5 - 7 - 15

Prosperity Gap and the "Needs-Skill" Mismatch

In spite of the well meaning efforts by good people, the Prosperity Gap and the "Needs-Skill" mismatch continue, especially amongst the poor.

As a part of our attempts to to find good ideas, actions and capable community leaders, we are approaching you for reliable useful information and concrete suggestions.

Can you spare some time and help us in our search?

3 - 7 - 15

(Like the previous post of 2-19-15, same spirit, same philosophy)

Ferguson: 2-steps-Action; Direct, Immediate

Form "Neighborhood Youth" groups all across Ferguson and take 2 steps right now!
(Your suggestions can add to this or improve upon it.)

1 Write down detailed , unbiased, factual account of every inappropriate law enforcement behavior. Prepare a data base for future democratic action.

(Be polite with everyone, including the police. Like Gandhi and King, work for fairness peacefully-- with anger for no one, including your opponents. Willingly, admit your shortcomings.)

(What does one do if a vindictive police officer indulges in some kind of intimidating behavior such as "blacklisting" these young volunteers?) 


2 Identify potential, promising group leaders with an idea to prepare them as capable and honest future elected representatives of the people.

.......................................................................................

Help from others:

1 Guide the youth in the activities mentioned above

2 With the help of the Black leaders involved in the following fields, find the root causes of the problems and challenges faced by the Black youth. Request them to explain this in a manner that is simple and clear for any lay person.

Sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, physicians(including psychiatrists), educationists (teaching and non-teaching), business experts, economists, historians, urban planners, elected officials, journalists, law enforcement experts, lawyers, "gun experts", NGOs...........................
(Please add to the list)

(Hopefully, eventual meetings and discussions between the laity and the experts can bring up topics such as the "preoccupation" of the body and mind of the inmates etc. The question is: can we have constructive dialog in place of destructive confrontation? Is it realistic? Or, frankly speaking, too utopian?)   

2 - 19 - 15

www.iyouus.com (under construction)

I & YOU can make a better life for all of US.
Our attempt to make life better, now and for future, through coordinated individual-group efforts(concretely & virtually).

It is a venture that is Not-for-profit-only. We hope everyone will join us in this cooperative endeavor to devise new ways to improve life in America and elsewhere. Along the way, there can be some tangible recognition or material rewards for us and for the active participants as well.

We will present a specific format and plan of action later. These actions can touch on any aspect of life and society--personal as well as general.
Diverse contributions from everyone can really make it a meaningful site.

In the meantime, by way of example, we would like to present here, for your input, a hotly discussed issue of income inequality.

Wealth gap between the rich and the poor

One indication of this is growing number of billionaires globally in the midst of poverty, unemployment and despair. US, China and India lead in the number of billionaires worldwide.
Apart from moral or ethical considerations, narrowing this gap can have significant economic impact. Fairer distribution of income naturally will lead to a better quality of life for everyone.
I suggest we write a "participatory, public e-book": $$$$Rich-$Poor GAP ! We welcome others to suggest alternative names.
The main part of the book should be about individual billionaires--say from America and India--with a list of questions or topics such as the following:

1 How did each of the super rich become rich?
2 Overall, have their actions helped or hurt society?
3 What percentage of their wealth is spent for the common good?

4 What are their ideas of a fair tax?

5 What do they feel about the minimum wage controversy?

6 In terms of jobs, income, money-management etc., what can they teach the world?
7 Do they have a constructive plan on how to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor?
8 Whom do they "blame" for this glaring disparity?
9 Do they consult friends, "philosophers," or "guides" about this social phenomenon?
10  What do they think about the "Trusteeship Principle" outlined below?

Trusteeship Principle

(Gandhian economics discusses this idea.)

Accumulating wealth is a social phenomenon; one cannot become rich in pure vacuum!

A wealthy individual believing in this idea manages his wealth--"spare wealth"--as a trustee and looks after the less privileged. Moreover, this way the rich have control over how their money is managed and it is not wasted or "thrown away" by giving it to government bureaucrats. Keeping this in mind, I suggest the following:

1 Voluntarily, every year the super rich should put ten per cent of their income in a Collective Trust Fund.
2 Under the guidance of these participating rich individuals, among others, a full time staff should manage this fund.

3 By way of example, two ways in which this money can be spent:

(i) Education

Arrange for all round support and guidance for the best underprivileged students and their families. Three main components of this plan are: best education, best career path and best support to their families. 

OR

Help the poorest schools in the country for their all round, planned improvement.

(ii) Business

Guide and help smart and successful small business owners to advance further or diversify.