We all know that the world is going to hell. Given the rising risk of nuclear war with North Korea, the paralysis in Congress, warfare in Yemen and Syria, atrocities in Myanmar and a president who may be going cuckoo, you might think 2017 was the worst year ever.
But you’d be wrong. In fact, 2017 was probably the very best year in the long history of humanity.
A smaller share of the world’s people were hungry, impoverished or illiterate than at any time before. A smaller proportion of children died than ever before. The proportion disfigured by leprosy, blinded by diseases like trachoma or suffering from other ailments also fell.
—Nicholas Kristoff, Why 2017 Was the Best Year in Human History
Kristoff goes into detail about the things that are getting better, and ends his article with,
So, sure, the world is a dangerous mess; I worry in particular about the risk of a war with North Korea. But I also believe in stepping back once a year or so to take note of genuine progress ….
Every other day this year, I promise to tear my hair and weep and scream in outrage at all the things going wrong. But today, let’s not miss what’s going right.
Good for Kristoff!
that’s good news.
we tend to only hear the bad. apparently they always think it’s the better news.
and today I heard that Mr. Un has actually said he’d be willing to talk with SK?
hope it’s true! because it’s better than blowing up the bomb.
It’s in Kim’s interest to drive a wedge between South Korea and the U.S, and Trump isn’t helping by saying if there’s going to be a war, better over there than here. For some reasons the South Koreans don’t like the idea of America First and them being destroyed.
Here’s a good article.
We as a whole may be better off, but in no way can I attribute it to our president, who I’m sure would gladly take credit.
Of course. It’s all about him.
well that some good news… on humanity in the normal lving stakes
Yes, it helps a lot.
We are just overwhelmed with information which warps over overview. I am not surprised at Christoff’s analysis. Steven Pinker had confirmed this quite a few years ago and I have been able to find a link that mentions his research and findings. https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-09-29/world-actually-becoming-more-peaceful-believe-it-or-not
Yes, I’ve read some of Pinker’s work. I’m reviewing my ancient history to keep things in perspective.