Ignorance

  When an individual does not have to work for their needs, they can be ignorant and fail to see how their actions contrast to the less fortunate, leading to irresponsible and hurtful actions being committed. The two pictures being compared heavily contradict one another. The top is a waterpark in India, while the bottom picture is drinking water being collected from underground in Ethiopia. The two pictures show how necessities are taken for granted by people who are successful, yet ignorant of worldly issues.

  In the first picture, which is set in Mumbai, India, the setting is a waterpark. Bright colors such as blue, are radiant in this picture, expressing relaxation. The sky is clear and blue as ever and there are green trees full of color around, indicating that it is a hot summer day. There is a man who is laying down in the water, seeming perpetually relaxed, watching the kids play in the water. The kids seem happy and full of life. They are not wearing colors that are dull, but rather bright. None of their shirts have rips or tears in them, they look new. These people are running around in the clear water, playing in it, taking the opportunity of having clean water to wash down a hot summer day, for granted. In the second picture, the setting is dark and omniscient. The person is working to find water. They seem to have dug deep underground to find water that can be used to drink. The water does not seem clean, the pool water in the first picture seemed cleaner. The hole is surrounded by rocks and mud. There doesn’t seem to be much water that they have collected, and perhaps it is all they can find for the day, so they are forced to return home to share the limited water with their family. The person is undeniably thin- as if they haven’t eaten a proper meal for a while, whereas, the kids and adults in the top picture look healthy and energetic. In the bottom picture, the woman appears to not be wearing any shoes and the color of the shirt she is wearing is not bright, but looks rather dirty. Their skin color looks dull and ashy, while the individuals in the first picture seem to glisten under the sun. The two pictures depict the contrast between the two societies. The people in the first picture are taking the free water that they have for granted, being ignorant of how hard people in less fortunate countries need to work to have water to drink. The lengths some people have to take to obtain basic necessities, it too perplex for sheltered and privileged people, like us, to truly understand.

  Although I try to be open and remember that I am fortunate to be living in a first world country like Canada, my trip to Pakistan this summer was an eye-opener. We don’t realize that things that are so normal to us, like having access to filtered tap water, and electricity all the time, are seen as luxuries in other countries. When we arrived in Pakistan, we were warned not to drink water from the tap, as it would make us sick, so every day after work, my uncle would bring bottled filtered water for us to drink. When we went to restaurants we had to specifically ask for filtered water, when that was never the issue in Calgary. In the Summer, it would be so hot that you couldn’t step foot outside during the day, but instead, stay holed up in a room with a fan and AC. Sitting in the AC all day with wifi would not have been an issue to me, but the problem was, that every day, the electricity would go out for at least an hour, some days it would go out 3 or 4 times. After experiencing this, I missed home more than ever. This is when I realized how much I had taken for granted my life back home. If we are hot, we are able to take a trip to the swimming pool or take a cold shower. If we are cold, we will wrap up in blankets in our heated home. This is sadly, not the case for everyone. Having clean drinking water and electricity all day is an expectation to us, not a luxury as it is for others. This is why these two pictures connected to me. I know that I am just like those people in the first picture, taking what I have for granted, but I am trying to be better.

  As I look at these two pictures, I feel disgusted that this is what our society has come to. We should help one other succeed. We are all human and deserve equal benefits, no one should be above someone else. The rich should be charitable to the poor and help them obtain some of the advantages they have. Perhaps if that were the case, world poverty would not be such a big issue as it is today. We take for granted our electricity, water, food, homes, etc. Count your blessings.