The Atheist path; a path of liberation or of necessity?

[expos4ever]

Some things are indeed getting better, but overall things are getting worse.

By a wide range of measures, things are definitely getting better, not worse.

More, and probably much more, on this later.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Research done in the 1960's revealed that most unattended money will be stolen, even when the rightful owner is known.

Published this year (2018): These Are the Cities Where You're Most Likely to Get a Lost Wallet Returned

They dropped 10 wallets in 20 different cities and small towns.

... 60% of the wallets were returned ... of those, 96% still had the money inside

So in the intervening 50 years, things have gotten better.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Published this year (2018): These Are the Cities Where You're Most Likely to Get a Lost Wallet Returned

They dropped 10 wallets in 20 different cities and small towns.

So in the intervening 50 years, things have gotten better.

They certainly have. In the 1960's almost none of the wallets were returned and few had the money (a $20 bill) in them.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

By a wide range of measures, things are definitely getting better, not worse.

More, and probably much more, on this later.

Bring it.

 

[expos4ever]

Bring it.

In the words of Bugs Bunny: “just remember, you asked for it”.

The deluge of data from credible sources showing that the world is decidedly getting better begins tomorrow.

Followed no doubt by the usual dismissals, conspiracy arguments, and shameless unsupported denials.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

In the words of Bugs Bunny: “just remember, you asked for it”.

The deluge of data from credible sources showing that the world is decidedly getting better begins tomorrow.

Followed no doubt by the usual dismissals, conspiracy arguments, and shameless unsupported denials.

No point in having the argument if you have already judged my evidence thusly. Declare yourself the winner, pat yourself on the back, and have a beer. You've won without a shot being fired.

 

[Strathos]

In the words of Bugs Bunny: “just remember, you asked for it”.

The deluge of data from credible sources showing that the world is decidedly getting better begins tomorrow.

Followed no doubt by the usual dismissals, conspiracy arguments, and shameless unsupported denials.

Are you a climate change denier?

 

[expos4ever]

Are you a climate change denier?

Definitey not; however, I never claimed that everything was getting better. I think it is quite likely that the climate problem will be solved. I hope to explain in later posts.

 

[Ken-1122]

So our problems are vastly overstated? Maybe that's why little attention is paid to them by most.

I'm saying when it comes to News coverage, bad news is over represented, and good news is under represented.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I'm saying when it comes to News coverage, bad news is over represented, and good news is under represented.

I would say both are under or misrepresented. The 'news' is more entertainment than information. The media is the best, probably the only, way to reach most of the people at any given time for any given reason. Truly valuable 'public service announcements/information' is notably absent from the daily news. What Americans really need to know is locked in a vault somewhere, and closely guarded, and we remain a "beast of muddy brain" (myself excepted of course).



The People

By Tommaso Campanella

(Italian philosopher, 1568–1639. Translation by John Addington Symonds)


"THE PEOPLE is a beast of muddy brain
That knows not its own strength, and therefore stands
Loaded with wood and stone; the powerless hands
Of a mere child guide it with bit and rein;
One kick would be enough to break the chain,
But the beast fears, and what the child demands
It does; nor its own terror understands,
Confused and stupefied by bugbears vain.
Most wonderful! With its own hand it ties
And gags itself—gives itself death and war
For pence doled out by kings from its own store.
Its own are all things between earth and heaven;
But this it knows not; and if one arise
To tell this truth, it kills him unforgiven."

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Are you a climate change denier?

Drug addiction, immigration, racism, gay rights, women's issues, wealth inequality, Donald Trump, the NRA, the Republican Party, Christianity, etc. are far more serious problems than climate change.

 

[expos4ever]

I'm saying when it comes to News coverage, bad news is over represented, and good news is under represented.

Obviously.

Every day, tens of thousands of schools have no shootings, and 137,000 people escape extreme poverty.

Does this go on the news?

No.

The workd is getting much better over time despite the misleading information we get from the media.

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

Wow. Talk about thread creep.

 

[Ken-1122]

I would say both are under or misrepresented. The 'news' is more entertainment than information. The media is the best, probably the only, way to reach most of the people at any given time for any given reason. Truly valuable 'public service announcements/information' is notably absent from the daily news. What Americans really need to know is locked in a vault somewhere, and closely guarded, and we remain a "beast of muddy brain" (myself excepted of course).

Don’t know what news you lookin’ at, but the news I watch is not very entertaining. Informative, perhaps, but not entertaining. But that’s okay because I don’t look at the news for entertainment.
Where is this guarded vault you speak of?

 

[expos4ever]

Bring it.

OK, Introductory General Claim:

The world has made spectacular progress in every single measure of human well-being. And almost no knows about it. - Steven Pinker (respected Harvard academic).

Now for some facts. First topic: Life

1. From 1771 to 2015, life expectancy has increased dramatically in all areas of the globe;
2. In the same interval, infant mortality worldwide has plummeted. And I mean plummeted;
3. In the same interval, maternal mortality has also plummeted. Equally dramatically;

The economist Steven Radelet observes "the improvements in health among the global poor are so large and widespread that they rank among the greatest achievements in human history".

Next topic (for next post): Health.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

OK, Introductory General Claim:

The world has made spectacular progress in every single measure of human well-being. And almost no knows about it. - Steven Pinker (respected Harvard academic).

Now for some facts. First topic: Life

1. From 1771 to 2015, life expectancy has increased dramatically in all areas of the globe;
2. In the same interval, infant mortality worldwide has plummeted. And I mean plummeted;
3. In the same interval, maternal mortality has also plummeted. Equally dramatically;

The economist Steven Radelet observes "the improvements in health among the global poor are so large and widespread that they rank among the greatest achievements in human history".

Next topic (for next post): Health.

Life expectancy isn't one of my metrics. Also my pessimism is directed mainly at America, where life expectancy has declined (gotten worse). The rest of the developing world is so bad it can only get better.

Life Expectancy Declines Among Americans for Second Year - The Atlantic

 

[expos4ever]

Life expectancy isn't one of my metrics.

Really? You're not moving the goalposts?

And the decline you refer is a tiny anomaly compared to the overall significant upward trend.

You must know this - c'mon now, play fair.

 

[expos4ever]

Bring it.

Ok, now for health:

Here are some medical breakthroughs in the last 150 years and the number of lives saved by each:

Chlorination of Water: 177,000,000
Smallpox Eradication: 131,000,000
Eight Different Vaccines: 129,000,000
Measles Vaccine: 120,000,000
Penicillin: 82,000,000
Diptheria/Tetanus Vaccine: 60,000,000
Oral Rehydration Therapy: 54,000,000
Diptheria/Tetanus antitoxins: 42,000,000
Angioplasty: 15,000,000
Whooping Cough Vaccine: 14,000,000
Rational Drug Design: 5,000,000

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Really? You're not moving the goalposts?

And the decline you refer is a tiny anomaly compared to the overall significant upward trend.

You must know this - c'mon now, play fair.

You don't get to choose my metrics, or measures, which are,

Health (quality of physical life).
Wealth (not just the absence of poverty).
Satisfaction (happiness, contentment).

It doesn't matter how much progress has been made in the past. These metrics are trending downward. The baseline isn't the lowest, but the highest of these conditions.

A few hundred dollars per year each can lift most of the world's poor out of poverty, but does little for their lifetime prospects. They will still die poor.

 

[expos4ever]

You don't get to choose my metrics, or measures, which are,

Health (not just survivability, longevity).
Wealth (not just the absence of poverty).
Satisfaction (happiness, contentment).

.... These metrics are trending downward. The baseline isn't the lowest.

Untrue, at least for both health and wealth.

Not even close - people are getting healthier and wealthier. By a lot, as you willshortly learn.