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Originally Posted by jamesqf
Maybe that is simply a consequence of the fact that there have never been more people on the planet? It's also true that there have never been more people living in abject poverty and poor health than now. We could also wonder about incidents like this: Obese UK woman cut out of house - Yahoo! News |
In general terms, and with obvious exceptions, living standards are rising across the world. African and Asian economies are growing rapidly. Third world countries often adopt new technologies faster than we do in the first-world.
According to many scientists and experts, they should have all starved decades ago - but new developments in Agriculture etc have made it possible to feed ever more people using less land and resources.
If we attempt to go backwards then yes, we are probably doomed. But, if we keep on changing and adapting, the future can continue to be good.
In my lifetime, life expectancy has increased by 30%, 30% fewer children die young, and people are 3 times more affluent than they were in the 1950's.
Without fossil fuels none of this could have happened, and we would probably still be reliant on slave labour!
Writers such as Matt Ridley argue that with ever more people, who are ever more connected via the internet, innovating and inventing new solutions faster than ever before (and the pace is still accelerating.) why should we not be optimistic about the future?
Life isn't always easy - but it is infinitely easier for the majority of us, than it was 100 years ago!!
Have a look on YouTube for Matt Ridley and 'The Rational Optimist' - he offers some very interesting ideas....