Globalization - Justin Long

I've received the following "cute story" from numerous people on the Internet.

Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 a.m. While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG). He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE) and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA) he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN) to the radio (MADE IN INDIA) he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB. At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals (MADE IN BRAZIL) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned on his TV (MADE IN INDONESIA), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in.....AMERICA.....

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While I understand the gripe of the original author (whomever it may be), this implication of the story is that somehow things are better in other places than they are right here. This is obviously not the case. So, I've put together the following 1-paragraph "response" to this story. While both the original story and mine are lacking and inadequate in several respects to address the issue of globalization, I hope they make you stop and count your blessings.

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Joe Smith apparently has a place to sleep, which makes him better off than 1.3 billion people who have no adequate shelter. He's apparently healthy, which makes him better off than 2.2 billion people. He has an alarm clock, which he can read (better off than 70% of the world), and he has electricity (better off than 40% of the world). While his coffeepot was perking (with safe, clean water, which makes him better off than 2.2 billion people), he shaved with his electric razor (see electricity above). He put on clothes (which makes him better off than 1.4 billion people who do not have adequate clothing). He cooked his breakfast. With breakfast, he's better off than 1.2 billion hungry people who don't have enough food for an active working life -- and that doesn't mention the fact that he could cook it on a stove, not over firewood (and 1.5 billion people can't even do this, having no supply of wood). He sat down with his calculator (a technology to which more than 3 billion people have no access) to see how much he could spend today (and if he is poor, he joins 46% of the world in this category, but he is better off than 18% of the world who have no money at all and live in absolute poverty).

After setting his watch (better than 1.6 billion people) to the radio (better off than 43.5% of the world), he got in his car (better than 5 billion people) and continued his search for a good paying American job (if he has time to search for a job, he's better off than 1 billion just-coping people, is in company with 1 billion unemployed workers, not to mention the 900 under-employed labor who have no access to a job that pays good, or the 35 million slaves).

At the end of yet another day, he put on his sandals (see note above about clothes), poured himself a glass of wine (see notes about safe water and having any money at all to spend), and turned on his TV (better off than 2.6 billion people).

While he wonders why he can't find a good paying job in America, I hope he remembers that just under half the world is in the same position. I also hope he's grateful that he doesn't have to sell one or more of his children into sex slavery because he can't afford to feed them, he doesn't have to restort to prostitution himself (of which 2 million men do), he's not living under an oppressive regime (like 400 million people) or a racist regime (80 million). He can't be imprisoned for his political beliefs (unlike 1.2 million people), and he has freedom of religion (better off than 2.2 billion people) and full political freedom and civil rights (better off than 4.2 billion people). He doesn't live in a country that regularly and publicly employs torture (better off than 2.2 billion people), and he himself is not being tortured (better off than 120,000 prisoners). He has some education (which makes him better off than 850 million people with none). He's been immunized against disease (which makes him better off than 4 billion people).

He's not a woman - and this is no slight to women. It's just that his genetics put him out of a bracket that number 49.6% of the world, forms 37% of the paid labor force, heads 33% of all households, makes up 95% of all nurses, performs 62% of all work hours, yet receive 10% of the world's income, own just 1% of its property, and make up 70% of all poor, 66% of all illiterates, 80% of all refugees and 75% of all ill or sick.

I hope he counts his blessings and thanks God for them, and does something to bless someone else's life.

The Effects of Globalization: Counting Our Blessings Strategic Networks ARTICLE 10434

Joe Smith wonders why he can't find a good job in America, but forgets all of his blessings.

by Justin Long