From time to time we all need to be reminded of what a harsh and brutal world we live in. The world has a population of about 7,068,867,940. 80% live on less than $10.00 per day.
3,534,000,000 live on less than $2.50 per day.
1,400,000,000 live on less than $1.25.
Starvation is a pretty common way to die. Most people on the planet are not free. Getting enough to eat just to sustain oneself is a typical challenge.
Suffering is normal in most countries.
On the rare occasions, when I have taught economics, I would start out by going over statistics like this to put life in the United States in perspective.
We do quite a bit better in the United States. Why? The biggest reasons are liberty and a tradition of free enterprise.
Our free enterprise system has been largely replaced with central planning. Americans are increasingly willing to give up personal liberties for the perception of security. The more we dismantle our free market system, the more we will become like the rest of the world where people constantly struggle just to stay alive.

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