The World is a Mess, and It's Still the Best Time to Be Alive : Nicholas Kristof / NYTimes

Article shared by Kul Gautam

Once again, the indomitably optimistic Nick Kristof reminds us that even in our messed-up world, many trends are still going right.

It is always useful to get such a periodic reminder, as UNICEF's Jim Grant used to do, especially during seemingly dark times, that the arc of human progress is still evident in metrics that matter most, such as the risk of a child dying.
Kul

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Summary
Kristof reflects on the challenges of 2024, including the suffering of children in Gaza, famine in Sudan, wildfires in Los Angeles, and the looming threat of a controversial political figure. Despite these grim realities, the author writes a column about the progress humanity has made, noting key improvements such as the lowest child mortality rate ever, significant reductions in extreme poverty, and the rise of global literacy. The piece also highlights progress in health and technology, such as breakthroughs in medicine and advancements in renewable energy. While acknowledging the world's ongoing problems, the author emphasizes that, despite everything, it remains a better time to be alive than ever before. Despite the difficulties ahead, progress continues and humanity is on a path toward overcoming its struggles.


Key quotes
“The worst thing that can happen is not a Trumpian rant; I’d say it’s to lose a child. And 2024 appears to have been the year in which the smallest percentage of children died since the dawn of humanity.”
“Every day over the past couple of years, roughly 30,000 people moved out of extreme poverty worldwide.”
“Look at the data, and it’s difficult to deny a larger truth: For all the challenges we face, there has been no better time to be alive.”d