Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Misplacing Sovereign States

"All these problems going on in Africa. First Sudan, then Egypt, now Syria." Can someone tell me what's wrong with this sentence? There are several things, but one problems stands out more than the others. We'll the discuss the most obvious later, but I will like to get into the deeper meaning first.

It's interesting how people misplace countries and yet sound as if they know what they are talking about. This made me wonder if people misplace countries because they assume certain continents have more problems than others because they do not view their media critically. Most of the time, what we read, watch, or listen to in regard to any place is only the tip of the iceberg. All because a country is going through issues does not mean that it is in Africa. And all because a country is doing well does not mean it is in North America or Europe.

Problems of all sorts exists EVERYWHERE on our planet. In some places they may be more severe than others, but it also does not mean a place does not have it's triumphs. I don't know if I sound like a broken record yet, but Africa has many problems, but many great things going on, too. Many African economies are experiencing rapid growth, growing middle classes, and construction booms. Yet, there is still political turmoil in several countries, extreme poverty, and extreme cases of corruption. Similar problems/triumphs exist and have existed in Asia, South America, North America and Europe (notice how I stated the five major continents).

I think I am past the point that I am tired of ignorant comments. Of course, one is not expected to know everything, but we should all have the brain NOT to say something we're not sure of. In addition, basic knowledge of our world is essential, considering how global our society is becoming.

Back to my question at the beginning of this post, if you guessed what's wrong, then you are one of the few people that passed their geography class. If you are still trying to figure it out, this post is just for you. Dedicate more time to understanding the world around you.

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