The State of The World

[Sage]

This is a simple, broad open topic. Discuss as you will. What comes to your mind when you consider the current state of the world? This includes all governments and countries, the environment, the economy, social conventions and changes, civil rights, everything.

I am starting this thread because I get the vibe from everyone that people think the world is on a rapid downward spiral to oblivion, and I'd like to start asking the right questions here to see if that's really true or not.

[enzenzz]

I don't exactly feel like it's on a downward spiral but rather stuck with its old habits and doesn't really have the collective willpower to change for the better.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

state of the world= very bad.

politicians no longer listen to the citizens, we elect a dictator for a term of 3-4 years basically. they are controlled by the big buisness and banks.

Third world countries spend up to 45% of their budget on debts to the west, when the west was the one that pressured them into developing things they didnt need and frankly we dont care about them, when international law states that debts can be nullified in extreme circumstances. The gap between rich and poor grows bigger every day.

I dont even want to start talking about the environment, its too depressing.

Human rights in some places dont even exist, especially womens rights. Saudia Arabia is the only country in the world where women by law cant drive.

Its just too deppressing for me to think about all this.

[Sage]

politicians no longer listen to the citizens,

'No longer' suggests they did at some point. Politicians these days listen more than ever before. And if they don't, people don't necessarily get slaughtered for protesting. You may get killed or jailed for protesting in certain countries, but in the age of the internet, it is not hard to rally a large amount of people under your cause.

Third world countries spend up to 45% of their budget on debts to the west, when the west was the one that pressured them into developing things they didnt need and frankly we dont care about them, when international law states that debts can be nullified in extreme circumstances. The gap between rich and poor grows bigger every day.

But you have to bare in mind that without assistance from the developed world, many of these countries would still simply be creating goods and running their economy for subsistence and survival, not creating a surplus, and thus not progressing forward. If you do some research, you'd find that people in, say, sub-Saharan Africa make a lot more money today than they did about 50 years ago.

I dont even want to start talking about the environment, its too depressing.

Why not? What lead you to believe that? Was it a reliable source?

Human rights in some places dont even exist, especially womens rights. Saudia Arabia is the only country in the world where women by law cant drive.

Please, please, please study some history. People across the majority of the world are more free than ever before, and if not, you can guarantee that there is somebody in some other place fighting for their freedom, either through protest or more direct action.

Its just too deppressing for me to think about all this.

Funny thing is, after thinking about it and studying assumptions people make, I've only become more optimistic.

[TheTruth]

UFT! I hate this world, it's ruled by money and power! Country's are costantly in war, people are killing, families are now even killing their own families. I live in Britain and from where i am life is pretty S**T! The goverment is pathetic, it doesn't care for it's people they're just obsessed with money not to mention some of the biggest Tw*ts in the world are running it. Gordon Frikin Brown and his sh***y little party!


Yeah i think the whole worlds spiralling down into oblivion.

(Apologies for my language)

[Hyper]

''Very bad''

95% of the population is/has been/being pushed towards a state of ''limp brain''

[JackOfClubs]

The world is in a crappy condition. We have unnecessary wars, famines, genocide, the recession, governments that don't give a shit about the people of their country, etc.... There is something wrong in every corner of the world.

We've pretty much hit the bottom of the downward spiral for now; it looks like is might be getting better, at least in some parts in the world. But it could dig deeper, you never know.

[sebbie]

The world is a mix of good and bad. Personally I do not think that a clear decision on whether the world is better or worse can be made. As I am sure that for every bad point raised an equally valid good point can be made.

My own conclusion on the world is that times are changing and some things will adapt with change others will remain.

[Sage]

Question to everybody: If things are "not like the good old days" anymore, when were the good old days?

[Sapphire]

I am not all that pessimistic to be honest.
I mean, sure there are some really terrible things happening in the world.
But everywhere you look (if you look properly) you can see the good in humanity.
Even in situations as dire as the one in Afghanistan you can see strength, courage, hope and compassion.

[Aves]

Right now, the world seems to be in very, VERY bad shape.

[Sage]

Right now, the world seems to be in very, VERY bad shape.

But it can't be compared to how bad things used to be. Cite some specific examples of what you think is so bad and I'll tell you how it's been worse in the past.


Even in situations as dire as the one in Afghanistan you can see strength, courage, hope and compassion.

This is true.

[scuba steve]

it's very easy to blame other people isn't it.
you know what i think: yo moma's so fat when she farts Al gore acuses her of global warming.

each generation is generally supposed to do a little better than previous ones. old problems will eventually be solved and along the way new ones will form. So stop whinging, pull the finger out and get on with your life. The world has never been perfect (and most likely never will)

[Hyper]

Question to everybody: If things are "not like the good old days" anymore, when were the good old days?

The ''limp in ( or OF ) the brain'' is a serious disease that has existed for as long as humanity, but like a plague cursing every continent it has its downsizes and periods of domination.

[boy.on.laptop]

You may get killed or jailed for protesting in certain countries, but in the age of the internet, it is not hard to rally a large amount of people under your cause.


Rubbish at least in regards to economic issues. Since the 1980s almost every single western nation has seen a large drop in industrial action even though child poverty and income inequality has been on the rise. The truth is in this consumer based and lagely godless society of the modern age people are far less likely to untie together and look after the little guy. There are always exceptions but really what major protests have their been in the States since the vietnam war? When waws the last time a whole generation united behind protesting?

I was involved in a protest a couple of years ago that made a couple of headlines because 1000 youth out of a city of 300,000 turned up for a protest in the 1960/70s during the anti-vietnam sentiment and the springbok tour in NZ in the 1980s that would have been laughed at.

The truth is we are getting to a point in western society where the masses are content not to ask questions or challenge things, something which in my view no political ideology wish to challenge or have any ideas to remobilise protest movement. This is one thing I do admire the French for in the fact that unions still seem to have some effective powers though.

[Sage]

Rubbish at least in regards to economic issues. Since the 1980s almost every single western nation has seen a large drop in industrial action even though child poverty and income inequality has been on the rise.

That's because of globalization. It saves everyone money if we have goods made in other countries and shipped here rather than making everything ourselves. That's why there has not been a lot of industrial action in North America and other western societies: We get things from other places. It helps the economies of those nations and provides us with cheaper goods and services.

The truth is in this consumer based

Would you care to propose something realistic that is not consumer based?

and lagely godless society of the modern age

Ahahaha no. Last time I checked atheists are still a very small minority. And if you're simply referring to the Christian god, well, I'm terribly sorry that you have to put up with different cultures and beliefs sharing the same soil as you.

people are far less likely to untie together and look after the little guy.

People rally together to defend the rights of gay people all the time despite the fact that they are a very small minority in the US and other places.

There are always exceptions but really what major protests have their been in the States since the vietnam war? When waws the last time a whole generation united behind protesting?

Just because everyone isn't doing it does not mean protest is ineffective.

I was involved in a protest a couple of years ago that made a couple of headlines because 1000 youth out of a city of 300,000 turned up for a protest in the 1960/70s during the anti-vietnam sentiment and the springbok tour in NZ in the 1980s that would have been laughed at.

Use better punctuation please, this doesn't make a lot of sense.

The truth is we are getting to a point in western society where the masses are content not to ask questions or challenge things,

You know nothing about history if you think that people are less motivated than ever to challenge things than ever before.

something which in my view no political ideology wish to challenge or have any ideas to remobilise protest movement.

Progressive liberals and neo-conservatives. Two opposing views that both challenge things all the time and have a number of movements/protests associated with them.

[bluestarkidd]

From the economy to the environment, the world is falling apart and fast.

Last year after the collapse of Lehman Bros. and the bailouts occurred (when the profits were privatized and their losses were socialized). I thought if this what if this keeps going on and and what a worst case scenario appear like, then GM and Chrysler went bankrupt. When that was announced, I kinda thought, yea this is how a great depression would begin. Throughout the year more and more institutions failed. Twelve months after the figures confirmed a "recession" then the U.S. government admitted we were in a "recession" I asked my parents how recessions were in the past. One thing I learned is that housing values do not tank 50% and keep dropping. Major banking, industrial, retail and manufacturing companies have closed this year
Recently the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) has had its solvency questioned. They have considered borrowing money from the very institutions they are supposed to regulate. So when the insurance company that insures your money at the bank needs a bailout this is some serious stuff. Yet, nobody did a thing...but that's why were in this mess anyhow.

During the great depression we kinda exported our way out of the problem. We had a war, we sold quality automobiles, appliances, and a huge manufacturing industry. And what do we have today? A consumer based country now living on credit which we established years ago. We owe over 2 trillion to foreign countries which is increasing. Most of our citizens won't even buy our own cars and for good reason. We have become incapable of manufacturing anything of value that anyone would want to buy...
Yesterday India bought 200 tonnes of gold, which indicates they no longer want to hold dollars. And I don't blame them for protecting their countries wealth. I am certain more and more countries will do the same.

I don't know where we will go from here. I am not a pessimist, I am a realist.

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love ofsoft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life. ~Theodore Roosevelt

[Sapphire]

From the economy to the environment, the world is falling apart and fast.

Last year after the collapse of Lehman Bros. and the bailouts occurred (when the profits were privatized and their losses were socialized). I thought if this what if this keeps going on and and what a worst case scenario appear like, then GM and Chrysler went bankrupt. When that was announced, I kinda thought, yea this is how a great depression would begin. Throughout the year more and more institutions failed. Twelve months after the figures confirmed a "recession" then the U.S. government admitted we were in a "recession" I asked my parents how recessions were in the past. One thing I learned is that housing values do not tank 50% and keep dropping. Major banking, industrial, retail and manufacturing companies have closed this year
Recently the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) has had its solvency questioned. They have considered borrowing money from the very institutions they are supposed to regulate. So when the insurance company that insures your money at the bank needs a bailout this is some serious stuff. Yet, nobody did a thing...but that's why were in this mess anyhow.

During the great depression we kinda exported our way out of the problem. We had a war, we sold quality automobiles, appliances, and a huge manufacturing industry. And what do we have today? A consumer based country now living on credit which we established years ago. We owe over 2 trillion to foreign countries which is increasing. Most of our citizens won't even buy our own cars and for good reason. We have become incapable of manufacturing anything of value that anyone would want to buy...
Yesterday India bought 200 tonnes of gold, which indicates they no longer want to hold dollars. And I don't blame them for protecting their countries wealth. I am certain more and more countries will do the same.

I don't know where we will go from here. I am not a pessimist, I am a realist.

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love ofsoft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life. ~Theodore Roosevelt
You say that the world is quickly falling to pieces "From the economy to the environment" and yet all you have spoken about is America's economy.
How else is the world falling apart?

[theOperaGhost]

Question to everybody: If things are "not like the good old days" anymore, when were the good old days?

The good old days in my opinion were the days before technology ruled the world. Technology is a great thing, but nearly everyone abuses it. Facebook has become a way of life...people can't live 5 minutes without their cell phones. Don't get me wrong, I like technology and in many situations it is life saving, but from what I've heard from my parents and other people of that generation, the 50s would have been the time I would have rather lived in.

I really don't think the world is in that horrible of a situation. If anything it's a good thing that the world is shitty. It's weeding out the weak people....survival of the fittest...which is definitely a good thing.

[Sage]

Don't get me wrong, I like technology and in many situations it is life saving, but from what I've heard from my parents and other people of that generation, the 50s would have been the time I would have rather lived in.

Especially if you were black, amirite? Good times, good times.

[theOperaGhost]

Especially if you were black, amirite? Good times, good times.

Meh...I'm not black, so I don't give a fuck. In the 50s where I grew up, there were probably 5 black people in the entire county. Wasn't really a racism problem around here, so no, I wouldn't care.

[Sage]

Meh...I'm not black, so I don't give a fuck.

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

[2D]

You (Deschain) rule the debate.

You know nothing about history if you think that people are less motivated than ever to challenge things than ever before.

So very true.

I think I'm living in one of the best times there is. (considering the whole of the human race not just a group of people)

[Number02]

Like it's any better now? Now, when society does accept you for being who you are (apart from the idiotic minority), you get the fat bureaucrats who are mortally afraid of causing anyone any offense and seemingly oblivious to the value of 'common sense'.

This is to the point of policing breaktime in junior schools, in order to find and record any 'racist incidents' (http://www.tameside.gov.uk/racialharassment/schools/incidents - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/6454405/Number-of-racist-incidents-reported-in-schools-tells-us-more-about-the-mindset-of-officials-than-children.html - two different URLs there ) Kids that age don't know what racism is! Thye're having a schoolyard argument! They're obviously gonna pick on any differences, because they don't know any better!!

And the girl who was deemed too unintelligent to raise her child, or even marry (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1212867/Youre-intelligent-marry-bride-told.html)... This is caring for the citizens to a whole new level, it's just insane, and nobody wants that kind of interference.

[Sage]

Like it's any better now? Now, when society does accept you for being who you are (apart from the idiotic minority), you get the fat bureaucrats who are mortally afraid of causing anyone any offense and seemingly oblivious to the value of 'common sense'.

This is to the point of policing breaktime in junior schools, in order to find and record any 'racist incidents' (http://www.tameside.gov.uk/racialharassment/schools/incidents - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/6454405/Number-of-racist-incidents-reported-in-schools-tells-us-more-about-the-mindset-of-officials-than-children.html - two different URLs there ) Kids that age don't know what racism is! Thye're having a schoolyard argument! They're obviously gonna pick on any differences, because they don't know any better!!

And the girl who was deemed too unintelligent to raise her child, or even marry (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1212867/Youre-intelligent-marry-bride-told.html)... This is caring for the citizens to a whole new level, it's just insane, and nobody wants that kind of interference.

Our generation has our own problems. I still stand by my statement that life today is, generally, much better than it was a number of years ago or further back.

[2D]

Our generation has our own problems. I still stand by my statement that life today is, generally, much better than it was a number of years ago or further back.

It is.

You just have to think.

[rainebg]

I think that life is getting better on the whole. Sure there are set-backs to modern day life but is there a better time frame you can think of to live in. If you do try to challenge me on this make sure toy take into consideration the negative aspects of the time you chose. I think a lot of people tend to idealize the past and choose to call it "the good old days" when it is just the "old days". Overall i think that we can view the world's progression as taking two steps forward one step back.

[quartermaster]

Especially if you were black, amirite? Good times, good times.

Though blacks were terribly oppressed during the 1950s in America, a fact that is very interesting is that the black community had a very well-established and successful middle class. In northern cities and southern cities a like, many black communities were flourishing, self-sufficient communes (there were many black owned stores, church-support systems and focus on hard work and education).

Sometime between the 1950's and today (poignantly in the late 1960s, and early 1970s), those black communities disintegrated, and many of those middle class communities became slums inundated with drugs. I would argue that if you were to take the black communities of the 1950's and couple those with the freedoms that blacks enjoy today, many racial tensions in the United States would not be as prevalent, and much of the gang-violence within black communities would be nonexistent.

[deadpie]

The state of the world is not as bad as it was in the 1930's.
But we'll be their in about 15 years.

[Sapphire]

This thread is really bringing the pessimist out in everyone...

[Sage]

The state of the world is not as bad as it was in the 1930's.
But we'll be their in about 15 years.

Why?

This thread is really bringing the pessimist out in everyone...

People bring the pessimist out in themselves. I think I am well-informed enough to maintain a healthy optimism and hope for the future.

[deadpie]

Why?


India, Pakistan, and north Korea have been testing nuclear weapons more ever since 1995. I might sound crazy, but i do believe their could be a Nuclear world war 3 someday. And if their is a war world four, we'll be fighting with rocks and sticks.
Yeah, i have a strange brain.

[Sage]

but i do believe their could be a Nuclear world war 3 someday. And if their is a war world four, we'll be fighting with rocks and sticks.

Loosely paraphrasing Einstein there, bud.

[deadpie]

Loosely paraphrasing Einstein there, bud.

Ha, i think i remember allot of his quotes from a research paper i did on him.

[Rutherford The Brave]

The state of the world is not as bad as it was in the 1930's.
But we'll be their in about 15 years.

Your only saying that because of the depression.

[2D]

What was that quote about repeating history and doom and such. Oh yeah. good quote. We just cycle through good times and bad times. Some long and some short. Shit happens man.

[quartermaster]

I am so glad that many people here actually have opinions supported with facts, and don't just regurgitate overused quotes or what mommy or daddy says :yawn:.

[2D]

Right? I mean it's not like the whole of history supports that quote. Pssh! That's just ridiculous!!

[quartermaster]

Right? I mean it's not like the whole of history supports that quote. Pssh! That's just ridiculous!!

The whole of history supports that claim? I was unaware of that...

[2D]

People are just one big fuck-up after another. Same mistakes, just different people and different time.

[ThatDude93]

There is always hope...but right now no matter how optimistic we are...t'll take awhile to fix all the corruptions, and wars, and genocides, and bankruptcies.

[drumir93]

I was about to list a bunch of the ways the world has gotten better over the decades and centuries, but "Deschain" basically nailed it in every post she made.
But here it is anyway.
The world is:
-The most connected its ever been.
-The most tolerant its ever been.
-Experiencing a rising quality of life that is already at the highest in human history.
-Many developing nations are finally gaining wealth.
-Many undeveloped nations are finally developing.
-We are able to spoil ourselves for the first time with infinite music, the internet, and cable TV
-We are finally reaching a major turning point in the way we create energy.

So we're at a bump in the road, it's a temporary thing and a learning experience for our generation. Frankly, I think we're lucky to see this shit go on so we know well what mistakes not to make later in the century. God forbid another actual disaster happen, You people would all be shitting your pants and sucking your thumbs. If there's any thing wrong with modern times when compared to the past, it's just that.

[Sage]

I was about to list a bunch of the ways the world has gotten better over the decades and centuries, but "Deschain" basically nailed it in every post she made.
But here it is anyway.
The world is:
-The most connected its ever been.
-The most tolerant its ever been.
-Experiencing a rising quality of life that is already at the highest in human history.
-Many developing nations are finally gaining wealth.
-Many undeveloped nations are finally developing.
-We are able to spoil ourselves for the first time with infinite music, the internet, and cable TV
-We are finally reaching a major turning point in the way we create energy.

So we're at a bump in the road, it's a temporary thing and a learning experience for our generation. Frankly, I think we're lucky to see this shit go on so we know well what mistakes not to make later in the century. God forbid another actual disaster happen, You people would all be shitting your pants and sucking your thumbs. If there's any thing wrong with modern times when compared to the past, it's just that.

Prediction of the future: Things will continue to get better while more people believe times are getting worse.

[Kahn]

I believe in the current state of war we (The United States) are in is just ridiculous. Obama said he would pull troops out but is considering keeping them in Afghan and at that there are still troops being sent over to Iraq. These is a never ending search for Osama Bin ladin.

Although the war has crippled our economic way of life, the technology and life cannot get better in the prospering Countries. Honestly the point of view is from the perspective of the Civilian living in a country. Third world countries aren't in the greatest state ever right now. Living in a country like America is great. Even if you are of the less fortunate you have access to some things other countries don't.

So really the state of the world is perspective of the persons eyes, there are no statistics that can show what the state of the world is in. It is good and bad. More good, but there is still bad to even it out.

Don't know if anyone will make much sense of it, so feel free to critic it lol.

[Sage]

I believe in the current state of war we (The United States) are in is just ridiculous. Obama said he would pull troops out but is considering keeping them in Afghan and at that there are still troops being sent over to Iraq. These is a never ending search for Osama Bin ladin.

Although the war has crippled our economic way of life, the technology and life cannot get better in the prospering Countries. Honestly the point of view is from the perspective of the Civilian living in a country. Third world countries aren't in the greatest state ever right now. Living in a country like America is great. Even if you are of the less fortunate you have access to some things other countries don't.

This thread is about the entire world, not just America.

So really the state of the world is perspective of the persons eyes, there are no statistics that can show what the state of the world is in.

No, but there are countless statistics you can view on specific issues that play largely into the state of the world.

[Kahn]

I wasn't talking about just America. I was using it as an example of how life is better in this country than in others.