Ignorance.

Last term I presented a speech in my first public speaking competition, the VCAA Plain English Speaking Award. I was aprehensive at first to do it even though I have been doing debating and many speeches in assembly and the like for years.

I found the hardest part was to find a topic that was unique and relatively untouched in the media. It seemed too easy to choose an issue like obesity, teenage binge drinking, censorship and anything you’d see on current affair or today tonight. I chose to cover the world food crisis after briefly touching on it my international studies class. It was something I knew little about but now after writing a speech on it I can’t help but search for more knowledge. In my opinion it is the international issue of our time, a global phenomenon created by our own greed and choice.

It’s an issue that is both emotional and practical. I still struggle to answer to the core question, what is more important the lives of thousands or the abilty to have cheaper fuel and thus commodities? Where do you draw the line, ethanol, food or a bit of both? I am an extremely moral person and I can’t bypass the sanctity of life, it’s a gift and the very thought that getting in the family car is potentially killing people is unnerving. However where should we employ ignorance? At what stage should we be blissfully ignorant that our thirst for fuel is fuelling a famine of large proportions?

I think society desensitises itself too much from these issues. It amazes me how often we have conversations in everyday life where a topic goes from, “How bad is the situation in Zimbabwe?” to something more trivial which has a stronger, more emotional response, “How much of a skank is Paris Hilton?”. I think the main cause of this response is confrontation. The reality of a situation is so raw and imperfect that our bubbles filled with meaningless junk about celebrities and our plans for the weekend give us the environment to stop analysing the issue. The confrontation of an issue can be so overbearing that we just block it out when esentially it is core to our life. Since when did celebrities’ luxurious lifestyles become more important than the welfare of people in our community and our environment.

Understand though, I’m not condoning the distractions in life but rather questioning whether ignorance has become our immediate response to the harsh realities of the world.

I realise to some this post will sound like I’m rambling but essentially I want you to think about how often you block out harsh truths and search for other trivial things to occupy your headspace. Also think about where should we draw the line with ignorance? Is Western society too ignorant?

I think this is an issue that needs reflection, especially by Gen-Y in Australia because we have the means to create change but sometimes we dont acknowledge and use the privileges we have available to us…

The Beginning

So this is the beginning of my blogging adventure.

As a newbie this whole online blogging phenomenon, to document of my thoughts and opinions is a little overwhelming and almost seems strange. However the opportunities that are available to me online are countless and according to my school librarian, Mrs Luca, a blog is the beginning of a learning adventure and so here I am.

To date, a place that’s really been on my mind is Burma. I have a very close friend who’s family are currently over there. She grew up in the old capital, Rangoon and her family has countless investments which now hang in the balance after cyclone Nargis. As you can imagine her family that is still in Burma are fairly stressed with their homes damaged and a shortage of food and water. I was lucky to be in touch her over the past few days and apparently things are improving. The area where her family lives now have communications and the market has reopened but there is a shortage of food and water. I really feel for the Burmese people.  With the crisis escalating everyday due to stalling of foreign aid.

However this brings about the issue, should the West invade Burma in order to deliver the aid to needy civilians? During debating on Tuesday night this was our topic and the general consensus in post-debate discussion was that the West shouldn’t invade but rather should continue to pressure the Junta to allow more aid into the country before water-borne diseases begin to accelerate their infection rates. Where does your view lie? Should the West invade for the people’s benefit or respect the measures the Junta have put in place and wait?

Personally this conflicts with my personal beliefs on many levels leaving me undecided. I believe people in crisis should be helped and richer states should feel a certain degree of obligation to help their neighbours but to what extent does a government give without expecting to recieve. For example, say Australia’s $25million aid contribution is accepted do we expect anything in return like better relations with Burma, possible trade deals or co-operation with Australia in the the international arena, like our application to become an ASEAN member state.

I often wonder, do the West often overestimate the true amount of power they weild?

 

If you wish to help out the Burma Cyclone victims check out, Shelter Box it’s one of the only aid resources the Junta have allowed to enter the country.