Saturday, April 30, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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Negative news gets the headlines but doesn’t reflect reality. In a recent survey, more than 70% of respondents thought that world was getting worse and only 5% thought it was getting better. Bad things often happen quickly and are quickly reported, whereas progress tends to occur more slowly and over time. Consider:
• Life expectancy is rising. A person born in 1900 could expect to live about 50 years. Today, that number is about 80 years. Although heart attacks are still the No. 1 killer, the numbers are also dropping. The same is true for cancer-related deaths.
• The world is safer. Harvard professor and research specialist Steven Pinker makes a convincing argument for this in his recent book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined.” Comparatively speaking, we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species’ history. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons have been drastically reduced. Homicide and violent crime rates have fallen dramatically worldwide.
• Economic poverty has fallen. There is a huge decline in the share of the world’s population living on $2 a day or less: From 35% in 1987 to less than 11% today, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute. More people have access to clean water and proper sanitation.
Longevity, health, prosperity and safety are improving and are predicted to continue improving. Look beyond the noise and the headlines and look at the macro trends. It will become apparent the world is getting better.
