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27 Humans' Needs = the F.I.S.H.
Before starting this blog, I was writing Ernstraud Magazine sporadically. That
climaxed on February 11, 2019 with an
analysis of humans' needs. The acronym there was the
FISH, meaning Fundamental Ingredients
Sustaining Humans. They are important enough
to list again here, in order of urgency, as measured by how
quickly people die if they lack the ingredient. As the urgency
goes down, the importance might be going up; the complexity
does.
The FISH
Physically we consume these items:
- Clean Air
- Clean Water
- Nutrition and Exercise
- Safe Housing
- Healthcare (we stay healthy as a group)
- Valid Education (see the
prior issue of this blog)
Mentally / spiritually we produce these items:
- Occupation (being occupied at something, not
necessarily a traditional job)
- Worth (self-worth underlies
meaning--article 15
Three principles
1. We know that every
person is a consumer -- otherwise we die. Sometimes we forget that
every person is also a producer--we don't survive without
meaning. It's not a problem of freeloading, it's a matter of
being needed for something (within reasonable bounds as discussed in article 21).
2. People are diverse in
consuming and producing. Our economy is the miracle that balances
the two. Morality lies in fairness--nobody left out. Human
population is limited by available resources.
3. Money is not on the
list! It is a measuring device for commerce, but it
cannot be a goal because it cannot sustain life the way
producing and consuming do. A large number on a balance sheet has
no meaning until it is applied to something that sustains life.
High wages enable consumption that pays for production that meets
needs.
The last post ended on
the "threat" of wealth equality, meant to stimulate further
thinking. Rich people, don't give up on me! I am not here to rob
you. Transferring your money to people rich or poor who don't
know how to manage it improves nothing. Using your own
resources, you have more power than governments because you are
not restrained by gridlock. Under Eisenhower the government built
the interstate highway system and under Kennedy, Johnson and
Nixon the government landed people on the moon, but the first
public library in Chicago was founded by Jane Addams. The
national educational cause was boosted by 2,509 Carnegie
libraries. Bill Gates creates domestic and foreign
non-governmental social welfare organizations. Jimmy Carter
combines private donations into housing, worldwide health
services and election monitoring. Resources in the right hands
bless all people.
We hate greed. Amassing
mere money arouses jealousy, not admiration. On the other hand,
we admire those who apply vision to their own and our
resources (private or public) to distribute the FISH
evenly. The reward for wealth management skill is our earth
restored.
In this happiness blog we
collaborate in our common cause. Do comment!
Being For Others Blog copyright © 2020 Kent Busse
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