TWC - Week 11 Discussion

This week's presentation topics range from automotive to social issues like poverty.

I have a lot to say about poverty, especially extreme poverty.

Before we proceed on to the international level, I would like to take a look at my own country, Indonesia.

Extreme poverty is still rampant in Indonesia. Despite the increasing living standard for the past decade, it is still a perennial issue unsolved by the current president and his parliament. It is a matter of willingness and passion to help the people that the politicians/civil servants are supposed to serve. There is actually no excuse for running away from our responsibility to do social services to the community.

Why is it that extreme poverty still exist?
The reason is simple: We DO NOT know extreme poverty and the suffering it wrought. No matter how much pictures can tell, they can only convey images, not the pain, the suffering that each individual in the picture is experiencing. We DO NOT know the people in extreme poverty line. I personally am guilty of the same mindset, but I hope that does not diminish the credibility of this post.

One thing is clear: The poor people want to increase their standards of living, and are willing to work for it, given the chance. This particular fact is supported by a Ted Talk that I watched recently. The poor in African country strive to increase their living standard and they do not want to be dependent on foreign aids all the time, either. They are willing to work hard for it, given the chance to learn. This is an important point of view that everybody must have.

Exactly because we, people who live comfortably in modern cities, do not possess this kind of point of view that extreme poverty still exists. We are too detached from them, and by donating some small amount of extra change, we think that we have reached out to them, that we have done our part. This is a blatant lie that many of us are telling ourselves.

The eradication of extreme poverty can be brought about by increasing our awareness of how massive are our actions' consequences. I am not talking about some chaos theory here. If, every one of people who are middle-income earner and above would spend, say a few weeks to help teach and interact with these people. We are becoming increasingly egalitarian in our point of view regarding poverty. That is a hindrance, too.

Obviously, we can't choose who to be our parents, and which family we are born into, are they well off or not.... An egalitarian society is one that perpetuates a negative cycle. As poor and rich became segregated, the gap usually becomes bigger due to the oppression of the poor by the rich, and rich becomes more powerful. Listen to the poor people, for often they are robbed of their options and choices, their freedom to shape the course of their lives due to our disdain for "non-elite" people.


A few things we can do so that we can create some real and sustainable impact rather than fooling ourselves continuously by just donating money:

1. Be involved in community services, e.g. Teach the community your insights and experience and skills
2. Utilize your skill sets for the benefit of these people, e.g. engineer could build water filtration plant, etc.
3. Encourage friends/families/others to do 1 and 2

Rating: 10/10

Highest rating for the last class (for teaching, anw)