Optimism

    It sure seems like the world is going to hell: climate change, job insecurity, authoritarianism, racial strife, fake news, terrorism, and so much more. However, despite these issues, the human condition has never been better than it is now.

Because of my poor health, I’m not optimistic about my own situation. As I have stated here before, I suspect I will miss the cure by more than a few years. But I do harbor a general optimism about humanity. I resist falling prey to the constant barrage of bad news in the media. It’s what sells, but it’s not representative. You never see a story about how much better people’s lives are today than they were thirty or more years ago. Boring.

Am I unsophisticated, naïve, pollyannaish? Not at all. I have data to support my position (did you think for a moment that I didn’t). Steven Pinker is one of my intellectual heroes. Please take a few moments to watch his Ted talk and let me know what you think. (If you are receiving this blog post through email, click here to watch the video.)