Our World Can Change. In Time. What Justin Timberlake's Movie REALLY Meant.

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 I just watched In Time the other idea. If you guys don't get it the movie, the world depicted in it, is pretty much synonymous with our world.

The movie is based on a world where time is currency. It's engraved into your skin. Once you turn 25 you have a year of time to use as your "money". That money is used to pay for everything, and as pay for everything.

The world is divided into different districts though. Factory workers, labourers and the like in the furthest 'district' out. The richer, cleaner, at the highest, decadent areas in the middle. The people in poor regions are stuck in debt, labour, poor security, and live life, literally, by the day. The rich, who benefit off the lower levels, less so.

To get into the next district though, it costs you money. It takes time.

But it's nearly impossible for most to move up into the next level. The struggle to keep your clock running makes it near impossible to move to the next one. 

It's depressing. But in our world, it's not so different. 

We spend our time at work, we get our money for that time we spend. Then we spend that money, those hours we spent working instead of having fun, on things we want and need. This movie shows us... time really is money.

 

It's a pretty good, thought provoking movie. With great action too!

Yeah, but it's not exactly the same, you could say. Yeah, we have various intricacies and tools out there to make our time(money) go further, to make it grow without work. Yeah we have welfare (if you're lucky enough to have a computer and see this your country does) so not everyone suffers... It doesn't seem all that bad, right?

But it's the world's poorest billions, both in our nations, but mostly in developing ones, who put in their time so that we may live the life we do.

Some of u worked hard, some of us studied hard for our money/time, yeah. But we couldn't have even studied, or afforded to live, if it wasn't for our parents. Mostly, it's where we were born.

Those at the bottom, the "ghetto" districts in the movie; the sustenance and barely over sustenance farmers, the street hawkers, the rubbish pickers, in our world - they can't possibly think about anything beyond the next day or the next meal. Just as this boy can't...

This will depress you. But it's the way of life for millions of kids in our world...

But there are 2 differences in our world and theirs. The first is depressing; the second, more hopeful, I think.

The first; unlike In Time, in our world, the clock doesn't start at 25. 

It starts at 0.

6.3million children died before 5 in 2013. 215 million children work right now. Children by the way doesn't mean under 18s. It means, "working prior to end of compulsory schooling". Many nations only have compulsory schooling til 12 or less. So that number is probably higher. So, if anything, the world depicted in In time, is better than ours.

But the second difference between us and them is that unlike theirs, our system won't fail if we share around our time and money. 

In fact - it'll thrive.

Where In Time, when Justin Timberlake's character shared his time around led directly  left the world's systems rocked, as everyone stopped working when the system of reliance broke; our world doesn't have that limitation.

Companies, the world over, are slowly recognizing that the world's poor are not just filled with people we can exploit for cheap labour, but potential markets.

In fact, by 2050, 2/3 of the world's wealth will be owned by people in developing, third world countries; a complete reverse, as today we hold 2/3 of that wealth.

Microsoft have realised this already, as have many companies in the technology sector; their investments into research into third world markets extend so far as to slums (I'm not kidding - Microsoft funded large research projects looking into the sales structure of mobile phones in the world's poorest slums! People who can't afford food, or shelter beyond a makeshift, cardboard/wood roof have phones!)!

The internet is realising it. One of the biggest sites on it; Facebook, recently announced the introduction of Internet.Org. 

Mark Zuckerberg wants to connect everyone in the world to the internet. Our world's economy is no longer resource based; it's KNOWLEDGE based. Knowledge is power. Around the third world; people are forced to reinvent the wheel, sometimes literally, as the example in the video of the farmer "inventing" the windmill so he could collect water more efficiently shows perfectly. Indeed, it's happening in the "developed world" too - with countless universities, foundations and governments investing millions into research that's already being done by other organisations! Some, like the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, are trying to change this. They're creating huge, efficient, interconnected systems to make sure research is never duplicated. 

But for the world's poorest - that challenge is MUCH easier. Simply connecting them to the internet, in any small way, gives them access to knowledge and education that we take for granted.

But this isn't just philanthropy from Facebook. It's great business too. Its primary business model, based on advertising, either requires you to make your users use Facebook more; requiring billions of dollars of investment in research, new products, and infrastructure, OR Increasing Your User Base. 

5 billion people don't have access to the internet right now. What better way to increase your user base than to get them connected and hooked? 

The same is starting to be realised all over the world. By many industries too. The vast majority of companies aren't, but transnational corporations, governments and individuals are starting to see the developing world as emerging markets rather than just a place to outsource labour.

Because our world is so interconnected, because our world isn't bound or restricted like the world in "In Time", our world's circumstances can change without requiring anarchy inducing revolution.

It's not to say that growing and increasing the world's standard of living can occur limitlessly, without side-effects; the rate-limiting factor here is how much our environment can take; how many resources our world has to share. But technology, as well as an already increasing awareness of ecologically sustainable development in the not-for-profit, AND public/private sectors can fix that... 

But though that idea, that shred of hope that our world and its injustices can be fixed, is exciting, and though it is happening too... it needs to happen quicker.

Some businesses and some governments (for the latter, nearly all of them) know the benefits of developing the world's poor. They do exist,and they do make human development a great investment, both in the short andlong term (read about that here for economics and for the environment by clicking on the links). 

But we can either outline those, put research behind them and put a dollar figure on 'giving' and speak the only language they know; money, and HOPE industries and investors will follow (what I suggest in the above posts). 

Or we can FORCE them to.

If the Mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.  

We need to incentivise businesses directly and give them a way to give where they not only get recognition for it; but something in return too.

And I have a GREAT Idea for this that is under development... If it takes off - if could be a world-changer. I'll be sure to outline it and begin a kickstarter or other platform to promote the thing on the blog, or on my YouTube. Make sure you're subscribed to both.

My idea, it'll happen, In Time (pun intended). But til then - here are some great links, ideas and ways you guys can make an impact without the sacrifice associated with charity and revolution:

• My blog post on how Aid, Charity and Giving needn't always be a sacrifice. Often, it's a great investment.

• A MicroFinance site - where YOU become a bank and loan money to poor, potential business owners. You fund people, who you fund is your choice, who have no collateral to secure a loan, and they pay you back over a 6 month - 2/3 year period. Their repayment rates are higher than our home loans, you can make money and interest off some loans and you literally get all your money back to withdraw or lend again! http://www.kiva.org/ 

 

How Microfinance works.

•  A MicroFranchise organisation; an extension of the microfinance idea, which, though helpful for many, and effective in raising household incomes still leaves many working long hours - microfranchises reduce the work required in running a business while doubling the income of their microfinance peers. And remember - MicroFinanceers are much better off than millions stuck in the cycle of poverty!
  
  This site allows you to INVEST in them! A minimum investment of $5,000 is required, but you get a very good return! You can literally make money and save lives at the same time...
  Find out more here: http://microfranchises.org/investor
  
  Businesses are getting on board quickly - achieving global success and establishing their brands in populations that are about to explode; all the while giving jobs to the world's poor and spreading goods to them too. One cool example - Nestle, starting microfranchise style stalls in the Dominican Republic!
• Buy from Social Enterprises. Companies which operate as a company should; for profit - exact their profits go directly back into the poors' pocket. They exist solely to give back to charity. Companies like ThankYou (who sell water, muesli bar/cereals and body care product), Pollinate Energy (sell solar lights, and electricity plans which help provide environment friendly, healthier for the lungs, cheaper lighting to slum dwellers) and HeroCondoms (every condom bought = 1 life saved) exist solely to benefit their poorer stakeholders; not rich business. So if you're gonna buy something... why not buy from them? There are many of them around by the way! Look one up near you!
  
  These are but one of many ways you can do good on top of the amount you donate to charity already! If you've got money around #WhyNotDoIt?