Are you discouraged about the news and state of the world? Neuroscience has explained our brains automatically focus on negative information that could threaten our survival. I recently found an antidote to this autonomic response; I read the 2018 Steven Pinker book called “Enlightenment Now.” This well-researched book shows humans are successfully adapting and are definitely better off than at any time in the last two centuries! What a fresh viewpoint.
Mr. Pinker presents data to argue that the combination of ingenuity and science are propelling us toward solutions in these key areas:
- The world food supply has expanded faster than its population and can meet demands due to technology and genetics. Deaths by famine are now less than 1 in 100,000.
- Spending on necessities has declined from 60% of income in 1925 to about 32% in 2016.
- Life expectancy is rising worldwide. Even in Africa is now above 60.
- The global poverty rate was cut in half within the past 20 years. Those who are now “poor are living as those in the middle class did in past centuries.
- Every cell phone can potentially add $3000 to the gross national product in that developing country.
- Technology can very likely solve the trade-off between the increased standard of living and environmental damage from generating the energy needed.
- Battle deaths related to war are at an all-time low since World War II.
- Medical discoveries including blood groups, antibiotics, and vaccines have saved an approximate 5 billion lives in the past 100 years.
- Natural disaster deaths are at their lowest level ever in the United States.
- Racist, sexist, and homophobic Web searches have declined from above 50% of 2004 online searches to between 10 and 30% in 2017k depending on the topic.
- World average years of completed education have increased steadily since 1945. The United States average is now 14 years for those between ages 15 and 64.
- The average number of men working past age 65 has declined steadily since 1880 when it was over 80%. It is now just over 20%.
- The cost of air travel within the US has fallen from $.35/mile to $.17/mile since 1979.
His historical view of the world raises my hopes that the mentally-healthy choice to be optimistic is also sane. Pessimism is not necessary. The sky is not falling!
I encourage you to look for more sources of data to bring in the light of knowledge. You have the choice to become more hopeful.