From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!torn!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ames!haven.umd.edu!uunet!mcsun!uknet!newcastle.ac.uk!turing!n0404 Fri Sep  4 09:41:08 EDT 1992
Article 6708 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: D.J.Butcher@newcastle.ac.uk (Dave Butcher)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,rec.arts.sf.misc,alt.cyberpunk
Subject: Re: _The Turing Option_
Message-ID: <Btn58y.A8r@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 27 Aug 92 11:58:10 GMT
References: <COSC176T.92Aug26010939@menudo.uh.edu> <BtLGA4.8sy@newcastle.ac.uk> <1992Aug26.192343.1144@kbsw1>
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU.
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>Tom Hatton writes:
>
>>chris@kbsw1 (Chris Kostanick 806 1044) writes:
>
>>>People today live longer and eat better than at any time in
>>>history. This is scarred and desolate?
>>>Chris Kostanick
>>>"Range, 1000 yards"
>
>>Your sig seems to say it all, in terms of your vision. What people are you
>>talking about here? A few hundred million out of the 5+ billion on the
>>planet? And what percentage of those are living in poverty, hence *not*
>>eating enough, and *not* living longer? It appears nobody outside your 
>>little corner really matters to you. Future's so bright you gotta wear
>>shades, it seems.
>
>I was under the impression that several BILLION people live longer,
>better, and potentially happier (ha ha) lives these days.  Mass
>starvation has receded from a really significant fraction of the world's
>population with the growth in international ties and trade.  I would be
>quite surprised if the percentage of world population that starves in
>famines is any higher than times immemorial, and likely to much much
>lower.  Definitions of poverty in nations with a social-democratic
>.tradition (so probably not the US) do not include hunger, as
>satisfactory support exists for all residents.  The big problem is that
>.often poverty in the West is not owning a VCR ... I assume that's what
>you were referring to as "those".>
>
>>Not intended as a flame, just a little re-adjustment of your perspective.
>
>Agreed.  Not a flame.  Just another different perpective.
>
>Peter

The number of people living on the streets, and dying on the streets in the
western world may well be lower than in previous centuries, but it IS on the
increase at present.  The Third/developing whatever world, is in places significantly worse off than it was previous, and often in those places getting worse.
Look at Yugoslavia as an example of how a supposedly developed and stable
country can fall apart.  Admittedly the tension there was subdued rather than
removed over the last fifty odd years.
To blithely assume that everything is always getting better is niave, some
places, and some aspects of society are getting worse.  Some rapidly.

Dave.

--
David Butcher
n0404@ncl.ac.uk	 - Newcastle University -


