General Discussion

zipplewrath

(16,698 posts)

8. 3 steps forward 2 back

Thu Jan 4, 2018, 04:19 PM

Jan 2018

This is always a bit of the "misery Olympics" issue. How many "good" things out weight how many "bad" things? It also leads to the "what about me" issue that was part of the blue collar backlash we just experienced. Alot of things are getting better, but they may not affect large numbers of people, especially those who have done "better" in past generations. We're having a cold snap here. Yeah, places else where are much colder, but it can still kill you if you're homeless or don't have heat. Should they be "positive" because it's not as cold as it is somewhere else?

Probably I would state this in a different fashion. Don't lose hope. Don't stop fighting. Don't give up. or paraphasing.

The arch of history is long, but it bends toward justice. (I might have stolen that).

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Highlight:

Bill Gates: Trust me, the world is really getting better, not worse [View all] steve2470 Jan 2018 OP

Says a member of the "ownership class." GreenEyedLefty Jan 2018 #1

Kids arent dying, poverty is declining, fewer wars, less violence Cicada Jan 2018 #13

hahaha! PETRUS Jan 2018 #24

Find an online copy of THE. BEST. DECADE. EVER. Shits been much worse than what we have it. TheBlackAdder Jan 2018 #36

All the above are getting worse in the U.S. That's not cool. elehhhhna Jan 2018 #64

Child death rates in US are down more than 50% since 1980 Cicada Jan 2018 #68

He is near the top of the list of one-per-centers True Dough Jan 2018 #52

1% doesn't even begin to describe Gates fescuerescue Jan 2018 #58

Okay True Dough Jan 2018 #60

I wasn't addressing that of your comment fescuerescue Jan 2018 #61

Yeah bill Faux pas Jan 2018 #2

As an old talk show guy from the 1990s used to say Elwood P Dowd Jan 2018 #5

That's Faux pas Jan 2018 #15

One of these days, someone will give us an objective number regarding how poor one needs to be LanternWaste Jan 2018 #41

yah, life is good when you are one of the richest men on earth. nt Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #3

So grateful he could Cha Jan 2018 #19

Elitesplaining for the common man and riffraff. Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #20

"Elitesplaining"! giving us a little Cha Jan 2018 #21

Yep. A man who lives in a $125 million mansion tells us our lives are better than we realize. Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #22

And one of the most generous with his money. Donates billions. nt USALiberal Jan 2018 #25

Yes he does. But lecturing the peons doesn't go over well. nt Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #38

Which stat that he provided was incorrect? n.t USALiberal Jan 2018 #40

I agree with him...in the grand scope of things he's right. n/t Kirk Lover Jan 2018 #4

Worth noting Gates said the "world" is getting better TexasBushwhacker Jan 2018 #7

I agree. In the grand scale things are better. Blue_true Jan 2018 #34

Yeah, from that big house on the hill Bettie Jan 2018 #6

What year would you like to go back to when things were better? snooper2 Jan 2018 #42

I'd like to go back to being a little kid Bettie Jan 2018 #45

3 steps forward 2 back zipplewrath Jan 2018 #8

He's helping to make positive change ColoradoBlue Jan 2018 #9

One minor nitpick but otherwise agree steve2470 Jan 2018 #10

And fairly well to do... BBG Jan 2018 #11

yes exactly nt steve2470 Jan 2018 #12

I stand corrected ColoradoBlue Jan 2018 #14

Most people here whining have no idea how much he has donated. Clueless! nt USALiberal Jan 2018 #26

His father was a named partner in a law firm in Seattle, and his mother LisaM Jan 2018 #28

I used to think that way. Dave Starsky Jan 2018 #46

Life is not getting better in America. Life expectancy, healthcare access, education, Doodley Jan 2018 #16

First, we're 4.4% of the world's population mythology Jan 2018 #17

That's good but things are going downward since Trump became president. Doodley Jan 2018 #31

Last year was the hottest on record NickB79 Jan 2018 #18

Well said. Doodley Jan 2018 #32

The thermodynamic arc of the universe is long but it bends towards reality . . . hatrack Jan 2018 #33

It's like being pumped you just got a great job NickB79 Jan 2018 #35

Far easier for someone sitting on an 11-digit net worth, no doubt. HughBeaumont Jan 2018 #23

+1 On target for much of the way it is here in the USA for so many appalachiablue Jan 2018 #39

He's Right, the Moral Arc of the Universe DOES Bend Toward Justice Skraxx Jan 2018 #27

Some people prefer to see only darkness. Blue_true Jan 2018 #37

We are living in a pocket of time where horrible people... Dave Starsky Jan 2018 #49

Life's been good to "him" so far. CentralMass Jan 2018 #29

There is a really cool Eagle's documentary on netflix nolabels Jan 2018 #44

Thank you I will look for it. I'm a big fan I just listened to an old CentralMass Jan 2018 #65

This is likely along the lines of Steven Pinker's book "The Better Angels of Our Nature" bhikkhu Jan 2018 #30

Says the BILLIONAIRE THIEF nolabels Jan 2018 #43

Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to worry about healthcare, job security, racism, sexism smirkymonkey Jan 2018 #47

Much as I loathe Microsoft and everything it stands for... hunter Jan 2018 #48

I agree, and Gates could be a completely selfish asshole... steve2470 Jan 2018 #69

Oh look it's the Eeyore caucus... Sen. Walter Sobchak Jan 2018 #50

Im not as sure about the world. NCTraveler Jan 2018 #51

rriiiiggghtt . along with his shitty operating system AllaN01Bear Jan 2018 #53

Nobody said you have to use it. hunter Jan 2018 #59

Steve Jobs thought he was a lucky idiot. tavernier Jan 2018 #54

Gates is right. John Fante Jan 2018 #55

Sure...aside from the looming threat to life on Earth. shanny Jan 2018 #56

Yes and no. If the climate trends continue. All his stats are gonna mean dick. nt Guy Whitey Corngood Jan 2018 #57

If you're sitting with billion of dollars in your jrthin Jan 2018 #62

Crime is down, poverty is down. Teen pregnancy is down. Literacy is up. Graduation rates are up. X_Digger Jan 2018 #63

+1000, thank you for being logical. Gates is how I want rich people to act!! n.t. USALiberal Jan 2018 #67

Life always looks good Devil Child Jan 2018 #66