I acknowledge notions that have
painted the opposite picture in terms of abundance in the world. I was
fascinated by the works of Jeremy Grantham in his article “The Days of Abundant
Resources Are over Forever”. A very well researched
piece, I must say; and some summation I gleaned from “traddersnarrive” on the piece is that;
§ The
rise in population, the ten-fold increase in wealth in developed countries, and
the current explosive growth in developing countries have eaten rapidly into
our finite resources of hydrocarbons and metals, fertilizer, available land, and
water.
§ The
problems of compounding growth in the face of finite resources are not easily
understood by optimistic, short-term-oriented, and relatively innumerate humans
(especially the political variety).
§ Statistically,
most commodities are now so far away from their former downward trend that it
makes it very probable that the old trend has changed – that there is in fact a
Paradigm Shift – perhaps the most important economic event since the Industrial
Revolution.
If you live in the parts of the third
world, you’ll also have observed some of the following; the spate of
insecurity, kidnap, rape, robbery and terrorist threats are at an all-time high,
the low quality of life and health care, food and shelter, kids are more on the
streets in the suburbs than in schools, increase in drug use – cocaine,
marijuana, cannabis and lots of hard drug concoctions especially in bus parks
and dark alleys and lists goes on and on
Herein comes the irony............
There has never been a time that
the earth has been this blessed with such abundance as can be obtainable today.
We have more food, more natural resources, more money making avenues and much
more opportunities. With the discovery of Shale Oil, America is poised to be
the second largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia. America today produces
probably much more food than it requires. According to a study by Jonathan
Bloom, America squanders between a quarter to a half of all the food they
produce. Even by the conservative estimate, that adds up to more than 160
billion dollars per year. China is fast becoming one of the largest net-exporter
of Agric produce, from aquatic foods, shrimps to buffalo milk and fruits like
apples etc. The phenomenal feat of countries like Israel, Egypt, Libya, United
Arab Emirates etc. in sustaining food production with fewer “farmable” lands
are astounding. I am intrigued by the gravitation of some states (Lagos, Ogun,
Osun, Kwara, Nasarawa etc) in Nigeria in the lines of investments in
agriculture. Yet there are places in Africa and third world countries ravaged
with famine.
There has never been a time to
live longer than today, contrasting the falling average life span. There have
been incredible advances in health care, medicine and pharmaceutical
industries. We are witnessing astonishing breakthrough in diseases control,
cure (or “nearer there”) for debilitating diseases; Aids, cancer, hepatitis and
the lot have been tackled valiantly and today people have the opportunities to
live longer. We have drugs that can keep even genetically transmitted diseases
under check, and you live a normal life.
We are having newer means of
travelling on land, sea and air. In 2013 China may launch a new mass transit
vehicle that is a blend or train/bus. These will travel on the currently
existing highway and will be able to transport hundreds of people all at once. There
are advances in technology to develop amphibious vehicles that will facilitate
travels under water. In 2011, Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group, embarked on
a project to get to the deepest part of the sea.
Virgin Oceanic announced plans to take a solo piloted submarine to the
deepest points in each of the world's five oceans – the first time such a feat
has ever been attempted and was successful. Virgin has also built Necker
Nymph, an amphibious vehicle that can travel underwater to depths 130 feet below
the ocean's surface, and can carry one pilot and two passengers. You’ll wonder
what discoveries and opportunities will be made and created when much more
frequent traversing of the underwater space is embarked by almost everyone.
Very soon going to Mars will not
just be restricted to what you watch on sci-fi films on TV. In 2008, Google and Virgin Group announced the
launch of VIRGLE INC., a jointly
owned and operated venture dedicated to the establishment of a human settlement
on Mars. Wondered what the resources on Planet Mars are and how we will
soon be able to harness them
The internet has been remarkable
in redefining the way we live, work, study and obtains degrees, share
knowledge, buy and sell, and access almost resource. We attest to the fact that
billionaires globally had leveraged one way or the other on the internet to
make and continue to sustain their wealth. With smart phones, tablets and PDA
devices, we are currently experiencing a quantum shift in the way we live,
work, transact business, have access to information and I dare add, prosper.
From Mark Zukerberg(Facebook), Larry Page and Sergey Brin(Google); Billionaire “Netprenuers” to the Seun
Osewa(Nairaland), Uche Eze(Bella Niaja) and Linda Ikeji; fast rising Nigerian
young millionaire “Netprenuers”, we
see a huge shift in the span of time to create new market space and become
wealthy.
Yet the lingering questions for
me are these; In a world of such abundance, why are we still lacking? Why do we
have poverty still ravaging some parts of the earth? Why do we have people living
on less than a dollar a day? Why are we still struggling for peace and
prosperity on the earth? Why do we have such huge gap between the opportunities
that abound and our access to them?
These are many more questions I
intend to x-ray in Iremide in the coming weeks. I crave we join this discourse.
Who knows! We may jointly lower the gap. We may put a man on Mars much faster
than we think. We may end up doing unimaginable lofty things when we open our
minds to it.
