Humanity has achieved incredible advancements in the last 50 years to make NOW a great time to be alive.

Written by Denis Keane

Objectively, things aren’t easy for most of us in 2020. We are facing a whole host of social, political, economic, and environmental issues and, of course, COVID-19.

With all of this going on, it’s easy to envy those before us and believe previous generations had it easier. It makes us long for “simpler times”. This is normal considering our brains are wired to see the past more warmly than the present. 

Imagining the worst is our natural state of being. We are descendants of primates who saw danger everywhere because it kept us alive and able to pass on our genes. It was simply evolutionary. 

Even still, as humans, we are more likely to overestimate the chances of being killed by animals, like sharks, and to underestimate the world’s top killer: heart disease. 

Causes of Death in Comparison

It’s no wonder that more than 50% of Americans believe we are worse off today than we were 50 years ago. However, evidence shows that this belief is wrong. Life in the past was more difficult; it was shorter, sicker, poorer and more dangerous. In fact, most experts say we are living in the greatest time in human history.

Here are 8 reasons life is actually the best it’s ever been:

 

According to research, global poverty rates have dropped more than 50% in the last 50 years. Specifically, in the U.S., poverty rates continue to decline over consecutive years (lifting more than 8 million people out of poverty since 2014).

Over the last 30 years, crime rates have dropped dramatically in the U.S. From a 90’s full of soaring homicide and drug violence, the 2000’s saw the homicide rate plunge 42 percent nationwide and violent crime decrease by one-third. By virtually any metric, Americans now live in one of the least violent times in the nation’s history.

In 2020, we are living longer than people have ever lived. At least 75% of the world’s population live to be at least 65 years old and according to the United Nations, a person aged 65 years in 2015-2020 could expect to live, on average, an additional 17 years. That’s a whole 17 years more than the generation before us had to enjoy all of life’s wonders!

 

 

 

Advances in health care is one of the biggest reasons we are living longer. In the last 50 years so much progress has taken place such as:

• MRIs were invented.
• Smallpox was eradicated. 
• The human genome was sequenced.
• Artificial hearts were developed.

These and many other health advances have done more than just extend our lives. They have also increased our quality of life.

Advancements in technology have fundamentally changed the way we live. In the last 50 years alone, new technology has brought us the internet, artificial intelligence, smartphones, GPS, robotic surgery, and solar power.

These and other innovations have made our lives safer, easier and better.

The internet has leveled the playing field. Small businesses and even a single person can now reach and influence as many people as big companies can or ever could in the past.

Working conditions have come a very long way since the early 1900s. From better wage laws to child labor laws and safety regulations, we have better protections and safer working environments for people from all walks of life: older workers, minorities, and women. Workers in this country are safer and better protected than ever. And while that does not mean it is perfect, our working conditions continue to get better every year.

Quality of life has improved dramatically in the last 100 years with major improvements in living standards. In fact, the average standard of living in this country would have been unthinkable and envied by even the wealthiest people a couple of generations ago.

I know there are a lot of things “wrong” in the world right now, especially if you watch the news. There are always painful tragedies, natural disasters, and horrible crime splashed across the headlines. Unfortunately, that’s how it’s always been. Only now, we are able to see this information so much easier and faster than ever before. It feels like our world is more dangerous and worse than ever.

The reality is our quality of life and how we view it is highly dependent on what we focus on. If we focus on the positive, the advancements and achievements of humanity, then we can see all the opportunities and benefits of being alive now. 

As Eckhart Tolle said, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”

There has never been a better time to live your best life!

—

Denis Keane

Co-Founder