A Sense of Perspective from Al Jazeera America

This morning Al Jazeera America ran an excellent story about how the War on Poverty that Lyndon Johnson declared during his Presidency has still not been resolved. The presentation was impressive in that there was absolutely no finger-pointing, just a straightforward account of the ongoing plight of those who, for one reason or another, have fallen through the cracks. I also have to wonder whether or not there was a bit of context sensitivity on the part of the show-runner for segment I saw. At the conclusion of the report, there was a brief coming-up-next clip, the subject of which was the current Consumer Electronics Show. The contrast was unavoidable as we saw this overblown trade show, which basically appeals to those who have become affluent through new technologies. The subtext is that, having found a comfortable life style, all that matters is maintaining that comfort through even newer technologies for toys, games, and any other devices that will block out the realities of everyone else in the world living with economic disadvantages.