Chapt. 16 Answers to the Thinking Globally article: Does "Modernity" Mean "Progress"? The kaiapo of the Amozon and the Gullah of Georgia.

1. Why is social change both a winning and a losing proposition for traditional people?

With the rise of modern culture among tradition people comes many advances in standards of living. Better health care and longevity, better and sturdier homes equipped with running water and electricity, instant communication with the outside world and higher education. But other more traditional lifestyles eventually fall away. Traditional medicine based on religious beliefs are replaced by modern doctors and practices eroding the old superstitions. Old skills of self reliance are replaced by contractors, plumbers and all sorts of specialist and new regulations concerning the home. A new and ever shrinking and confusing awareness of the societies place in the universe moves from being the center of it to being on the peripheryof it.

2. Do the changes described here improve the lives of the Kaiapo? What about the Gullah community?

As stated above it improves the physical well being of the individual members but at a loss to the sense of community that was central to their society. Oral tradition with it's group interaction and knowing each other is replaced by the impersonal pronouncements of the Dianne Sawyers, Ted Kopells, and the talking heads of "Meet the Press". Community entertainment and socialization is replaced by "Two and a Half Men", "Clifford", and the big Hip-Hop concert on the mainland.

3. Do traditional people have any choice about becoming modern?

Yes they do. But the price is steep. They make take the road of the Amish, living in a self imposed semi-exile state to preserve their traditions but slowly losing their younger members to the outside world. Or they can embrace modernity but losing the traditions of of their culture that made them unique through the erosion of all that use to be negligence. They will also lose their native home to developers and land speculators who will capitalize on the new availability of their once isolated lands and it's resources.

Chapter 15 Population, Ubanization and Environment

Answers to the questions in the Controversy & Debate section. "Apocalypse: Will people Overwhelm the Planet"?

1. Do you think Earth can support 8 or 10 billion people?

Yes. There is more than enough ariable land to that is uninhabited or under inhabited that can accommodate that many people. It has been estimated that if everyone in the world would move to the state of Texas, there would be enough room for every man, woman and child to have the living space for a 1500 sq. ft home (about the size of a one bdrm apt.). Obviously people would not crowd into such a contiguous space but spread out over ariable land around the world.

2. Ninety-six % of current population growth is in poor countries. What does this mean for the future of rich nations?

Rich nations would have to stop raping the poorer nations of their natural resources and encourage those nations to use the resources for the development of their own countries.

For the the future of poor ones?

With the resources being used to develop their own societies (baring any dictatorship and government corruption) they would be able to build the infrastructures needed for their growth.

3. What should people in rich countries do to ensure the future of children everywhere?

Increase the production of the various medicine and vaccines that have cured most of their children of their countries of terminal diseases. Allow poor nations to build better water delivery systems,roads, transportation and power systems to heighten their infrastructure. Help train more doctors and medical personnel in poorer nations.

Chapt. 14 Education, Health and Medicine. "And Man Has Become As One Of Us...."...Genesis

Answer to the questions posed in Controversy & Debate The Genetics Crystal Ball: Do We Really Want to Look?

1. Do people have a right to know the future health prospects of a partner before marriage?

This is an interesting question. Many states require a blood test before a marriage license is issued although most people don't know why anymore (the test is to detect and treat syphilis, rubella, and in some states HIV). In the early 7o's it was popular in the African American community to get tested for Sickle Cell Anemia before marriage so that the couple could determine the chances of their children having the disease. My belief is that it should be up to the couple involved voluntarily but not as an enforceable legal right (it wouldn't work anyway because one or the other partner would probably be insulted and call off the wedding).

2. Should parents be permitted to genetically "design" their children?

A definite NO unless any genetic modification is to prevent a child from being born with a detectable disease or other future health problem. Genetic alteration to design a "smarter, more intelligent" child or to design certain desirable physical attributes should be banned. Not only does it smack of what the Nazi's were trying to do but would create a new class and maybe racial division of "Enhanced" people. There are many sciences fiction novels and articles of speculation that discuss the consequences of going down that road.

3. Should genetic research companies be allowed to patent their discoveries so that they can profit from the results, or should this information be made available to everyone.

Another tricky question. All discoveries that would cure of prevent disease, illnesses and birth defects should by available to everyone. The rest is unclear. Looking back the previous question what if in the future a group of people were to be sent to colonize the planet Mars. Should they be genetically altered to better withstand the atmospheric and gravitational conditions that they would live under? That should be patented. While these questions are in the realm of science fiction right now, they may be science fact sooner than we think.

"And Man Has Become As One of Us, Except He does Not Have Immortality"...Genesis

And I might add.....WISDOM.

Response to "Should We Save the Traditional Family"

1. I do think that families should put their children welfare first over their own happiness, unless there is physical or emotional violence involved. Whether working a combined 60 hrs as ONE part of the solution depends on the type of work the parents are in. Other factors should be repeal of the no fault divorce laws, change of attitudes towards errant mothers, heavier penalties for childlike behavior of divorcing couples, etc.

2. That is may be true and divorce should be granted for physical or emotional abuse by either party.

3. We should adapt a traditional family code of responsibilities that will universally fit all changing family patterns

Chapter 12 - Economics and Politics. "Denmark, Here I Come"

Answers to the question posed in the Thinking Globally article "Want Equality and Freedom? Try Denmark"

1. What evidence of less income inequality might you expect to see in Denmark if you were to visit that country? As mentioned in the article low unemployment, equality in upper level schooling, equality in health services, near equality in standards of housing and transportation.

2. Would you be willing to pay most of your income in taxes if the government provided you with benefits such as schooling and health care? Yes. I would look upon it as an essential service much as we do police, fire and military protection here in the U. S.

3. Do you think most people in the United States would like to have our society become more like Denmark? While it would seem that most people would like such services, our heavily ingrained belief that having such benefits would somehow strip us of our rights and that we would become a controlled and complacent society will keep us from moving in that direction for generation to come. Just look at how we reacted to a capitalism based universal health care proposal. I knew a female bartender who wasn't making much money that was against any form of health care assistance even though her daughter was have medical problem that she could not afford and had no one to help her in her support system. She firmly believed that any form of universal health care was leading us down the road to the dreaded "Communism" (though if asked she couldn't define the term).

Chapter 11 Race and Ethnicity, Answers to "New Dialoque on Mixed Race"

1. Whether I agree or not America thinks so. While many Americans state that we should stop using racials designation a just be "Americans" most are the first to such hyphynated terms as "Irish, Italian, or Polish-American. And racial conotations will always be used for desciption purposes.

2. It could be both in that it could be the way that they feel they best express themselves culturally and well as an insight into their political views.

3. It would be nice but the fact is that we need such boxes because people will see such differences.

Chaprt 10 Gender Stratification Women in the Military

As far as women in the mitilary goes I feel that women should be allowed to fill any position in all the armed forces. Whether infantry, airborne, fighter pilot, or Navy Seal all positions in the milary are based on training and merit. The physical and psychological differences can be surmounted by the training involved in military life.