Can't Help But To Wonder

I, over the past week, have been enjoying some World Cup soccer when I can.  And I think it's great.  I really like watching soccer, probably because I like defense oriented games (e.g. hockey).  At the moment I am watching Cameroon vs. Denmark, and I can't help but to wonder why in the world are we having a soccer tournament in dirt-poor, HIV/AIDS ridden, starving Africa?  Granted, the tourney is taking place in the rich country of South Africa, but how much of the proceeds of the tournament will go to AIDS research or solutions to end poverty and hunger in Africa?  I confess, I don't know the answer to the preceding question.  Though I think the World Cup "situation" is endemic in the world today, especially the United States.  Think about it: we have food eating contests; TV shows dedicated to overeating; we spend our extra money on frivolous plastic bullshit from Wal-Mart; and the list goes on and on and on.

We all like to say how much we give a fuck about the poor, the needy, the down-trodden, the sick and the broken, but I don't think we give enough of a shit.  I know I don't.  At least I am admitting it.  Yes, I want to do more and so should you.  We are comfortable and have grown complacent; these feelings are due to, in part at least, our proximity to the problem: we don't do more because we shelter ourselves from the problem.

Perhaps I am just being self-loathing and I haven't hated myself enough this week.  Or perhaps there really is a problem here.  No, wait, there is a problem here.  We should find a way to eliminate, or at least, stem the tide of poverty, hunger and disease, before we spend inordinate, gargantuan amounts of money on a soccer tournament or anything else that is logically and ethically secondary when there exists such epidemics in the world.