7/13/2005

Where does the money go?

According to the World Bank Europeans spent $11 billion on ice cream last year. Before we get too upset at the Euros we should remember that Americans spent $19 billion buying gifts off of wedding registries last year.* So we spent $30 billion on wedding gifts and ice cream in the western world. Nice.

According to the Commission for Africa the world's wealthiest nations spent $24 billion on aid to Africa. We in the west spent $6 billion more on wedding gifts and ice cream than helping the poorest people on the planet. We should be ashamed. We are more concerned with pleasure and keeping up appearances than helping others. Weddings and ice cream are the modern day equivalents of bread and circuses.

*Source theknot.com

2 comments:

Ray said...

Well, I posted a comment earlier... Guess the machine didn't like what I said, but for some reason it disappeared...

Anyway, as I have stated in a recent blog -- the 'civilized' world has it's reality delivered via the TV, that way it can be turned to something more entertaining when true reality begins to hit too close to home -- I mean, 'The Osbournes' are MUCH safer reality than actually opening our eyes and seeing what is truly going on. Besides, it is easier to enjoy our ice cream when we are properly entertained.

The truly sad part is that some people are aware that these are distractions, yet that is how they prefer to live their life!

Ryan said...

I was saddened by how many people dismissed me as a raving lunatic when I shared this info with them. Rome had its bread and circuses and now we have our weddings and ice cream.