The World is Just Critique - Article Example

Article Analysis In The World is Just cartoon, Bob Peterson represents a cartoon of three fish to describe how students understand what is fair. The small cartoon is represented saying “There is no Justice in the world”, the second cartoon says “There is some justice in the world”, while the third cartoon says “The world is just” (Peterson 73). The biggest fish suggests that the world is just because no other fish threatens its life. It seems like an opportunist, who does not care about other people’s rights and freedom. It kills and feeds on the other two fishes with impunity, and no justice is done. The fish in the middle has the notion that there is some justice in the world because it can feed on the smallest fish, or it can be fed on by the biggest fish (Peterson 73). When it is threatened by the biggest fish, it can release its anger on the smallest fish. This is a way of seeking justice through revenge. The smallest fish represents the poor and the less fortunate members of the society. Its life is threatened by both the other two fishes. It can be killed by the two bigger fishes, and no justice is done (Peterson 73). The three cartoons can be used in a classroom to help students realize that opinions on injustice and justice are related to an individual’s social class (Peterson 73). In a typical society, a given social class usually benefit from injustice done to others. For instance, the middle fish represent the oppressed middle class who are fighting injustice. Teachers can give their students a picture of the cartoon, and ask them to write down what they see. Secondly, teachers can organize their students into groups and ask them to debate on which fish is the most powerful and why? In Hunger Myths, the other presents four key myths that are blamed for global food insecurity and hunger. The author argues that hunger is not a myth, but the myths are the key barriers to ending hunger. 700 million of the world’s total population lack adequate food supply, while 12 million children die of hunger every year (Food First 241). The problem of food insecurity can only be solved, if people choose to do away with the current myths that they hold. The notion that there is no enough food to go around is a wrong belief, which should not be internalized by anybody. The truth is that there is enough food to provide everybody with 3,500 calories every day. This does not even include foods like root-crops, beans and vegetables. The problem is that a bigger potion of the world’s population is too poor to buy food (Food First 241). In addition, most hungry nations are net exporters of food and other agricultural products. Famine and other natural disasters cannot be blamed for food scarcity. The problem is that most arable lands are held by powerful few, thus depriving the majority of land. Human policies and institutions determine who eats and who starves during food crisis periods (Food First 241). The rapid population growth, which is a major concern in many countries, cannot explain food insecurity. Rapid population growth is caused by inequalities of denying people, especially women, of economic security and opportunity (Food First 241). This phenomenon is common in societies where health care, education, old age, and land ownership are beyond the reach of most people. The Green Revolution and technological advancements such as GM foods have led to increased production of food. This, however, cannot end hunger unless unequal distributions of powers that determine people to feed and not to feed during food crisis are changed (Food First 241). In a classroom setting, teachers can help to address food scarcity and insecurity issue by urging the students to unclear the myths described above from their mind. They need to know that food insecurity is caused by unequal distribution of economic powers, which determine the people to buy food during food crisis periods. In Ten Chair of Inequality Polly, Kellogg represents a simulation activity, which can be used in a classroom to demonstrate how wealth is distributed among different people in a country. Most countries are structured by gender, language, class, nationality and race (Kellogg 115). Unequal distribution of health is a common phenomenon in the United States. The wealthy and powerful individuals double their wealth annually, while the rest of the population thrives in poverty. The current statistics indicate that there is no industrialized country with a more skewed distribution of wealth (Kellogg 115). A bigger percentage of the national resources are held by a few people, and only a smaller percentage is left for most people to share. This makes the situation difficult for the middle and lower class members of the society to make progress in their lives since the resources are scares. The knowledge about the pattern of wealth distribution in a country is essential for students. This makes them become aware citizens and critical thinkers (Kellogg 115). Teachers are able to explain wealth distribution by using the ten chair inequality. Ten students are asked to sit on their chairs in front of the classroom. Each student presents 10 percent of the population and 10 percent of the wealth. Wealth in this case refers to personal property such ad land, real estate, cars, stoke and others. The students are then asked to rearrange themselves by asking one student to lie on seven chairs, the other to sit on one chair, then the rest to sit on the remaining two chairs in a group consisting of four students. Typical observation of the situation indicates how the student lying on the seven chairs is more comfortable than his colleagues. He represents the wealthiest individuals in the society who own most of the wealth. The second student is a little bit more comfortable than the students sharing the chairs. She represents the middle class individuals who own wealth that is not enough. The rest of the students sharing the two chairs appear to be uncomfortable and struggling. They even carry one another in order to fit in the chair. They represent the low class and poor members of the society who are struggling for the scarce resources. Works Cited Food First. "Hunger Myths." Just Food? (2011): 241. Print Kellogg P. "Ten Chairs of Inequality." The Global Economy: Colonialism Without Colonies (2011): 115. Print Peterson B. ""The World is Just" Cartoon." The Global Economy: Colonialism Without Colonies (2011): 73. Print Read More