To think that the world now is in the worst state it's been in

[patheticpanic]

North Korea and the missile tests combined with the issue of Donald trump
The attack on the NHS systems with another one expected tomorrow
Brexit
The state of the NHS and education systems
The situation in many third world countries
Russia and the reduced relations with the west
Isis
Relative Poverty of many in developing countries

It's all looking very, very grim isn't it? I'm normally an optimist but my feeling is overwhelmingly pessimistic.

Sometimes I feel like it's a chicken and egg sort of thing, almost. Like, is it really just that it's the worst it's ever been, or is it that with the advent of the internet, we're able to see much, much more of the terrible things happening?

Like maybe the world has always been this terrible, and we're just more aware of it now. Like maybe there's been an entirely natural progression of awful, but a faster-than-average progression of the methods and mediums by which we view the awful.

It might seem bad but it is really nothing in comparison to what earlier generations lived through. No time for pessimism I feel if we are to prosper as a nation snd a world. All around us there are people doing amazing things. Nothing that is happening can stifle the vision, inventiveness and industry of humankind. We all do our bit, in any small way we can and we win through.

Compared to many times over history - no.

Climate change - with the way our economies are linked now - is an unprecedented threat.

Actually, global poverty is the lowest it's ever been. 60 years ago half the world's population lived in poverty, now it's 20%. Not stellar, but a HUGE improvement, and the global economy means that more and more families - and women - can access higher pay.

For instance, I just worked with a freelancer in Pakistan. She billed me $3.75 an hour for some internet research work (about $120 in total). The hourly minimum wage in Pakistan is $0.50. Being able to access me (something that wouldn't have been possible 10 years ago) has substantially increased this woman's earning capacity. Obviously this is just one, tiny anecdotal piece of evidence, but this increase in standards of living is everywhere.

"Some of the poorest people in the world are becoming significantly less poor, according to a groundbreaking academic study which has taken a new approach to measuring deprivation. The report, by Oxford University's poverty and human development initiative, predicts that countries among the most impoverished in the world could see acute poverty eradicated within 20 years if they continue at present rates."

Guardian link

Also, globally, deaths from war are going down significantly. We HEAR a lot more about what is going on than we used to, and of course, pretty much anything is going to be be an improvement on the first half of the last century, but you can see the chart here and read more about it:

Global Deaths in Conflicts

There is nothing to be complacent about - we have a lot of hard work to do to eradicate poverty completely and push up the daily income of the poorest fifth of the global population, but we're doing pretty well so far.

No, we had to world ears in the last century which were far worse, after the first we more people died world wide due to flu than during the war, then we went into the depression

Things aren't wonderful, but they could be a lot worse

Every time there is a combination of events folk are always saying the is the worst .. sometimes followed by in my day but it really is not worse now than then saying that its not great atm but we will power through being realistic is better than pessamistic though pessamisim is draining

I would not make a comparison between Trump, Brexit and a computer crash to the to the millions who lost their lives during WW1 and WW2 no.

Are you very young? Aside from the obvious (two World Wars), the 70s were much tougher times in the UK. And the cold war made life feel incredibly unsafe.

I live in a time when I can access toilet paper and a hot shower.

Once these weren't available even for the wealthiest.

We live in a golden age.

Running water is a luxury taken for granted by many. If you want a chance to reflect on it fill a bucket full of water and turn the mains of for the next couple of days

Eh? Yabu. For all the blindingly obvious reasons already stated.

Have a look at the Cuba missile crisis, I remember being sent home from school at lunchtime so family would be together if the nuclear missiles were launched. Around the same time look at Cathy Come Home and see how ideal living conditions were in the UK. Not to mention the casual racism and sexism at the time.

The worst the world has ever been?

OP - get out your history books. At least no one gets tortured by having a red hot poker shoved up their arse these days.

Seriously though, previous posters have given you loads of examples of why the world as a whole is better now than it ever has been. The examples of what makes it worse today are relatively trivial compared to history.

Hugely insulting and self-centred to compare those things to any of the two World Wars, where millions died. Would you rather live in the 1800s?

For goodness sake, get a grip!

The NHS isn't the world

The world has always had war hot spots. The middle east and surrounding areas have had wars since time began, it's never been stable.

yabvvVu - are you very young? the world was a lot worse before - you need to do some research into past history I think!

1918-20 were particularly shit. World War One had just ended then the Spanish Flu came along and killed 3-5% of the global population. Imagine surviving the war then dying of the flu. Millions died.

100 years ago I would have died in labour, average life span was much lower, disease rife and that's ignoring plagues, slavery, human sacrifice, religious persecution have a and get a grip.

I asked my dad this a year or so ago- I was so despondent. Before trump, possibly before brexit. I was expecting him to reassure me that it was worse in the seventies, eighties, whenever. Disappointingly, he agreed with me.