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War, climate change, terrorism, nuclear threats… It seems as though global disaster is always looming, reinforced by a media cycle that thrives on fear.
What’s worth noting, however, is that these crises are often presented as problems beyond our personal control – too big, too far away – leaving us with only one proposed solution: to give more power to certain individuals or institutions to “fix” them.
This narrative fosters a belief that we are powerless, leading to despair, undermining our sense of hope, and weakening our ability to take meaningful action.
But history tells a different story.
The Catastrophes That Never Happened
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by today’s doomsday predictions, consider a global catastrophe that never materialized – one that many experts were certain would.
In the 1960s, Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb, a wildly influential book that predicted mass famine and the collapse of global food supplies. His theory was a modern restatement of economist Thomas Robert Malthus’ 1798 argument that food production could never keep pace with population growth.
By Ehrlich’s logic, mass starvation and global devastation were inevitable.
Except… they weren’t.
Innovation Prevails
What happened? Innovation.
Human ingenuity found solutions just as it always has. Even before Ehrlich’s predictions, food production was expanding through breakthroughs like the discovery of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
Then, as Ehrlich’s book gained traction and famine in India seemed imminent, agronomist Norman Borlaug revolutionized wheat farming. His innovations tripled wheat yields and sparked the Green Revolution, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
The result? A seemingly inescapable global catastrophe became a non-issue. Yet Ehrlich, to this day, insists disaster is still coming.
We Don’t Hear About the Wins
While the media focuses on impending doom, what’s rarely acknowledged is humanity’s track record of solving major global challenges.
Take extreme poverty.
For most of mankind’s history, nearly everybody lived in dire poverty – defined today as earning less than $2.15 per day. In 1990, that included 2 billion people. Currently, it’s down to 650 million – a two-thirds reduction in just over three decades.
Even more impressive, the global population has increased by nearly 3 billion people in that time, meaning the percentage of people in extreme poverty has plummeted. In 1990, 38% of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty. Today? Just 8.6% – a decline of nearly 80%.
This should be headlining news! Every single day, 130,000 fewer people live in extreme poverty than the day before.
Yet, how often do you hear that?
A Perspective Shift
This isn’t to downplay global challenges. Suffering still exists, and urgent problems demand attention. But when we take a step back, the trajectory is clear – we are solving problems once thought insurmountable.
If you have the ability to make a positive impact, lean into it. That’s what leaders like Norman Borlaug have done for centuries. And it’s working.
So when you hear today’s prophets of doom, remember the catastrophes that weren’t.
Catastrophic thinking weakens us. It saps energy, undermines resilience, and makes us feel powerless.
But a historical perspective – one that acknowledges mankind’s ability to overcome – creates strength. It provides a solid foundation from which to tackle the next big challenge.
The media won’t tell you this. Politicians won’t tell you this. But the facts remain…
We are solving the problems that once defined human existence.
Don’t let fear dictate your future.
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