Hopefully by now you have realized I am taking a deliberately positive, encouraging tone in these weekly emails. This is not just because I am an optimistic person—I am. It is because optimism is the only realism. Let me explain:
Upon careful consideration it should be clear to each of us that everything in our life’s experience has taught us that the world is getting better, not worse. Global issues such as illiteracy (Appendix A), extreme poverty (Appendix B), famine, infant mortality (Appendix C), and ravaging diseases (such as malaria, polio, leprosy) are all declining significantly. Meanwhile, global access to fresh water, electricity and the internet are steadily increasing. Advancements in medicine have resulted in ever increasing life expectancies accompanied by better quality of life. We are consuming less of the earth’s resources. And we are being more efficient and sustainable with the resources we are consuming. Forests in the United States and similar developed nations are actually increasing. Most of these trends do not make the news because good news is no news at all. As I have previously written about, the media focuses so much on the bad news that I fear many of us mistakenly believe we are worse off than previous generations. However, this simply is not the case. You may be asking yourself: ‘What about…Syria…North Korea…Trump…Coronavirus? How can the world possibly be getting better?’ Yes, bad things still happen in the world. In no way do I mean to write-off or downplay serious problems that still exist. If anything, I see those as opportunities to be humanitarian and do our part to make a difference in the world. Bad things happen while the world still continues to improve.
Further, consider the exponential growth we have seen in technological advancements. I can think of no better example than today’s smartphone. It contains more computing power than the world’s first supercomputer did in 1964: the CDC 6600. Yet it was roughly the size of a Chevrolet Suburban while a smartphone can be held in the palm of your hand! There are nearly limitless similar examples of progress. So much so, in fact, that it is hard to imagine what wonder the world has in store for our children and grandchildren! Take heart and believe it: The world is better off today than it was yesterday; and it will be better still tomorrow!
Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Gavin
Appendix B
Appendix C