Hi @finnian - thanks for all the advice (super helpful) and input!
I agree that it's not about the situation you're born into (as much as it is a leg up) but how you can better access and utilise time and resources needed to self-educate and self-generate 'wealth' -- which isn't just monetary wealth but also your happiness, physical and mental wellbeing.
The problem I see currently which contributes to poverty within both developed and developing countries is a central controller limiting lower socio-economic groups' ability to initially access those resources because empowerment of these groups would be to big of a threat to their dominance and ongoing existence, which serves to perpetuate their class subordination within a society. There are many examples of this (cash cropping, mining-interest funded dictatorships etc.).
I think with the rise of cheaper access to electricity, communication technology and a wealth of information we will start to see empowerment of these groups on a larger scale, and communities within communities that will facilitate their own organic grassroots growth. Time will tell right!
Thanks again for the comment and support, and hope to stay connected with you :)
PS -- not surprised by the amount of bots on here, given the financial incentives for people to game the system. Hopefully Steemit can keep it under control...
Centralization and systems of control, governments, are definitely a large part of the problem. As you said, the easier access to information helps. The Internet has changed things for the better in many ways. Now people don't even need to go to public schools. They have a library in their pocket. That's even true in poorer places around the world. If you can get a smart phone online, you have a university at your finger tips. That's going to change the world. It means less power for existing control systems.
Nation states are tax farms for oligarchs and rulers. The less government we have and the more decentralized the world is, the better and more free life will be. Governance without government is possible and works very well. It is done at the local and community levels too. That's where it should be done too. Communities care about each other, and they have common interests and desires. They cannot be co-opted by outside banking or big business interests either. They defend themselves the best too (militia opposed to military or police forces).
I gave you a 100% Upvote to raise your rep a few points. :)
Indeed, and given the rate of falling smartphone costs I'm quite hopeful that this change will self-perpetuate faster than central governments can react to. People talk a lot about technological obsolescence, but I think an even more interesting concept is institutional obsolescence - which we will likely soon see with declining power and role for central governments, banks, universities etc....
And 1000x thank you - seeing the bump up to 28 made my day!!
Yes, we will create alternatives and simply walk away from those control systems. The only concern I have is that they may bring us to war to avoid the mass awakening and liberation.