America, a Third World nation

Analysis of US Census data reveals that 20% of Americans (60 million) live on less than 7 dollars a day.

Given the price levels in this richest of societies, this means that one out of five Americans is no better off than the poor in the poorest countries.

Since most zaadzlanders lives in America, I have to apologize for bringing up this subject. But consciousness raising and awareness expansion being a major interest here, it must be pointed out that spiritual development includes having the strength not to deny that something is very wrong under the surface alongside all the good things we can point to.

Doing what one can do, rather than what needs to be done seems to be an illusion afflicting so many of the good people of the world. And zaadzLanders seem to replicate that aspect of the larger world. But why do we decide that something cannot be done even if that is the only thing that will make a real change? Maybe it relieves the tension and discomfort arising from feeling powerless in face of a seemingly impossible task.

The story comes to mind of the good man walking the beech  strewn with millions of stranded crabs. Throwing them back one by one, he is seen by someone who remarks how hopelessly large is the task is. Our friend replies throwing one of the crabs "it is not hopeless for this one". Thus the "feel good" factor is justified.

Why do Americans tolerate this shameful "state of the union". One reason is that clear awareness of the facts is missing. It is always more satisfying to register stories with happy endings and facts that do not intrude on our mental comfort zones.