In 2016 40 million planes landed safely at their destination. Meanwhile, 10 ended in fatal accidents – which is 0.000025% of the total. Which of these flights do you think the journalists wrote about? “News at 10! Flight B0134 landed safely in London. Thanks for joining us! Good night.” I doubt it. In the past 70 years (when it actually was dangerous) flying has gotten 2,100 times safer. Yet as your plane zooms down its runway juttering to an awkward take off, this slow but unprecedented march of aeronautical progess will no doubt vanish from your mind. These remarkable (albeit slow) trends of human achievement and progress are by no means only found in planes; but in many, many areas, everywhere, in all corners of the world. Yes. The world is safer, smarter, healthier, more free, more protected, and more peaceful than ever in human history. But many will have you believe such wonderful news is not true. And would rather you live in terror; sat permanently in the brace position, clutching your life jacket, and awaiting the inevitable fireball ahead. But I refuse to live such a life. I want to look out the window and watch the sunset clouds cascade by. 

I want to recline my seat and drink from one of those tiny cans of coke. And for some of the time, so should you. That doesn’t mean there’s not still a lot of pain ongoing, or urgent problems to be solved, and many millions to be saved. But it is, as Professor Hans Rosling puts it, possible for things to be ‘both bad, and getting better.’ And they are. Things are getting better. Everywhere. Let’s take a look. ~ Data taken from ‘Factfulness’ by Professor Hans Rosling. ~ Images by Max McKinnon, Nasa, Gary Scott, Aldebaran, Shot by Cerqueira and anirudh from Unsplash #goodnews

2023-01-08