Hit them where it hurts

Not too long ago, I watched a documentary about the increase in piracy in Somalia.

They did some interviews with the pirates and the story that emerged was this:

The pirates came from a village that used to survive on the fishing trade. However, overfishing from other countries near or on their waters caused the fish supply to dry up.

The livelihood of would-be pirates therefore became non-existent and they appealed to the international community for help. Naturally, no help came. Just more fishing boats.

So would-be pirates became real pirates. Most recently hijacking two boats, and already making off few million dollars.

That's when the international community stood up and listened. The boats the pirates have been hijacking belong, after all, to these countries that will sell the goods and resources in the boats for way more than a few million dollars.

And that's when the stories of the pirates are told.

No one listens when a small village in Somalia is dying of poverty and starvation.

But when you hit them where it hurts, people start to pay attention.