This week, I've told my classes one of my core beliefs: the world is better now than it was in the past. In fact, I expand on that to say that the world is on a positive projection to an even better future. Now, I know that many of you are wondering how I could believe anything so outlandish. I had a recent conversation with an well-educated younger man (not a student) who was concerned that the world was reaching a breaking point: that our politics are more divided than ever, that our environment is speeding to disaster, that our nation's democracy is in serious question (as are democracies around the world). No doubt many other people would agree with him.
I don't deny that events in our present day can look pretty grim. However, they did in the past too. Yesterday, one of my "artifacts" that I shared with my world history class was a bust of Abraham Lincoln--my all-time favorite president. As much as our nation might seem divided, during his presidency, it literally was, yet he brought us through it, even paying the ultimate price in the end. We worry about the conflict in Ukraine and the military posturing of Russia and China, but 40 years ago we not only had a similar concern, but also the continual threat of nuclear annihilation. The devastation of COVID-19 is nothing compared to the effects of the Black Death in Europe or smallpox on Native Americans.
There are plenty of statistics to back up these core beliefs of mine. One of my absolute favorites is from the now-deceased Hans Rosling called "200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes." I highly recommend that you look it up. It's a bit dated as it was made in 2010 (Rosling passed away in 2017), but it not only does a fantastic job of visualizing data that supports my point (and his), but it demonstrates how progress is continually made that has raised both health and wealth throughout the world.
Certainly, we need to watch out for the pitfalls. Certainly, the world will never be perfect. Yet, it is in striving to be better as well as confronting and overcoming our faults that we can build our world to be better for everyone.
I don't deny that events in our present day can look pretty grim. However, they did in the past too. Yesterday, one of my "artifacts" that I shared with my world history class was a bust of Abraham Lincoln--my all-time favorite president. As much as our nation might seem divided, during his presidency, it literally was, yet he brought us through it, even paying the ultimate price in the end. We worry about the conflict in Ukraine and the military posturing of Russia and China, but 40 years ago we not only had a similar concern, but also the continual threat of nuclear annihilation. The devastation of COVID-19 is nothing compared to the effects of the Black Death in Europe or smallpox on Native Americans.
There are plenty of statistics to back up these core beliefs of mine. One of my absolute favorites is from the now-deceased Hans Rosling called "200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes." I highly recommend that you look it up. It's a bit dated as it was made in 2010 (Rosling passed away in 2017), but it not only does a fantastic job of visualizing data that supports my point (and his), but it demonstrates how progress is continually made that has raised both health and wealth throughout the world.
Certainly, we need to watch out for the pitfalls. Certainly, the world will never be perfect. Yet, it is in striving to be better as well as confronting and overcoming our faults that we can build our world to be better for everyone.
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