Category: Trends: Social
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World Social Indicators: Introduction
Is the state of the world getting better or getting worse? How would you answer that question? What indicators would you use? For Christians, our mission is to seek the greatest shalom possible in the world, always cognizant that shalom in its fullness will only be recognized at the consummation of the new creation. But…
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Don’t Forget the Good Stuff
It is easy to become obsessed with the challenges and threats we see before us today. It is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and not see the tremendous good happening in the world. Here are six social indicators pointing to improving the quality of life for billions around the globe. Setbacks and…
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Shrinking the World, 1800-1930
Satirist and humorist Douglas Adams, probably best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, once wrote: "Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty- five is new and…
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The Future of the American Dream
For most Americans today, there has been a presumption that our children's lives will be more prosperous than ours. The American Dream, whatever particularities might include, has always included this assumption. It is virtually a social contract. Is the idea that most of our children will have a more prosperous life than we did really…
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American Geographic Mobility is Declining (It Has Been for Generations)
“Increasing mobility has left us uprooted and disconnected from communities in America.” This is a common refrain going back at least 100 years. Think of the song following World War I that asked how are you going to keep them down on the farm once they have seen gay Paree’? The lament of increasing mobility…
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An Improving World
Life expectancy at birth is one of the single best indicators of societal well-being. So many things have to work well for the great majority of people to live long lives that the high life expectancy is a proxy for holistic well-being. The measure is of particular value in that it measures something relatively concrete,…
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More Evidence of an Improving World – HDI
The world is becoming a better place. It is not a utopia. We are not without substantial challenges. But we are becoming (as in movement along a trajectory) better (as in measurably improved according to a standard.) The Human Development Index is a United Nations measure of well-being combining income, literacy, education, and life expectancy…
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Rosling Univeristy (How to be smarter than a chimp)
Are you smarter than a chimp? There is a good chance you are not when it comes to knowledge about global socioeconomic trends. For years, Swedish global health expert, Hans Rosling, has been giving Ted talks and making presentations about global trends. One of his favorite teaching tools is to ask people a question like…
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Hans and Ola Rosling: How not to be ignorant about the world
Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling are truly brilliant and entertaining. The first part of this video highlights how poorly we assess what is happening in the world. The back half gives some simple tips on how to avoid developing false perceptions and suggests why it is important that we do so. Enjoy!
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It’s The End Of The World As We Know It, So Why Don’t We Feel Fine?
It’s the end of the world as we know it – because it is improving remarkably! Almost every indicator of human well-being shows improvement on a global basis. We live in the best era in human history. How does that make you feel? Like the old REM song, does it make you feel fine? Or…