Our
World
by
Carl
Sagan
If
we
could
shrink
the
earth's
population
to
a
village
of
precisely
100
people,
with
all
the
existing
human
ratios
remaining
the
same,
it
would
look
something
like
the
following.
There
would
be:
57
Asians
21
Europeans
14
from
the
Western
Hemisphere,
both
north
and
south
8
would
be
Africans
52
would
be
female
48
would
be
male
70
would
be
non-white
30
would
be
white
70
would
be
non-Christian
30
would
be
Christian
89
would
be
heterosexual
11
would
be
homosexual
6
people
would
possess
59%
of
the
entire
world's
wealth
and
all
6
would
be
from
the
United
States.
80
would
live
in
substandard
housing
70
would
be
unable
to
read
50
would
suffer
from
malnutrition
(ONE)
1
would
be
near
death;
(ONE)
1
would
be
near
birth;
(ONE)
1
(yes,
only
1)
would
have
a
college
education;
(ONE)
1
(yes,
only
1)
would
own
a
computer.
When
one
considers
our
world
from
such
a
compressed
perspective,
the
need
for
acceptance,
understanding
and
education
becomes
glaringly
apparent.
And,
therefore
.
.
.
If
you
have
food
in
the
refrigerator,
clothes
on
your
back,
a
roof
overhead
and
a
place
to
sleep,
you
are
richer
than
75%
of
this
world.
If
you
woke
up
this
morning
with
more
health
than
illness,
you
are
more
blessed
than
the
million
who
will
not
survive
this
week.
If
you
have
money
in
the
bank,
in
your
wallet,
and
spare
change
in
a
dish
someplace,
you
are
among
the
top
8%
of
the
world's
wealthy.
If
you
can
attend
a
church
meeting
without
fear
of
harassment,
arrest,
torture,
or
death,
you
are
more
blessed
than
three
billion
people
in
the
world.
If
you
have
never
experienced
the
danger
of
battle,
the
loneliness
of
imprisonment,
the
agony
of
torture,
or
the
pangs
of
starvation,
you
are
ahead
of
500
million
people
in
the
world.
If
your
parents
are
still
alive
and
still
married,
you
are
very
rare,
even
in
the
United
States.
If
you
can
hold
someone's
hand,
hug
them,
or
even
touch
them
on
the
shoulder,
you
are
blessed
because
you
can
offer
healing
touch.
If
you
hold
up
your
head
with
a
smile
on
your
face
and
are
truly
thankful,
you
are
blessed because
the
majority
can, but
most
do
not.
If
you
can
read
this
message,
you
have
just
received a
double
blessing
in
that
someone
was
thinking
of
you,
and
furthermore, you
are
more
blessed
than
over
two
billion
people
in
the
world
who
cannot
read
at
all.
As
you
read
this
and
are
reminded
how
life
is
in
the
rest
of
the
world,
remember
just
how
blessed
you
really
are!
Reach out and Love Someone!
