As we enter 2013, the world population has surpassed 7 billion people.
How can we get a sense of what it means ... and who we are?
One way is by statistically representing the world population as 100 people. That way, complex issues become more comprehensible and help us get a stronger sense of the big picture.
Here is a video introduction to the 100 Person Project.
The 100 People Project: An Introduction from 100 People Foundation on Vimeo.
And here is an infographic of some of the highlights of the research.
50 would be female
50 would be male
26 would be children
There would be 74 adults,
8 of whom would be 65 and older
There would be:
60 Asians
15 Africans
14 people from the Americas
11 Europeans
33 Christians
22 Muslims
14 Hindus
7 Buddhists
12 people who practice other religions
12 people who would not be aligned with a religion
12 would speak Chinese
5 would speak Spanish
5 would speak English
3 would speak Arabic
3 would speak Hindi
3 would speak Bengali
3 would speak Portuguese
2 would speak Russian
2 would speak Japanese
62 would speak other languages
83 would be able to read and write; 17 would not
7 would have a college degree
22 would own or share a computer
77 people would have a place to shelter them
from the wind and the rain, but 23 would not
1 would be dying of starvation
15 would be undernourished
21 would be overweight
87 would have access to safe drinking water
13 people would have no clean, safe water to drink
If you want more information on this ...
The detailed research and source information can be found here and the statistics provided by Donella Meadows in 1990 that originally inspired the 100 People Project can be viewed here. A different groups research is here. And the Snopes research is here.
Can Germany Save Itself and the Euro Zone?
The Euro Zone is safe; at least someone is propping up the euro.
The picture was taken last week in the financial center of Frankfurt, Germany. The handmade signs in the foreground are part of the Occupy Frankfurt movement, which is still active a year after it started.
This visit to Germany prompted some questions. While my observations are not scientific (nor statistically relevant) I'll share a few of them with you anyway.
First, there seemed to be a pervading sense of wariness and weariness. I heard many people express concerns about the economy and the future. "Zeitgeist" is a German word that means spirit of the times ... and the spirit here seems somewhat dampened, despite a 24% gain in the German DAX Index this year.
Second, native Germans are not having babies at the rate they used to. This would typically result in an aging population. However, it seems to have triggered a major influx of immigrants from other countries in the region, like Turkey, but also from Pakistan, Afghanistan and other Muslim nations.
Third, while stereotypical, my sense is that the German national identity was somewhat tied to "craftsmanship". But as their economy manufactures less, it's as if the nation struggles to figure out what it will become.
Fourth, while America may be a melting pot, historically Germany hasn't been. So, it isn't hard to imagine the cognitive dissonance felt by a Germans who don't know how to respond to a Germany that is becoming less "German".
As a result, this newly diverse population is struggling to decide how to allocate resources.
I'm reminded of the warning flight attendants give you on an airplane; if the oxygen masks are deployed, make sure you use them yourself first, before trying to help someone else, because it's tough to help somebody else if you're incapacitated.
By many measures, Germany is the strongest nation in its region. However, the burdens of a new economy and a new world order are hard to ignore.
It may pay to remember the saying: "Pigs get meaner as troughs get smaller."
Posted at 02:05 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Market Commentary, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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