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‘Secret’ reasons to be optimistic about our world

7 min read

Better Society
Source: BrightVibes

Fear feeds hate whilst progress motivates. Which one do we choose?

The world is falling apart, right? Wrong!

Many media and politicians make us feel we’re living in the worst of times. Nothing could be further from the truth as the video below shows.

11 reasons to be optimistic about our world Hardly anybody sees, hears or reads about it, but here a 10 reasons to actually be optimistic about our world Source: BrightVibes

Why we’re fed fear

So facts and feelings don’t match. How come? We believe that media and politicians are partially responsible for this discrepancy. 

Politicians, and especially populist ‘leaders’, often use scare tactics. They appeal to people’s fears, and picture themselves as the ‘saviour in times of need’. At the same time, again generalising of course, media tend to focus on the anomaly, the exceptions. And most do this under the old-school, outdated, but most of all irresponsible assumption that ‘when it bleeds it leads’, that people just love bad news.

Well, do we have news for them… just Google the words ‘The news makes me’ and look at the auto-suggestions provided by Google. 

There is loads of research on the effect negative news has on us. But no need to dig through studies. Just Google 'The news makes me' and look at the auto-suggestions by Google
The effect the news has on us There is loads of research on the effect negative news has on us. But no need to dig through studies. Just Google ‘The news makes me’ and look at the auto-suggestions by Google Source: BrightVibes

Obviously people still watch & click on bad news, but where most media are wrong is when they think people like it. We are still drawn to negative news from the days we still lived in the stone ages and needed to know if there was a bear nearing that would be about to eat us alive… 

The focus on negative stories is harmful. It paralyses us (why should we live more responsibly if the world is going to hell anyway?) and makes us depressed. Whilst stories about things that go well, about progress, about people making a positive difference, inspire us to follow in their footsteps. Like we said "Fear feeds hate, progress motivates". 

But traditional media have not caught up on this notion yet. Which is remarkable given the success of more constructive and optimistic media like ourselves and many others.

 "A falling tree makes more noise than a growing tree." 

It’s time for the forest to make some noise 🙂

Hopefully you understand that by presenting these numbers, we do not mean to suggest there is no more inequality, that everything is honky-dory. Of course that is not the case. It is meant to illustrate that when put our minds to it, we can solve the big challenges we face. It serves to motivate us do to more to advance human potential, eradicate inequality and improve the state of our earth. 

The number of people living with less than $1.25 a day, fell from 53% only 35 years ago, to 17% in 2011. In the past only a small elite enjoyed living conditions that we would not describe as a life in extreme poverty today. With the onset of industrialisation and rising productive the share of people living in poverty started to decrease and kept on falling ever since. As a consequence of falling poverty, the health of the population improved dramatically over the last two centuries, and the population started to grow. The growth of the population caused the absolute number of poor people in the world to increase; only over the last decades has the absolute number of people living in poverty started to fall as well.
1. Extreme poverty is down The number of people living with less than $1.25 a day, fell from 53% only 35 years ago, to 17% in 2011.

In the past only a small elite enjoyed living conditions that we would not describe as a life in extreme poverty today. With the onset of industrialisation and rising productive the share of people living in poverty started to decrease and kept on falling ever since. As a consequence of falling poverty, the health of the population improved dramatically over the last two centuries, and the population started to grow.

The growth of the population caused the absolute number of poor people in the world to increase; only over the last decades has the absolute number of people living in poverty started to fall as well. Source: Our world in data

With declining poverty and increasing knowledge and service in the health sector, child mortality around the world is declining very rapidly: Global child mortality fell from 18.2% in 1960 to 4.3% in 2015; while 4.3% is still too high, this is a substantial achievement. One reason why we do not hear about how global living conditions are improving in the media is that these are the slow processes that never make the headlines – on no day in the last 5 decades was there ever the headline ‘Global Child Mortality Fell by 0.00719% Since Yesterday’.
2. Death rate of children dying under age of 5 decreased by 50% since 1990 With declining poverty and increasing knowledge and service in the health sector, child mortality around the world is declining very rapidly: Global child mortality fell from 18.2% in 1960 to 4.3% in 2015; while 4.3% is still too high, this is a substantial achievement. One reason why we do not hear about how global living conditions are improving in the media is that these are the slow processes that never make the headlines – on no day in the last 5 decades was there ever the headline ‘Global Child Mortality Fell by 0.00719% Since Yesterday’. Source: our world in data
In 2010, 89 per cent of the world’s population was using improved drinking water sources, up from 76 per cent in 1990. If current trends continue, 92 per cent of the global population will be covered by 2015. The work is not yet done. 11 per cent of the global population—783 million people—remains without access to an improved source of drinking water and, at the current pace, 605 million people will still lack coverage in 2015.
3. Since 1990, 2 billion more people have access to improved drinking water In 2010, 89 per cent of the world’s population was using improved drinking water sources, up from 76 per cent in 1990. If current trends continue, 92 per cent of the global population will be covered by 2015.
The work is not yet done. 11 per cent of the global population—783 million people—remains without access to an improved source of drinking water and, at the current pace, 605 million people will still lack coverage in 2015. Source: United Nations
In 1950 people died on average age (worldwide) of 48, in 2010 this is at age 67 And the gap in life expectancy between developing and developed countries is getting smaller.
4. We live much longer In 1950 people died on average age (worldwide) of 48, in 2010 this is at age 67 And the gap in life expectancy between developing and developed countries is getting smaller. Source: Wikipedia
Around 40% of the world population has an internet connection today. In 1995, it was less than 1%. The number of internet users has increased tenfold from 1999 to 2013. The first billion was reached in 2005. The second billion in 2010. The third billion in 2014. The chart shows the number of global internet users per year since 1993. Access to the internet means that the level of education goes up and it has a.o. positive effect on the economy, especially in developing countries.
5. Number of internet users in developing countries grows rapidly Around 40% of the world population has an internet connection today. In 1995, it was less than 1%. The number of internet users has increased tenfold from 1999 to 2013.
The first billion was reached in 2005. The second billion in 2010. The third billion in 2014. The chart shows the number of global internet users per year since 1993. Access to the internet means that the level of education goes up and it has a.o. positive effect on the economy, especially in developing countries. Source: Pew Research Centre
Hunger is on a major decline in the world. Since 1990, there's been a sustained and massive collapse in the number of people who have difficulty accessing food. That's a 39 percent decline over 24 years. That decline in hunger is a massive win for humanity. Why are things getting better? Credit two things: economic growth and government programs. Global poverty has declined sharply since 1990, especially in India and China, making it easier for people to afford food. Meanwhile, government programs and international aid have made major improvements in getting people access to healthy diets. Progress on under-nutrition hasn't been even. Some countries, like Swaziland and Iraq, have gotten worse over time. But almost all have made huge strides — India posted one of the largest absolute declines in hunger in the world. This GIF (click on source below) shows country-by-country changes in Global Hunger Index for since 1990.
6. World hunger is down by 39% over period of 24 years Hunger is on a major decline in the world. Since 1990, there’s been a sustained and massive collapse in the number of people who have difficulty accessing food. That’s a 39 percent decline over 24 years. That decline in hunger is a massive win for humanity.

Why are things getting better? Credit two things: economic growth and government programs. Global poverty has declined sharply since 1990, especially in India and China, making it easier for people to afford food. Meanwhile, government programs and international aid have made major improvements in getting people access to healthy diets.

Progress on under-nutrition hasn’t been even. Some countries, like Swaziland and Iraq, have gotten worse over time. But almost all have made huge strides — India posted one of the largest absolute declines in hunger in the world. This GIF (click on source below) shows country-by-country changes in Global Hunger Index for since 1990. Source: International Food Policy Research Institute

A new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Marking progress against child labour , says that the global number of child labourers has declined by one third since 2000, from 246 million to 168 million. But even the latest improved rate of decline is not enough to achieve the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016.
7. Child labor has gone done by 1/3 in the last 15 years A new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Marking progress against child labour , says that the global number of child labourers has declined by one third since 2000, from 246 million to 168 million. But even the latest improved rate of decline is not enough to achieve the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016. Source: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Thanks to the efforts of 20M volunteers over 3B children have since been immunised. Polio was once a disease feared worldwide, striking suddenly and paralysing mainly children for life. Thanks to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the largest private-public partnership for health, polio has been reduced by 99%. The Initiative's goal is to reach every last child with polio vaccine and ensure a polio-free world for future generations.
8. Polio, from 350.000 victims per year to 99% eradication in 28 years Thanks to the efforts of 20M volunteers over 3B children have since been immunised.

Polio was once a disease feared worldwide, striking suddenly and paralysing mainly children for life. Thanks to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the largest private-public partnership for health, polio has been reduced by 99%. The Initiative’s goal is to reach every last child with polio vaccine and ensure a polio-free world for future generations. Source: World Health Organisation

From a historical perspective, literacy levels for the world population have risen drastically in the last couple of centuries. While only 12% of the people in the world could read and write in 1820, today the share has reversed: only 17% of the world population remains illiterate.
9. Global illiteracy has dropped by 53% since 1990 From a historical perspective, literacy levels for the world population have risen drastically in the last couple of centuries. While only 12% of the people in the world could read and write in 1820, today the share has reversed: only 17% of the world population remains illiterate. Source: Our world in data
10. The cost of solar energy continues to fall Source: Vox
For some adolescents, pregnancy and childbirth are planned and wanted, but for many they are not. Adolescent pregnancies are more likely in poor, uneducated and rural communities. In some countries, becoming pregnant outside marriage is not uncommon. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the second cause of death among 15 to 19 year olds globally. The younger the mother, the greater the risk to the baby. Newborns born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, with the risk of long-term effects.
11. Teen pregnancies have fallen globally by 31% since 1990 For some adolescents, pregnancy and childbirth are planned and wanted, but for many they are not. Adolescent pregnancies are more likely in poor, uneducated and rural communities. In some countries, becoming pregnant outside marriage is not uncommon. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the second cause of death among 15 to 19 year olds globally. The younger the mother, the greater the risk to the baby. Newborns born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, with the risk of long-term effects. Source: WorldBank

No room for complacency

We have made amazing progress. But there is so much more to do. Let us direct our energy to save our planet, advance human potential. We know we can. So let us do it!

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