Q: Such as the fact that more than 1.5 billion people in this very moment do not have electricity in this, the 21st century. Such as the fact that a higher number, over 1.6 billion, do not even have access to clean water. Such as the fact that a much higher number still, over 2.5 billion, do not have toilets.
Now some of this may seem like simply inconveniences, but these conditions have enormous implications. More than 19,000 children die each day on this planet from preventable health issues, such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.
And then there is this problem---which we could solve virtually overnight if we really wanted to: over 650 children die on this planet every hour of starvation.
Q: Well, I've actually had this kind of discussion, and many people become defensive. Especially if they're among the smallest percentage of the world's population holding or controlling the largest percentage of its wealth and resources.
They say that those who "have" are doing their best to get more to those who "have not." And many of them, if not most of them, have done their best. It's not the individuals who are the problem, it's the institutions of society. It's how the "system" is set up. It's the economic structures and constructions.