RE: Elon Musk & Twitter & World Hunger & Billionaires & Tech

World hunger is even more complicated than that. While economics and wealth (or lack thereof) in general play a large role, one of the biggest problems is overpopulation. Not overpopulation of the world in general as I think the world can support plenty more people, but overpopulation of areas that can't produce the resources needed to support the people that are there (in a reasonably economic way anyway).

Ethiopia was long the poster country for starvation. Ethiopia is a desert. Ethiopia is also a fairly densely populated country. While I am no expert in food growth, I do know that it is generally easier to grow food in a temperate climate with fertile soil and plenty of rainfall than it is in a desert.

So how much does it cost to feed all the malnourished people in Ethiopia (or all over the world)? I don't know, but unless that cost includes education/infrastructure/technology/etc to increase food production where the problem is, then the cost is going to be extremely high and never ending. Feeding the hungry is noble but simply buying food and sending it there is like putting a bandaid on an open artery. Also, in many such countries corruption is such a problem that you are lucky if a small percent of the aid actually reaches the people it is intended for.

It's a little ironic that people on twitter complain about the value of twitter. If all money went to feed the hungry there would be no twitter, or facebook, or computers, or much of anything ultimately putting far more people out of work and causing more hunger. A thriving economy is the best cure for hunger but it's hard to make the economy thrive in areas ruled by people who don't care.