Somehow the holiday goes unnoticed in Brazil...go figure. So what am I thankful for today? In the heart of the Sao Paulo business district the is a small but delightful little park, Parque do Trianon (Tenente Siqueira Campos), that reminds you that you are not in America or Europe. A tiny bit of the jungle amongst a cavalcade of cars and people that is a peaceful spot for contemplation and rest. And so I did.
Two Thanksgiving thoughts from an economist:
One, today is the day for time inconsistent preferences - you eat too much even though you know that later you'll regret it. And more power too you!
Two, spare a thought though for those across the world with not enough to eat - close to 1 billion by some estimates or almost 1/6th of the world. And it is not because the world does not have enough food. I am not saying this to be a downer on this festive day: not eating in America will not fix things precisely because it is not a shortage of food, but largely a shortage of proper institutions, mechanisms and peace to distribute food to those in need. The solutions are not easy, but we mustn't stop trying.
Happy thanksgiving everyone. I shall celebrate with a Feijoada.
1 comment:
By contrast, I woke up to snow in the hills of Maine. More appropriate to the holiday, but I'd trade you in a second.
Speaking of sparing thoughts, one to our friends in India. The apocryphal Thanksgiving narrative details cooperation between enemies. Let us hope that all Indians, whatever their creed, feel that spirit in the aftermath of the bombings.
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