The Problem with Irrational Pessimism

Most people have a warped view of the world.

 

Scientist Hans Rosling, one of our heroes, would ask college students a series of questions about poverty, inequality, and childhood mortality.

 

The students weren’t just wrong. They were systematically wrong, always thinking the world is much worse than it is. Chimpanzees choosing random answers would outperform them.

 

Think about that.

 

Why are basic, indisputable facts about the ever more positive state of our world a surprise to anyone? Why isn’t this fundamental truth taught in school? And why are the most “educated” people often the most wrong?

 

Maybe it’s incompetence. Maybe we’re misled by our leaders and media. Our college system, for whatever reason, often fails to teach critical thinking, then extinguishes the light from many students. Often if a graduate is motivated to do anything, it’s to tear down what makes us great. 

 

This unjustified pessimism is a boot on the throat of our potential.

 

The real story of mankind over the last 200 years is nothing short of miraculous, inspiring, and motivating. It looks something like this: 

 

Led by the western world - particularly America with its uniquely entrepreneurial culture – humanity pulled itself out of darkness and poverty and toward prosperity.

 

We’ve gone from huts to skyscrapers. We turned sand into computer chips that “think.” We eradicated diseases that would be killing millions of kids today. We’ve solved problem after problem after problem.

 

Imagine what’s next!