Opus 2025-408: Banana Economics

When I go to the grocery store at this present time, it seems like the only fruit that I’m willing to pay for is bananas. I think I had the choice of the basic banana at $.54 a pound or I could get what I assumed were organic bananas for $.78 a pound.  I went for the cheaper brand.  It was my choice. It was my money.

As I was thinking about bananas I started thinking about how they are grown and delivered.  My son gave me a long dissertation recently on the dynamics of bananas reaching the shelf.  It was rather interesting.  I got to thinking about the first steps of banana production.  Bananas grow in tropical climates.  I don’t know how much care the plants take, but somewhere in the chain there are human beings out caring for the trees, cutting the fruit off and preparing it for shipment.  None of those things are done in air-conditioned warehouses.  All of them require someone who is desperate enough to feed himself and his family that they will go out and work in an atmosphere that we would find repugnant.

They have no choice.  I’m just guessing here, but I would also assume that they do not have air-conditioning in their homes.  It’s possible that they don’t have running water and flush toilet toilets.  In some areas there might just be one or two electrical outlets.  These assumptions are based on stereotypes, but they work for my point.  You can adjust them as you need to.

The point is that these human beings who are also created in the image of God, just like me and you, do not have available to them the option of air conditioning.  I would guess they don’t even have the option of food unless they get themselves out of bed, go out the door and show up at these sweaty jobs.  Does the world owe them air conditioning?  Does the world owe them gourmet food?  Should everyone have a microwave?

Now bring that concept home to the United States.  I keep hearing about all these young people living in their parents basement.  I tried to think of anybody I knew that had able-bodied young adults living in their basement and in my circle I couldn’t find anyone.  I did think of one person at church who has a grandson and his wife living in an RV behind her house, which is somewhat similar.  If mommy and daddy are happy and Junior is happy and no one cares about the future of the next generation, then I have no real input.

But that’s not the picture I get.  I get a picture of parents that are very frustrated with their children living in the basement and playing video games all day.  I have a solution.

First of all you need to cut off the air conditioning in that part of the house.  Air conditioning is not a requirement for life.  It may be a requirement for comfort, but it is not a requirement for life.  Secondly, and this might take some technological savvy, turn off their Wi-Fi.  This may involve simply changing the passwords.  Next put a lock on the refrigerator and all the cabinets so that they can’t raid the kitchen when they’re hungry.  If you’re really compassionate, you might put a supply of peanut butter, crackers, and a glass of water at the top of the stairs.  If you really want them to get motivated, don’t even do that.  Stop cleaning their room for them.  Stop doing their laundry for them.  In a short phrase, encourage them to move out.

Their next step might be to move in with some friends or into someone else’s basement, but eventually that will run out of people willing to support them.  The day will come when they have a choice of going out and getting a menial job and sweating in the sun or starving to death.  If they choose to starve to death, then some of the money you saved by kicking them out of the basement can be used for a nice funeral.  It’s their choice.  Everywhere I look there are people looking for help, wanting to hire people.

If all they can find his minimum wage work, so be it.  At that point, if they are moving forward and showing responsibility, parents might extend a carefully measured helping hand.  Don’t give the air conditioning, but at least give them enough to encourage them to keep working.

It’s a long way from the bananas of Central America to the Wi-Fi in your basement.  As I said, I don’t know anyone like this or have it in my circle of family and friends.  I could be doing nothing but extending a stereotype.  At the same time, someone has to harvest my bananas.

homo unius libri