It's better than it looks
Subtitle: reasons for optimism in an age of fear
By: Gregg Easterbrook
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Published: 2018
Language: eng
Number of pages: 330
ISBN-13: 9781610397414
Copyright date: 2018
Subjects: Progress; Modern Civilization; Quality of life; Social history; Economic history
Other titles: It is better that it looks
Description: Is civilization teetering on the edge of a cliff? Or are we just climbing higher than ever? Most people who read the news would tell you that 2017 is one of the worst years in recent memory. We're facing a series of deeply troubling, even existential problems: fascism, terrorism, environmental collapse, racial and economic inequality, and more. Yet this narrative misses something important: by almost every meaningful measure, the modern world is better than it ever has been. In the United States, disease, crime, discrimination, and most forms of pollution are in long-term decline, while longevity and education keep rising and economic indicators are better than in any past generation. Worldwide, malnutrition and extreme poverty are at historic lows, and the risk of dying by war or violence is the lowest in human history.

It's not a coincidence that we're confused--our perspectives on the world are blurred by the rise of social media, the machinations of politicians, and our own biases. Meanwhile, political reforms like the Clean Air Act and technological innovations like the hybridization of wheat have saved huge numbers of lives. In that optimistic spirit, Easterbrook offers specific policy reforms to address climate change, inequality, and other problems, and reminds us that there is real hope in conquering such challenges. In an age of discord and fear-mongering, It's Better Than It Looks will profoundly change your perspective on who we are, where we're headed, and what we're capable of.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-317) and index.
Table of contents: title: Why don't we starve?; title: Why, despite all our bad habits, do we keep living longer?; title: Will nature collapse?; title: Will the economy collapse?; title: Why is violence in decline?; title: Why does technology become safer instead of more dangerous?; title: Why don't the dictators win?; title: How declinism became chic; title: The "impossible" challenge of climate change; title: The "impossible" challenge of inequality; title: We'll never run out of challenges; title: And it will never be too late.