Is the World Getting Worse?

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inho
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Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by inho »

A blog post I read, made me aware of a commentary on mormonnewsroom.org. Here are some quotes:
The daily drumbeat of tragedy, catastrophe, war, folly, corruption and suffering can spur us to action, but it can also hide the progress, cooperation, kindness, intelligence, trust and love that still flourish on our planet. A focus on the good helps us better judge the bad. We cannot see the goodness of neighbors and citizens through the dark lens of negativity.

...

Acts of goodness should never be done for recognition, but knowing about them can breathe fresh air into the mind of a public jaded by unceasing headlines of violence, partisanship and poverty.

[... O]ne need not be religious to reach out or recognize the remarkable goodness of our age. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote that despite negative headlines, 2017 may be the “best year ever” thanks to important technological advances to improve health and eradicate extreme poverty.

“What’s infinitely more important [than bad news],” Kristof writes, “is that [every day] some 18,000 children who in the past would have died of simple diseases will survive, about 300,000 people will gain electricity and a cool 250,000 will graduate from extreme poverty.”

In a world awash with information, the good as well as the bad help us see “things as they really are” and as they can be. We are not helpless creatures before the forces of negativity. We are actors. We shape society by the information we choose to accentuate. Hope begets hope. The world doesn’t have to get worse. It can get better.

Serragon
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Serragon »

inho wrote: April 4th, 2017, 1:47 am A blog post I read, made me aware of a commentary on mormonnewsroom.org. Here are some quotes:
The daily drumbeat of tragedy, catastrophe, war, folly, corruption and suffering can spur us to action, but it can also hide the progress, cooperation, kindness, intelligence, trust and love that still flourish on our planet. A focus on the good helps us better judge the bad. We cannot see the goodness of neighbors and citizens through the dark lens of negativity.

...

Acts of goodness should never be done for recognition, but knowing about them can breathe fresh air into the mind of a public jaded by unceasing headlines of violence, partisanship and poverty.

[... O]ne need not be religious to reach out or recognize the remarkable goodness of our age. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote that despite negative headlines, 2017 may be the “best year ever” thanks to important technological advances to improve health and eradicate extreme poverty.

“What’s infinitely more important [than bad news],” Kristof writes, “is that [every day] some 18,000 children who in the past would have died of simple diseases will survive, about 300,000 people will gain electricity and a cool 250,000 will graduate from extreme poverty.”

In a world awash with information, the good as well as the bad help us see “things as they really are” and as they can be. We are not helpless creatures before the forces of negativity. We are actors. We shape society by the information we choose to accentuate. Hope begets hope. The world doesn’t have to get worse. It can get better.
An excellent question. Much like global temperatures, the global state of the world is nearly impossible to assess.

For most people, the opportunities and the quality of life is better than it ever has been.

I also believe that the turning away from God by Christians in Western societies is on par with the Nephites at the time of Christ's birth. At the same time, Christianity is being spread to those in non-christian nations with great rapidity. (and this time not by the sword) :)

There are times I rejoice about what I see happening in the world. And there are times it causes me great sorrow.

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inho
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by inho »

As Serragon said, it is hard to assess the state of the world.

But there are some things we can measure:
  • Absolute poverty is declining
  • Child labor is declining
  • Infant mortality rates are dropping
  • More people have access to clean water and indoor plumbing
  • Homicide rate is declining
  • Life expectancy is rising
  • There’s more food for everyone today than ever before
  • Today we are probably living in the most peaceful moment of our species’ time on earth
  • Literacy rate is rising
and the list goes on...

Let me google it for you: world is getting better
Here are some serach results:
Why the World Is Better Than You Think in 10 Powerful Charts
The state of the world: Better and better
How the World Is Getting Better
Proof that life is getting better for humanity, in 5 charts

Sunain
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Sunain »

While general living conditions are the best they've ever been in history, I don't think that's what God cares about when he sends judgements. We are mortal beings, so our living conditions really don't matter in the long run. Debt is at an all time high worldwide, so our living conditions are really artificially set, for how much longer it will stay that way, who knows. The only thing on this earth that affects us eternally are the things of a spiritual nature. The scriptures are full of examples that show that God sends judgements when the spiritual and moral levels are in the gutter. Our societies morals are going down faster and faster than ever.

The seven deadly sins are ripe and iniquity is all around us: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride. They come in even more forms than they have in human history. When we continue to legalize things that God tells us are wrong, He will only let us go so far until the judgements come. The seven virtues: Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness and Humility are hardly practiced by most people in society. How many are trying to improve themselves spiritually instead of temporally on a daily basis?

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inho
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by inho »

Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 1:41 am While general living conditions are the best they've ever been in history, I don't think that's what God cares about when he sends judgements.
I agree. But the article in mormonnewsroom.org wasn't about what God cares about while sending judgements. It was about what we care about. Do we wish to focus on the negative or the positive?

Sunain
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Sunain »

inho wrote: April 5th, 2017, 2:20 am
Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 1:41 am While general living conditions are the best they've ever been in history, I don't think that's what God cares about when he sends judgements.
I agree. But the article in mormonnewsroom.org wasn't about what God cares about while sending judgements. It was about what we care about. Do we wish to focus on the negative or the positive?
90% of the news is negative. I've all but given up watching terrestrial news broadcasts for that very reason, you can't control what you see. At least with the Internet, you can pick and choose what you want to read.

Z2100
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Z2100 »

Yes, I agree. It's a huge blessing living in this time in world history. But wickedness is getting worse, and God won't put-up with it.

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inho
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by inho »

One of the ways Satan wants us to manipulate others is by dwelling upon and even exaggerating the evil in the world.

Certainly our world has always been, and will continue to be, imperfect. Far too many innocent people suffer because of circumstances of nature as well as from man’s inhumanity. The corruption and wickedness in our day are unique and alarming.

But in spite of all this, I wouldn’t trade living in this time with any other time in the history of the world. We are blessed beyond measure to live in a day of unparalleled prosperity, enlightenment, and advantage. Most of all, we are blessed to have the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which gives us a unique perspective on the world’s dangers and shows us how to either avoid these dangers or deal with them.

When I think of these blessings, I want to fall to my knees and offer praises to our Heavenly Father for His never-ending love for all of His children.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

eddie
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by eddie »

I maintain the world is getting worse and I am suffering with depression.


INDIANAPOLIS—Offering a promising new treatment for those suffering from depression, pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly introduced a new antidepressant Wednesday that causes patients to perceive their friends’ problems as far worse than their own. “After just a single dose, clinical trial participants’ moods improved dramatically as they began to believe that each of their close friends was struggling with serious financial, professional, familial, and medical issues,” said drug developer Eugenio Risso, explaining that 9 out of 10 subjects reported markedly lower levels of pessimism, self-doubt, and generalized unhappiness after they began to sense that those around them were on the verge of full-scale emotional breakdowns. “This drug allows depressed patients to concentrate exclusively on their friends’ troubles and mentally magnify them, enabling them to, for example, construe an insignificant argument between a couple they know as a sign that these individuals are in the middle of a catastrophic marital crisis. And we found that that thought alone is enough to improve the subject’s mood for a week or longer.” Risso warned that patients must not exceed recommended dosages of the drug, as extreme magnification of former classmates’ and coworkers’ misery was found to produce an overwhelming and highly addictive sense of euphoria.

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David13
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

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eddie wrote: April 8th, 2017, 3:06 pm I maintain the world is getting worse and I am suffering with depression.


INDIANAPOLIS—Offering a promising new treatment for those suffering from depression, pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly introduced a new antidepressant Wednesday that causes patients to perceive their friends’ problems as far worse than their own. “After just a single dose, clinical trial participants’ moods improved dramatically as they began to believe that each of their close friends was struggling with serious financial, professional, familial, and medical issues,” said drug developer Eugenio Risso, explaining that 9 out of 10 subjects reported markedly lower levels of pessimism, self-doubt, and generalized unhappiness after they began to sense that those around them were on the verge of full-scale emotional breakdowns. “This drug allows depressed patients to concentrate exclusively on their friends’ troubles and mentally magnify them, enabling them to, for example, construe an insignificant argument between a couple they know as a sign that these individuals are in the middle of a catastrophic marital crisis. And we found that that thought alone is enough to improve the subject’s mood for a week or longer.” Risso warned that patients must not exceed recommended dosages of the drug, as extreme magnification of former classmates’ and coworkers’ misery was found to produce an overwhelming and highly addictive sense of euphoria.

Eddie
I just saw this report myself, just the first of this month.
dc

Fiannan
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Fiannan »

The world is neither getting worse or better. The people of the world merely face new challenges, both wonderful and terrifying. That is why the Lord called the end times "the great and terrible day." We make our choices and we live with them, but many will choose the wrong path and perish just as their counterparts in the 19th Century might die in the gutter the 21st Century sinner might waste a life directly hooked up to virtual reality and making no contribution whatsoever.

In the 19th Century you could easily die of diseases we can cure now. Then again we have new diseases that may soon be curable with nano-technology. People may also soon live the lifespans they did in Noah's day thanks to nano, but look how people then messed that up. In reality a baby born today in a developed nation has an incredible future to look forward to, but he or she may face unique challenges and temptations we are only beginning to envision.

Fiannan
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Fiannan »

Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 2:24 am
inho wrote: April 5th, 2017, 2:20 am
Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 1:41 am While general living conditions are the best they've ever been in history, I don't think that's what God cares about when he sends judgements.
I agree. But the article in mormonnewsroom.org wasn't about what God cares about while sending judgements. It was about what we care about. Do we wish to focus on the negative or the positive?
90% of the news is negative. I've all but given up watching terrestrial news broadcasts for that very reason, you can't control what you see. At least with the Internet, you can pick and choose what you want to read.

Sadly most of the viewers prefer the distractions of sports, porn and celebrity gossip.

Matchmaker
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Matchmaker »

Fiannan wrote: April 9th, 2017, 5:12 am
Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 2:24 am
inho wrote: April 5th, 2017, 2:20 am
Sunain wrote: April 5th, 2017, 1:41 am While general living conditions are the best they've ever been in history, I don't think that's what God cares about when he sends judgements.
I agree. But the article in mormonnewsroom.org wasn't about what God cares about while sending judgements. It was about what we care about. Do we wish to focus on the negative or the positive?
90% of the news is negative. I've all but given up watching terrestrial news broadcasts for that very reason, you can't control what you see. At least with the Internet, you can pick and choose what you want to read.

Sadly most of the viewers prefer the distractions of sports, porn and celebrity gossip.
I agree that reading celebrity gossip is a destructive waste of time. It is a weakness of mine that I am working hard to overcome. I see it as a form of idol worship. It can stimulate feelings of envy and covetousness, as I see pictures of their multi-million dollar homes overlooking the ocean, their private jet vacations around the world, their designer clothes, and their plastic-perfect youthful bodies that defy the passage of time. Not good!

eddie
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by eddie »

David13 wrote: April 8th, 2017, 8:12 pm
eddie wrote: April 8th, 2017, 3:06 pm I maintain the world is getting worse and I am suffering with depression.


INDIANAPOLIS—Offering a promising new treatment for those suffering from depression, pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly introduced a new antidepressant Wednesday that causes patients to perceive their friends’ problems as far worse than their own. “After just a single dose, clinical trial participants’ moods improved dramatically as they began to believe that each of their close friends was struggling with serious financial, professional, familial, and medical issues,” said drug developer Eugenio Risso, explaining that 9 out of 10 subjects reported markedly lower levels of pessimism, self-doubt, and generalized unhappiness after they began to sense that those around them were on the verge of full-scale emotional breakdowns. “This drug allows depressed patients to concentrate exclusively on their friends’ troubles and mentally magnify them, enabling them to, for example, construe an insignificant argument between a couple they know as a sign that these individuals are in the middle of a catastrophic marital crisis. And we found that that thought alone is enough to improve the subject’s mood for a week or longer.” Risso warned that patients must not exceed recommended dosages of the drug, as extreme magnification of former classmates’ and coworkers’ misery was found to produce an overwhelming and highly addictive sense of euphoria.

Eddie
I just saw this report myself, just the first of this month.
dc
Its worth a try, don't you think?

Sunain
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by Sunain »

Matchmaker wrote: April 9th, 2017, 5:34 am I agree that reading celebrity gossip is a destructive waste of time. It is a weakness of mine that I am working hard to overcome. I see it as a form of idol worship. It can stimulate feelings of envy and covetousness, as I see pictures of their multi-million dollar homes overlooking the ocean, their private jet vacations around the world, their designer clothes, and their plastic-perfect youthful bodies that defy the passage of time. Not good!
It is definitely a modern day form of idol worship. The pride of the world literally wrapped up on glossy paper and screens. I think Photoshop helps a bit though :))

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gclayjr
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Re: Is the World Getting Worse?

Post by gclayjr »

mho, z100
Yes, I agree. It's a huge blessing living in this time in world history. But wickedness is getting worse, and God won't put-up with it.
I guess the bottom line is this duality. It is easy... especially when spending time posting and pondering on this or other boards, to get caught up in the true fact of how difficult of times we are living here in these last days. We should enjoy the gifts we have, prepare for the things to come, and not get so caught up in worrying about those things for it to either take from enjoying what we have or letting our anxieties move us into the world of crazy.... which certainly happens too often here.

While I am only mildly into the on-line world. I don't have a smart phone, I don't text, I don't participate in Myspace, Facebook, twitter or any of those other time consuming social activities (About the only place I even post is here... and not that frequently), there are certainly modern conveniences that I do enjoy and would not like to live without.


tier 1

Hot and cold running water, and flushable toilets
at least some electricity
refrigeration
some air conditioning.. window unit fine

tier 2

Automobile
Power tools
the ability to listen to stuff while working, radio... mp3 player etc.

Just a few things that I would miss if the world went back to a time without the modern conveniences that we enjoy today. So I guess I should enjoy them while we still have them.

Regards,

George Clay

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