Ignorance does not necessarily include an inability to read or write, and certainly illiterates are not necessarily ignorant. The faculty of reason is what chiefly distinguishes humans from other species. But even the most compelling speakers and writers are not necessarily reasonable. As for poverty, some believe that it is a problem only for those countries in which it persists, but poverty has an impact on virtually every nation. Improvements in communication technology have enabled full awareness of human misery by the citizenries of all developed countries.
Widespread famine is recurrent despite superabundant food production.
Recognizing poverty as their primary problem, many countries have set about aggressive development programs whose sole objective is to increase their respective populations' standard of living. Destitute people have little or no desire to protect the environment. There is a misconception within the environmentalist community that technologic development and protecting the environment are inherently incompatible. While most industrialized societies have a good understanding of poverty and at least a marginal understanding of ignorance, what constitutes protecting the environment is controversial. In certain countries, advocates of environmental protection call themselves ecologists.