Last Saturday was Red Nose Day’s 25th Anniversary,
and one of the UK’s premier charity fund raising events. A concept and
television and radio driven event designed to elevate awareness of poverty and
raise significant amount to funds via comedic stand-up acts, humorous theatrical
productions, high profile funny for money
TV challenges and on-the-street and school fund raisers.
‘Davis Brent’ (the first person to get 9 million hits on iPOD, bless) did an update rendition of ‘The Office’ 10 years on. Pop star Jessie Jay shaved her head to raise some funny money! One Direction was filmed in Africa,
crying with despair (with their million pound contract). Mr Bean played a
cranky Bishop (he lives in mansion house in Kent). The Gay Dr gave out some
emollient cream (Ooo! Madam). And Simon
Cowell, well, ‘I would thee trove!’ You
did something ‘funny for money’ (www.BBC.Co.UK/rednoseday)! And this kind of
satirical kindness does ease anguish somewhat.
Red Nose Day and other
kin do a lot of decent work from these efforts. Often saving lives. But they
are acutely short-term and definitely not systemic solutions that bring poverty
to an end. The trouble is that Red Nose type events are so pervasive, so
extravaganza, and run by people that haven’t a clue about moving from such ‘Zero-Sum’ strategies (which is what
they are engaging in) to ‘Positive-Sum’ policy
and approaches. That it totally whitewashes and overshadows the real issue!
Poverty is not merely a sociological, short-term phenomenon.
So what then? What is the alternative as I criticize as Red Nose Day?
The prime cause of
poverty is technological – period!
Look at any modern economy that is thriving or beginning to grow (BRICS, E7 and
N11) and they will be a technologically advanced nations or emerging as a technological
state.
What are needed are
technological strategies and tools that attack poverty systemically. Positive
sum strategies where the whole is greater than the sum! So, before we look at
the underlying technological issues and solutions, take a look at the outcomes
of poverty. Where much of the effort is focussed.
Wheel
spinning governments, analytical pecuniary institutions and malignant
demand-based charities utter the inconsiderate benchmarks for what they
consider poverty to be. They overtly say that 4 billion people on this
planet live under or somewhere around the so-called poverty-line. A
billion people live under the fiscal measure of on or below 2 dollars a day.
And of course the institutes must know, they are wise after all.
Well, I have been around for 50 years and travelled the world. Yes,
much has been at the behest of corporate edicts and generous expenses; but much
has been at the will of a rucksack and walking shoes around inner India, Africa
and East Asia. And my experiences and definition of poverty is far from merely
fiscal.
So
let me tell you what poverty is, and more’s the point, what poverty does. Here’s quote from my forthcoming book:
Poverty is complex! A huge
variable condition set by growing populations outpacing productivity,
ultimately leading to extreme economic margin. In times of crisis it is children and families wasting
away; babies shrilling and emaciated souls lying curled up in filthy rags. It
is inaccess to clean water, sustenance, basic medicines and shelter.
But it is the immeasurable lack of voice,
resolve and loss of dignity that truly
opens up comprehension to poverty. It is subjection to exploitation and
exposure to indifference,
humiliation and inhumane treatment from not merely the haves; but the public
services and instruments from which the poor look for help.
It means emotional pain, server anxiety and
fear, and bone deep tears caused by infringement of basic human rights and
sensibilities, that you the reader take for granted. It is an inability, even
curfew to maintain cultural identity, customs, traditions and personal beliefs;
an insufferable incapacity to participate in society and breakdown in equality;
and not least, it is vulnerability and exposure to dangers, risks and gross
uncertainties that whither character and soul.
Hence, the definition
of living on under 730 dollars a year does not even begin to break the surface
of describing what 1 billion people wake up to every day. On my journeys I have spoken to many trapped in a spectrum of dearth. I
asked them to tell me their experiences:
‘I can’t voice my
opinion. And when I do speak, they talk over me. I ask for little. I feel
demoralised, anxious and a feeling of second citizen to people I know I should
be equal.’
Well, that is real poverty; and a prospective that few people living in
advanced nation economies get to understand; even when, in fact, it can be
knocking the door. Because the surprise here, is that the person I spoke to
just above lives at the YMCA in Brighton, my home town in the UK. Not Somalia
or Ethiopia. But in one of the highest living standard cities in the world!
My
message is that hopeless poverty is just that - if it is left at that. Because
by viewing hardship and living deficiencies as a way to target technologies
that relieve such deprivation, then that is a systemic ‘Positive-Sum’ strategy
for ending poverty! And this is something
we must take exceedingly serious, because in terms of population growth, by 2030, Asia
and Africa will account for ~87 percent, where the majority of world poverty
resides.
Below are a number of
my blog posts (some new) that outline herculean strides and ventures in
science, technology and real-world projects that really do begin to tackle
poverty, disease and gross inequality.
Metatags: radical innovation, revolutionary innovation breakthrough innovation, disruptive innovation, Hyperinnovation, strategic innovation, future studies, new industrial revolution, Chris Harris, Building Innovative Teams, ecology, bioecology, business ecology, Giga Markets, Market Leadership, big data, GDP, The World Bank, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, Barns & Noble, Bank of America, Exponential Technological Evolution, Poverty, Frugal Innovation and Engineering, PeePoo, Sling Shoot, Lifesaver Bottle, ChotuKool (little cool),
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