Day 011- If You can read these lines, You are lucky… Thats how World is!

Like the previous post, also this one is based on my chats with people at the beach house.

The problem of this country (and developing countries in general) is illiteracy. 70% of population cannot write or read and also among those 30% are also such that can only sign themselves. As I come from country where education is obligatory by law and illiteracy is under 3%, its hard to think of the consequences…

The most frightening result is terorism… You have to accept the fact that most of the “holy” fighters – mujahedins – have never read Koran, simply because they can not read.

The person who made me realize this has given me a simple equation – if You cant read, You get no education, if You dont get education Your mindset and thinking is very “straightforward” and simple minded , thus You believe what You are told. Pakistanis have culturally one weak spot – they are not used to question what they are told, when You combine it with their inborn emotional nature, its a potential (bomb) waiting for a person to use it… in good and bad.

To make the picture complete, You should know that most of population of Pakistan lives from less than 2 USD per day (e.g. are considered to be “officially” poor). The scissors are opening more and more. Pakistan doesnt have a clear middle class. There are people who are extremely poor, people extremely rich and people MEGA extremely rich (and some people somewhere in between). The low class is fighting for a better life, seeing the rich ones, they get frustrated and thus are also very easily to be manipulated. Btw this fight is visible, phone snatches or robbery is frequent (mostly foreigners are targets).

You should know that You are a lucky person, if You can read this lines, You can read and write, have electricity, PC/notebook, internet, freedom of what You read, knowledge of English, free time for Yourself… You are on top of the iceberg, just think how many people are under You (and how many people are out of Your sight, under the sea level, lost, where they get from only if something BIG happens. Lets hope that the iceberg doesnt turn.)