Tuesday Thoughts & Talks - The Hunger Games

Yes, I am aware that today is Wednesday - at least for me - and that I already had a Tuesday post yesterday, BUT I wanted to participate in this new meme too.  It's called Tuesday Thoughts & Talks, it's hosted by Sherry @ BloggityBLOG and this is it's first week!  All you have to do to participate is pick a book and talk about something it made you feel or think about.  This week, I'm choosing to talk about The Hunger Games and what it made me think when I first read it and I'm a little nervous to post this!  I apologise in advance if this topic upsets or offends anyone and I hope you know that that is not my intention.

The Hunger Games was the first dystopian book that I ever read, so you can imagine all the things that in itself made me think about.  My main question was, could the world really turn out like this?  The more I thought about it, the more I realised that, in some ways, it already was.  Aren't we all at least a little like the Capitol?  I know that I am.  We have so much.  So many things that maybe aren't all that necessary.  And at the same time, there are people on this planet who are starving, who don't even have the basic necessity of clean water.  We're taught as children how to share, but how can we take it seriously when a lot of those in power refuse to reasonably share their country's wealth with ones that need it?  I could talk about specific examples of this to do with Australia's contributions all day, but I won't.  Instead, I will leave you with a few of articles, so that you can read about this topic more if you want.

1. Budget 2014: Axe falls on foreign aid spending, nearly $8 billion in cuts over next five years
"Australian foreign aid spending is being cut by $7.6 billion over the next five years, in the biggest savings measure in the 2014 budget."

2.  Aid agencies begin to axe programs on back of Government cuts to foreign aid

3.  Australia's aid effort (Oxfam)

I would almost go so far as to compare developing countries receiving foreign aid to Katniss in the sense that giving foreign aid makes Australia (the Capitol, if you like) look good*.  But are we really doing all we can to reduce poverty?

*To clarify, that is not the only reason that Australia gives aid, I know.  And it has actually done a significant amount of good over the years in combination with the rest of the world.  Just imagine what the world could be like if more was done.

I know that I don't want to live and die in a world like this.  And I know that I have to do more if I want anything to change.

Thank you for reading this.  I'm sorry today's topic was gloomy - hopefully next time I will have something more uplifting to share for this meme!