Video Out

Throw?

As the human population of the planet zooms past seven billion, it appears that the value of human life, and the respect for others as expressed in care and caring, is being discarded. Indeed, one of the most shocking and tragic aspects of this is the legions of 'throwaway children' of Latin America, Africa and now the so-called 'advanced' countries. Families break up because of economic circumstance, the yearning for freedom from traditional roles by women, and the powerful lure of consumerist culture (necessitating an endless search for cash money, above and beyond what is necessary for survival). This video pokes its cold glassy nose into a distinction between street children, who spend their days mostly hustling for money with their friends around thoroughfares, and abandoned kids, whom some societies shun. The argument here is that because of the enduring web of support and resilience of urban society, even in a megapolis like Jakarta, street kids do not really face hostility and danger: they are just tolerated and even supported with donations of coins. Of course they should be spending their days in school - Harvard Business School, preferably. Are you going to pay for the legions being pooped out by ladies everywhere?