfed. It is the markets which cause people to starve, not a lack of crop yield at all. I feel the causes of hunger are ignored and the attention is diverted. False causes of hunger include overpopulation, which directly names human sexuality as the cause of world hunger.
Reading response Robbins ch. 6 and 8.
ReplyDeleteLiving near agriculture many of us have been exposed to some of these topics covered such as endemic hunger and food distribution. The market setting production rather rather than need creates an unfortunate barrier for developing countries to overcome in need to feed their people. In similar fashion the approach to medical advancements has taken the same route. If there is little to no money to be made from producing certain cures to treatable diseases companies do not peruse these studies. I feel the lack of incentives from the market is the stem of the issue. There have been instances in history where the market have punished corporations for making what most people would agree beneficial for the populace. An example of this is DOW industries handling of the Union Carbide (UC) plant in Bhopal India in the aftermath of the 1982 disaster. In a hoax targeting the DOW corporation a man claiming to represent DOW industries announced on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news that they would be selling off UC to pay for the cleanup of the offending polluter (2002). The people of Bhopal, BBC, as well as concerned individuals around the world applauded DOWs decision even though it was 20 years late. DOW lost millions when the market turned on the corporation, the actions were not in line with making profits and investors. Quickly DOW rectified the situation revealing the hoax however the aftermath was certain that the market may not reward humanitarian efforts as it does capitalism. A 2009 report documents that UC is still releasing pollutants at the time almost 30 years after the incident with no change in site from coming from DOW Industries.
-Josh Logan-
Response #4 to Robbins Ch. 6
ReplyDeleteOk to be honest the part that caught my eye really had very little relevance to anything except the fact that I am very fond of Gin which is covered in chapter six on page 178-180 as an illegal drug in London. This created an informal economy in London. I thought that it was very interesting that women accounted for about 20% of known gin retailers and 70% of those who were charged under the Gin Act of 1736. Another thing that I found interesting about that fact that the government was regulating the sale of gin , but were doing nothing for the regulation of beer which was consumed much more heavily than gin. I also really enjoyed the prints by William Hogarth on page 179 showing Gin Lane and Beer Street.
-Garfield Anderson
I found chapter six of Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism to be extremely interesting because poverty, and the issues that arise from living in it, is something that really makes my heart ache. Just the first page of the chapter was enough to hurt my heart and to make me wish I could do something more to fight poverty. Robbins says that “at the end of World War II,” it was widely believed that, due to advances in modern technology, the twentieth century would bring the end of poverty, hunger, famine (Robbins, 155). I sincerely wish that were the case. Having had the opportunity to travel to a few less developed nations, I have witnessed some of the poverty that exists in the world. Robbins quotes the World Health Organization’s World Health Report as saying that every year “12.2 million children under 5 years die, most of them from causes which could be prevented for just a few US cents per child” (Robbins, 155). Before this quotation is printed, there is another from Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen that points out the way most westerners respond to the subject of world hunger. People often respond with cynicism or complacency. Westerners often believe that the conditions of poverty in the world are not their issue to deal with, and that there is nothing they can do to help. I do not believe either of those statements is true. Westerners have the ability to affect change simply because of all the money they possess, money that can be used in poverty-stricken nations to change the conditions in which much of the population resides. Much might be done to alleviate the conditions in which so much of the world lives. Clearly, that first page of chapter 6 got me rather worked up because of the complacent, indifferent feelings that so many westerners have toward the issue of poverty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your above response. We as Westerners do have the ability to affect world hunger amongst the poorest nations. Yet, I do not believe that it rests entirely on the shoulders of the individual as much as it does developed nations as a whole. People living in the West do care about poverty and hunger, and most are severely heart broken upon hearing about these horrible conditions. Although as much as we feel the need to help and posses the funds, developed nations and their citizens must first unite in the cause before a real effect can take place.
DeleteKelsi Swenson
In chapter 6 the author discussed the relation of hunger and how poverty influences how much food is available to a population. I found it extremely disheartening that the globe produces enough food to feed every one and then some but still people are forced to starve only because of silly economic issues. Another topic that also made my guts turn was discussed in chapter 8 in regards to people in poverty receiving poor health care and no support from the pharmaceutical industry. I understand that there will always be people and nations who will have the short end of the stick in the global economy but why should we let that be a death sentence to the innocents?
ReplyDeleteTiffany Cogburn
Poverty causing hunger epidemics has taken a rise, although the attention admitted to this issue has minimal coverage because it is overlooked when famine and other issues seem to supersede the importance over hunger. Another pending issue is the policies made by governments that pertain to economic and social aspects, might be held accountable for promoting hunger. Citizens who are members of states that have governments which fail to adequately provide the necessities to the people will often go unreported to the outside world because the government will sometimes refuse to recognize hunger as a specific issue because it is often classified as a medical problem. Thus, without properly identifying hunger, solutions will be prevented from being imposed. Extending from the detrimental issue of hunger is the domino effect it creates among people; such as, poor work and study performance. This can be assumed to lead to even greater issues down the line. The death of infants might be one of the most heartbreaking consequences of hunger.
ReplyDeleteEmily Crane
The issue of hunger is the most saddening because the myths we've been told about hunger simply aren't true: there is enough food for everyone, and it's no one's fault that they starve. No one wants that for their family. High prices of food keep many economies from expanding as their workforce is underfed. It is the markets which cause people to starve, not a lack of crop yield at all. I feel the causes of hunger are ignored and the attention is diverted. False causes of hunger include overpopulation, which directly names human sexuality as the cause of world hunger.
ReplyDelete