Sometimes I feel as if I hate people. All they seem to care about are their own wants. Sure, it's natural and instinctive to take care of yourself before others but at some point it becomes extravagant and selfish.

I'm thankful for water, family, pets, health. I don't need $75 pants. My dog certainly doesn't need a $6,400 diamond-studded necklace. Sheesh.

We spend $100 million on the Academy Awards, the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, and other such events. You know, I'm opening up a can of worms, dealing with economics, trickle-down, and all sorts of other things I don't know much about. Perhaps in some way, spending so much on certain things benefits some people who need. I don't know everything. I'll say this: If that's not true, then I don't think billions of dollars should be spent annually on things of the nature of the events above. If we were to spend our excess money on developing third world countries and areas in need, perhaps the world would be a better place. Would the world economy improve? And thus everything else? Or do we need to be unequal? Do we need the proletariat and poor classes of the world to suffer for the greater good of the majority? Aren't they the majority? I wonder what would happen to this planet if the wealthy nations actually helped the less fortunate rise to a better level, or almost equal to their own measure. Maybe we would over consume. The population would certainly rise, without restrictions. Prices would skyrocket, most likely. But then there would eventually become a new lower class. I suppose there will always be upper and lower groups of people. I need to read more on this subject; I feel very uneducated at the moment.

Back to my original idea: Am I my brother's keeper? I think I am, in certain contexts. I have empathy for my fellow men. If one believes in God, then this is true—we are all one, in that way. But even if you don't hold faith or religion, I think it's still appropriate. Unless you have the means to isolate yourself, you're here...in this society, this world...and everyone that lives is connected to everyone else, whether you're talking about economics, politics, or, by golly, the atmosphere. These alone give us physical and emotional ties. We're bound. I believe in caring for people, whether my son or a stranger. Everything we do resonates, and is relative to all else.