Julio Carlos
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Equal opportunities?

Equal opportunities?

Jan 09, 2022

Many of us, in a world filled with technology think or have the impression that there is a relatively "equal" setting for everyone and/or there are "fair" standards for most countries outside the many countries. But that's a lie.


Obvious? It may be, but the outstanding thing about it is this: The disparity of things.
Of course, there are many factors influencing and at play here, and once you consider most of them you will reach one of two conclusions: 1- It's fair when you put into account all of the factors in the balance. 2- It's made by design, and the scale is tipped to the floor on one end.
I'm not here, however to delve in all the injustices, the oppression, the colonization and the outright sabotaging that 1st world countries do to keep the rest of the other countries as poor as possible, nor will I point out all the bad decisions of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th world country leaders and gangsters in power in order not to turn this into a political debate. I will only try to give you a glimpse of how big the disparity is.

Some countries have electricity as a given, to the point of not even minding it, only to remind oneself that the power exists, and electricity was consumed when the power bill arises. Most countries, however, don't even have that, in the 21st century. Either that, or it is SO expensive, relative to the cost of living, that you don't mind having it, and when you have it, it's a burden.
My personal example: I live in Angola, the 4th world country that was a 3rd world country a few decades ago and a 2nd world country around 50 years back. 

In these days, it's not uncommon, rather the contrary, to pay $10 a month bill for NOT having electricity, yes, the power bill comes even when you don't consume power, or just have two 10W lamps as your only appliances.

Corruption 101 coupled with Bureaucracy and Incompetence 102. - Mind, that, the average, income in Angola is LESS than $1/day, and 1/2 people live under extreme poverty. -

It might not seem as much but imagine all the difficulties one will have without electricity in the modern world? Imagine how difficult it's to have access to the internet, or even to a computer. Just imagine. Try to shut all your power for 12h, just 12h. And you will see.
Imagine living without water. Try to conjure that idea for 10mins. Not being able to cook or kill your thirst, having to search for it...

As I said, I will not go about the political conditions, choices or even which conditions are in each country, I'm only trying to make you grasp a small idea, a small reality that might not be yours to deal with, and I will tell you why in the end.

Now, I will go up several levels of needs. Imagine that everybody has a home; the power is ok and that you have everything you need. Let us talk about the another subtle level of disparity: Online Payment methods.
In logic, one might think that because online payment methods are... online, fewer restrictions would be made. Either that, or that things would be better monitored, but here's the deal: most of the major online payment methods are restricted to 1st world countries as if money could not circulate below.


One could argue that "they made it, and they decide where to put it available", but here's the thing: instead of limiting the entire country, just because of the location of your pc or nationality, wouldn't it be better and wiser to limit the amount one can send and the frequency, and monitor the amount and rate of transfers from one's site with AI, and create flags as per clients than solely and outright block the ENTIRE COUNTRY?

My point is- those who make money laundry crimes, must have money to laundry, right?

It gets worse, the major sites, Paypal, Square, and the likes, allow one to receive money, but never send money, or worse even, it allows you to send money - without any means to finance your account- but it restricts you when it comes to receiving money. And all of those, couple with the inability to  retrieve the money you have on your account. I've seen it.  I've LIVED IT, and all you need to do is to do a quick research on Ecosia Browser.

What I'm trying to say is with all of this is: Count your blessings. Be grateful for the opportunities you have, for the luck that you have and for the standards of living you have. Do the most of it with them, because others don't even have a tenth of what you might take  for granted. 

I will leave you with a poem from my book Lifter - Available in Various Stores // Amazon:



‘A Victim no more (Oh Cruel World)’

“So cruel, unfair (!)
the World.
So cruel, it is, to me.”

Why keep playing the victim?
Why keep being the fool?
Does the world happen
to nobody else
but you?

Oh, how fortunate are we
(me and you)
that still hold the privilege to breathe,
have a loaf of bread to eat.
Oh! So fortunate are we
(you and me)
that find drinking clean water sweet,
for not being blind, deaf or mute
can still hear, talk
and those who we love see.

Oh! YES! How fortunate are we
(we are?)
for not having the worries
of what tomorrow will not bring.

Oh yes,
for having a TV screen to laugh at,
for many do cry for weeks on end
knowing only hopeless misery.

Yes, yes, YES!
WE can do better,
for we are truly
#Blessed. 

Please Support me  with a small 1$ donation here or get one of my books.  - They will be available, on a special tier for supporters. Thank You :D

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