It's a fair question and every bit as complicated an answer as one would expect. For Trump supporters no confusion, much less nuance; the U.S. and the world were 'on fire' under Biden. Now, not so much despite daily evidence to the contrary under a president who IS an arsonist.
Are things worse now than they were in the past, or do we simply have access to a lot more info about how bad things are now?
Are Things Actually Worse Now, or Do We Just Know More?
Overview
Many people feel that the world is getting worse, but the reality is more nuanced. While some aspects of modern life have deteriorated, many others have improved dramatically. The perception that things are worse now is often amplified by increased access to information and the way media emphasizes negative events.
Objective Trends: What Has Improved
Global Health and Poverty
Infant mortality rates have dropped by 60% over the past 50 years.
Average life expectancy worldwide has risen by 30% since the 1960s.
The number of people living in poverty has dropped by 20% in the past 40 years.
Access to sanitation has increased by 50% since the 1990s.
Deaths from armed conflict per million people have fallen drastically since 1950.
Other Positive Trends
Many diseases are close to eradication.
Renewable energy use is rising.
Rates of new HIV/AIDS cases and some cancers are declining in developed countries.
Areas That Have Gotten Worse
Economic and Social Issues
The middle class is shrinking in some countries, and the gap between rich and poor is widening.
Cost of living has increased, and some people feel financially worse off than in previous years.
The number of people living in autocracies is rising, and non-human animals suffer in greater numbers due to factory farming.
Environmental Concerns
Climate change is causing more extreme weather and disasters.
Why Do Things Seem Worse?
1. Information Overload and Media Bias
The internet and 24/7 news cycle expose us to a constant stream of negative news from around the world, making problems feel more immediate and widespread.
News media tends to focus on negative stories because they attract more attention—a phenomenon known as "negativity bias".
Social media amplifies extreme and alarming content, which can distort our perception of reality.
2. Cognitive Biases
Humans are wired to pay more attention to bad news than good news, a trait that once helped us survive but now makes us more anxious in the digital age.
Surveys show that people consistently overestimate negative trends, such as rates of violent crime or teen pregnancy, compared to actual data.
3. Psychological Impact
Constant exposure to negative news can lead to stress, anxiety, and a sense of doom, even if objective conditions are improving for many people.
Public Perception vs. Reality
Surveys reveal that many people believe life is worse now than in the past, even in countries where objective indicators show improvement.
This disconnect is largely driven by how information is presented and consumed in today's media landscape.
Conclusion
While some challenges have become more acute, especially regarding inequality and environmental issues, many key indicators of global well-being have improved over time. The feeling that things are worse now is often a result of increased access to information, media negativity bias, and human psychological tendencies to focus on bad news. Recognizing these factors can help us maintain a more balanced perspective on the state of the world.
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