Is it fair?

Question

Is it fair that the USA, which has 5% of the worlds population, which consumes 20% of the worlds output, which contributes 25% of the worlds pollution and has the worlds largest debt.

Is it fair that the rest of us should suffer.

Answer 1

Depends how you describe fairness. Looking at those statistics you might conclude that it's unfair but sometimes it's not so clear. Yes, it consumes more than it's 'fair share' in percentages but is it any worse as a country compared to an individual.

Look at it like this. Go to any country and find a very poor, homeless person. Then compare him to a person that's reasonably well off, not rich. Well the person that's reasonably well off is always going to consume more and pollute more than the poor man but are you going to say that's unfair and so blame the well off man?

No, surely you should try help the poor man instead. Suppose you start of being a poor person but through hard work and perhaps some luck you become very rich. I'm sure if anyone found themselves in this position they'd buy a nice house with a nice car and have many useful appliances in their house. But now you're consuming more, wasting more, polluting more. Some of your spendings will be unnecessary e.g. a television, you don't really have to have a television right?

I'm sure not many people would say this person has caused some unfairness somehow. So now look at America. It didn't start off being a rich country. It was originally composed of many immigrants from Europe. Over the years they've built up their wealth through both unappealing means (eg slavery) and appealing means (eg hard work). Now that they're rich, everyone else complains that it's unfair.

Of course there is unfairness in other matters such as the way they tend to use bully tactics in world politics and so on. But I'm only addressing the sort of things that the questioner is posing which were primarily consumption and pollution.

Answer 2

Reading some of the answers above, I get the feeling that many people are protective of the American way of life. That is only natural.

But what is also natural, is that we are all Gods children and we must all learn that the earth belongs to God, we are only custodian until he reclaims it, so in effect, nothing belongs to us, as we all know that when we all die, we leave with nothing. Except a good name, for the lucky ones. I think the question implies that although we are not our brothers keeper, we are in fact our brother and in that sense, we are obliged to help each other along the way through life. Imagine if we live in a big house and only a few of us are eating all the food, and creating all the mess for the others to clear up. I am sure that after a while, the rest will all get fed up and then all that will lead is to arguments and fights etc. I believe that this calls for tolerance, humility and a sense of helping each other to survive. Many people around the world survive on only $2 or $ 3 a day. For them to do that I believe that internally they are much more stronger and nearer to God, than those who waste and mismanage what is on earth. I have been to America and I do find it a beautiful place, even though many of its citizens are rather naive about the wider world I do not blame them for the ills that accompany thier great nation. As we all know, David defeated Goliath and it would be wise for the Government of America and its people, to try to learn to listen to what others are trying to say to them, because, no matter how big and powerful that country is, it will still needs the others as much as they may need it.

Answer 3

It is fair since you are not suffering because of the existence of the USA, you are suffering because you are unable to produce output as competitive as the USA. Maybe if you worked a little bit harder and have a decent government you would have the same or even higher levels of consumption as the USA

Answer 4

Llamedos: you might try actually visiting the US and seeing for yourself what's fair there, and what isn't. It's far from perfect, but a lot more people are trying to get in than out, so maybe we're doing something right.

Tanny: how many Americans do you actually know well? It seems to me that a blanket characterization of all Americans as "arrogant and obnoxious" is itself quite unfair.

Be careful what you wish for. Would all of you really like to live in a world in which the US and Americans were suddenly poor? Think it through...

Answer 5

We also feed most of the world and produce more than most countries and give of ourselves more than any other country. I would rather be dirt poor and live in the US than be rich in some very poor nation. How are you suffering? That's what I thought. Just bash the US. Maybe it is time for us to take all of our money and keep it at home. All of our products. And lets not let anyone in. Then we can really listen to these people whine.

Answer 6

Fair is an illusion. It's the survival of the fittest. You get what you can take a hold on to. Why call it unfair when they have more than you?

Is it fair much of Africa is poor beyond comprehension and nobody is doing very much to help them? Focus on how fair they see it.

Answer 7

We're suffering right here in the midst of it all. Yeah we have dept but mine is from education and medical bills. All those things the government don't provide assistance with.

Answer 8

The rest of who? Suffer where? I don't really understand your question.

Answer 9

Which county has the biggies pollution problem, maybe you should do some reading before you shoot your mouth off.

Answer 10

i didnt no that, and in that case, no its not, but USA THINK they own the world, but dont, plus they are big and powerful, so what can we do?

uk is a small island, and we done soo much for the world, and consum less, so if we was the size of the USA, i think we would RULE the planet.