Essential Question

In my other essential question post, i sought to answer these questions, "How do we help the world? Are we focused on the right problem? Is giving money the solution?"

Is money the solution? We take so much pride as Americans in wealth, we are drowned by local media to keep getting more, spend more money, get more things, better yourself. We are brain washed into thinking what we have is not enough, what we buy is not enough, or that we are not enough. Reading the "Poisonwood Bible" Anatole tells us of the kikongo perspective on money and wealth. Which is totally opposite from ours. He says the people of the village give away what they do not need, alot like how the Singer Solution presented us, and Zel Kravinsky too. He used the example of one of the fisher men in the village who, when having an abundant catch, comes back to the village and gives away all his fish, and even to the people he doesn't like. In fact he gives the most fish to that man he hates. Leah shoots back with the fact that he has to give away the fish, because its impossible for him to eat it all, and it would spoil if he kept it. Anatole said this is the same way the congolese feel about money, if you keep it too long it will spoil. I thought this was a very weird way to think of money, like fish. Both are very important but as an American I guess I build up money to be worth alot more, because it can buy so much in America. Fish has the same power in Africa. I think this is a very key idea if we want to help the world. I like hearing it from Anatole's point of view in the book, I didn't really feel as obliged to give when I read it from Zel or the Singer Solution. I guess Anatole just sounds more sincere.