9/11 & the forgotten war on poverty

This may have been the ‘9/11 decade’, but it was also a decade in which the most pertinent issues facing humanity were subverted.

Poverty

9/15 –  the date when the bankers crashed the global economy – is a date seldom mentioned. According to World Bank studies, 30,000 to 50,000 infants died in sub-Saharan Africa in 2009 as a result of 9/15. Ironically, while the tragedy of 9/11 led to instant action taken by the Bush administration in Afghanistan and Iraq the bankers, who squandered tax payers money, have been let off.

Technology

Professor Susan Greenfield, a specialist in the physiology of the brain, argues in her latest article for the Daily Mail: “The human brain… is under threat from the modern world.” Greenfield further says we need to “wake up to the damage that the gadget-filled, pharmaceutically-enhanced 21st century is doing to our brains.”

A study published by the International Centre for Media & the Public Agenda (ICMPA) and the Salzburg Academy on Media & Global Change found nearly four in five students suffered mental and physical distress when asked to go the full 24 hours without technology. Interestingly, people who have Blackberry Messenger often tell talk about how “addictive” the facility is.

Corporatising drugs

In 2008, antipsychotics became the top-selling therapeutic prescription drugs in the United States – exceeding drugs to treat high cholesterol and acid reflux. Investigative journalist James Ridegeway said in a piece he wrote for Al Jazeera recently that drug companies now encourage the prescription of atypical antipsychotics to patients for off-label use.

A study at Harvard medical school found that by just imagining playing the piano, the structure of the brain can change. “[The brain is] substantially shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. When I say “shaped”, I’m not talking figuratively or metaphorically; I’m talking literally,” Greenfield says.

If by merely imagining playing the piano the structure of the brain can change, then what happens to the brain when watching violent video games or films or when listening to delirious music by Lady Gaga?

Mental illness

Quite worryingly, the latest findings from the European College of Psychopharmacology reports that 164.8 million Europeans – 38.2% of the population – suffers from a mental disorder. Furthermore depression, according to the World Health Organization, is expected to be the second most burdensome medical condition by 2020. But whether these high numbers are because of the increase in diagnoses or not, the reality is there is a serious pandemic at work.

Obesity

By 2030, almost half of all the adults in this country are expected to be clinically obese. Obesity has ubiquitously been linked to a inactive lifestyle (which is probably accentuated by the rapid increase in technology).

Conclusion

Terrorists do need to be dealt with. But the real war should be on combating the rogue capitalists, poverty, the forces attacking our brains and obesity. We need to “wake up” as Professor Greenfield says – to wake up from this somnolent state we are in to create a better future.

Further Reading

9/11 lost decade: The American dream, and the missing years by Rupert Cornwell

Picture:Reuters

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• http://www.yahoo.co.uk/ Firozali A.Mulla

  GOVERNMENTS FORMED TO GOVERN AND NOT ENGAGE IN BUSINESS
  The free market laws of capitalism designed to accelerate private and public economic growth.But in recent years, capitalism demands that Governments lead the way economically with monetary and fiscal policies. Thus, our planet is faced with an insolvable worldwide financial crisis.The pendulum is now ass end backwards. Private entrepreneurs and corporate America did not come crying like spoiled babies to Abraham Lincoln begging the President to fix the economy.But today, private entrepreneurs, corporate America, indeed, the entire governments of the world repeatedly come whining to President Obama, demanding he create quick fixes. And sadly, everyone has come to believe it’s the President’s job.It’s not President Obama’s job; it’s not former Presidents Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton’s job.Sadly, President Obama is a decent man but not a good negotiator or leader, nor does he possess wisdom. What he should be telling the greedy, belly-aching business world is simple: ‘I run the government, we spend too much money, take in too little revenue, and that’s what I need to fix. While I’m doing that, you big time business people need to invest and take risks to make your money, and if that means hiring employees, well, that’s your job.”On top of this upside down fiasco, there are issues:1. Greedy private and corporate businesses only want to make obscene profits. When things get tough and require risk and investment, or they incur losses, they all join begging, insisting the government fix it or else;2. The self-serving financial print and Internet Media no longer pursues truth in journalism but relentlessly keep planting the seeds of mischief (trying to win the hearts and minds of voters) and promote controversy demanding the government to keep their fires burning with stimulus money for the economy. (Without it, the financial Media can’t open their doors)Right now, Greece is a lost cause and Euro governments are advancing desperate measures to save Greece.The greedy Banks cheated America with bogus mortgage backed securities toppling the world economy and are now being sued by the United States. And the financial and Internet Media are planting the seeds that the U.S. should not try to win hundred of billions in court awards against these banks because it will cause the banks more financial problems. Jobs do not exist and everyone is blaming President Obama. Yes, it’s true President Obama missed his chance at fixing the job problem and I doubt Rick Perry or Mitt Romney could solve this problem either, but as I said in my opening, the President is supposed to govern. Anyone who thinks it’s President Obama’s (or any President’s) job to create jobs is just plain and simply wrong.Where is the good old-fashioned American enterprise system where the risk/reward relationship permeates? Why don’t these greedy, private and corporate businesses start taking some risk again? It’s time for all Americans to point their fingers at the root of these economic problems and they are quite simple:A. Governments govern, so cut spending and increase revenue and keep our Country safe and powerful. That is your job.B. Private and corporate businesses – take risks, invest your cash reserves and create good paying jobs.I think it’s time to get real, don’t you? I thank you Firozali A.Mulla DBA

• http://twitter.com/TracyDaCosta Tracy DaCosta

  People need to realise that 9/11 is history.  We don’t live in the past, we live in the now and we must do now what will help our future. Omar Shahid’s article is inspirational and change in peoples mentality towards a sustainable future is paramount for there to be a future.           

• Expatnhappy

  So our children face a world in which everyone is poor, fat and mad and hopelessly trying to pay off the debts their parents incurred. Great: thanks baby boomers.

• chris breadon

  Shahid has never mentioned the mega rich Arab states that do nothing for the moslems in Afghaistan and Iraq with regard to charity. As a moslem he again thinks moslems deserve a hand out. He should learn that education development science and engaging in the modern world is often rejected by the islamic culture.
  Moslems must learn some skills develop and stop asking for hand outs.

• stonedwolf

  Actually there are a plethora of Islamic charities you ignoramus.

  You look around an Islamic country in utter misery and it probably won’t be long before you find a Georgian postbox.

• chris breadon

  My chances of finding a Georgian post box are as likely as you posting your absurd comment from an Arab islamic or moslem technology designed invented and made by them. LOL

  Ignoramus there are Islamic charities and unlike Christian or non religious ones they never extend their aid to anyone not moslem.
  The buffoon Yusuf Islam who’s resources are made from pop music as a hippy uses his charity exclusively to fund moslem schools and other moslem adventures.
  You are unable to challenge this I re post.

  “education development science and engaging in the modern world is often rejected by the islamic culture.
  Moslems must learn some skills develop and stop asking for hand outs.”

• http://www.yahoo.co.uk/ Firozali A.Mulla

  1.All well worth a discussion, but the simple facts are that this is not the first time in history this kind of loss has occurred and nor will it be the last . Mankind has suffered far worst and at present for its greed and crooked timber of humanity, worst loss of life is taking place in the horn of Africa , East Africa , other countries on the inner edge of the Sahara Desert & other parts of the world.. I am an American Citizen, and lost a relative, an American Citizen who worked at the WTC was killed on 9/11.  2 Foreign Secretary William Hague will accuse Iran of “breathtaking hypocrisy” for supporting revolutions in the Arab world while crushing domestic dissent in a speech Tuesday, The Times said. Hague would condemn Tehran for “suppressing protest at home while claiming to support revolutions elsewhere in the region — except Syria” in a speech to a seminar organised by the newspaper. Hague’s speech would turn the focus on Iran, which has been overshadowed in news coverage by the uprisings in Arab states, the paper reported.”The lessons of the Arab revolutions hold true for Iran just as they apply to repressive governments across the world,” he will say, the paper reported.”Demands for respect for rights, open government, action against corruption and genuine political participation have and will spread by themselves over time… because they are the natural aspirations of all people Everywhere.”Simply refusing to address legitimate grievances about human rights or attempting to stamp them out will fail.”In 2009, Britain and other Western countries condemned Tehran for violently crushing protests that followed the controversial re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.Iran denounced the Western condemnations as meddling in its internal affairs. Dozens of people were killed in the opposition demonstrations protesting what they said was massive election fraud. Thousands more were arrested, several hundred of whom were handed long prison terms. Hague will argue, that the protests were a “precursor” of the Arab revolutions, the newspaper said. I wonder why we have all guns pointed at Iran on Nuke when we know that many have nuke programs. Why not keep this in perspective and go back to the Reagan Era. His conservative revolution, that engaged in the US proxy war in Afghanistan against the Soviets. Aiding, abetting with some tens of billions in cash and military hardware to the hilt to his “favorite freedom” fighter Bin Laden and his mujahideen . Who later all turned into the enemy number one, al Qeada. All because the great conservative republican Reagan and his cohorts after using, abusing exploiting Bin Laden’s and his Mujahideen, reneged all promises and deals in favor of the Saudis that controlled Saudi Arabia, all that oil wealth, after the Soviets withdrew and the dust settled. Bin laden in fact was part of same Saudi Royal Family,& a disgruntle one at that. But Reagan and his conservative republicans with their malignant narcissism, chronic scapegoating, incorrigible grab bagging, bigotry, promotion of their hypocrite evil, self image of good betrayed their favorite freedom fighter, and creating a megalomaniac terrorist.
  The real cause and effect is simple! Had there been no Reagan as the President, 9/11 would have never happened. Nor would we be economic terror besieged, ideologically divided, polarized and on a fast track of self destruction from within. Today because of more terror hype announced yesterday, million of American on account of fear & and not willing to get caught in any mayhem, stated home and the consumer economics took a dive. I thank you Firozali A.Mulla DBA

• http://www.yahoo.co.uk/ Firozali A.Mulla

  They are already polished now. Try to go to Dubai and you will see the clerks give way to many things that they once denied. The driving licence was the biggest headaceh but not any more. If you hold a forign driving licence you are able to renew this with the small fee and a test. The problem with many of us is that we hold the preduces and talk a lot of things those are not worth menting just because it is a Muslim stat. Is that why we have to suffer?  I thank you Firozali A.mulla DBA 

• http://www.yahoo.co.uk/ Firozali A.Mulla

  I have come to deeply distrust The Economist on the subject of Banking reform. The cursory and dismissive treatment given to the subject in this journal seem to me to be scandalous. Banking Reform is NOT some kind of popular movement driven by ignorance and knee-jerk finger-pointing or class hatred. We don’t want banking reform merely because we are jealous of Investment Bankers’ lifestyles. We want banking reform because Investment Banking – a field of commerce this journal has admitted is ‘volatile’ – ought not to imperil the savings or pensions or current account balances of us Little Folk, or the ability of businesses to get needed capital, or the ability of governments to pay for health care and education, just in order that gigantic speculative profits may be accrued on markets in purely notional devices like the Collateralised Debt Instrument. The surest way to correct this injustice is however not regulation (which we all know the cleptos will just circumvent) but market forces. People should be able to withdraw their funds from the stupid banking system of the Lloydses and the HSBCs and invest it in a stable and sensible system instead – a system with institutions not bent on inflating their profits by any trickery the madmaticians can come up with. No doubt that’s what all this XBank stuff is about.The problem is that wherever the investor looks one is confronted by the same system, or by well-meaning institutions one nevertheless suspects are still hostages to the same system. I thank you Firozali A.Mulla DBA

• http://www.yahoo.co.uk/ Firozali A.Mulla

  President Barack Obama channeled the national frustration with the economy that threatens his political standing and challenged the U.S. Congress to pass a $447 billion jobs plan tilted heavily toward the Republican prescription of tax cuts.  The president, speaking before a joint session of Congress, demanded six times that lawmakers act “right away” on a plan that would boost spending on infrastructure, stem teacher layoffs and cut in half the payroll taxes paid by workers and small business owners.  “The question is whether, in the face of an ongoing national crisis, we can stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy,” Obama told the lawmakers yesterday.  Job growth stalled last month and the unemployment rate has hovered at or above 9 percent for more than two years. The president’s job-approval ratings are falling to new lows as public doubts about his stewardship of the economy rise. Public opinion of Congress has dropped even lower.
  Tax cuts account for more than half the dollar value of the president’s latest plan to turn the economy around, and administration officials said they believe that will have the greatest appeal to Republicans in Congress. The president dared his adversaries to oppose a provision that would extend and deepen payroll tax cuts due to expire Dec. 31. I thank you Firozali A.Mulla DBA