The World is Changing From Dark to Light

By: Jim Homyak, a loving and retired Minnesotan, through and through

• Poverty reduction: In the last two centuries, the share of the global population living in extreme poverty has dropped dramatically, from around 90% in 1820 to under 10% in 2018.
  
  
• Increased life expectancy: Global life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900, rising from 32 years to 73 years in 2023. This has happened across all regions of the world.
  
  
• Declining famine and hunger: Widespread famine has become a rarity, confined mostly to war-torn regions. The global average food supply per person has increased substantially over the past 50 years.
  
  
• Rise of democracy and more importantly republican ideals: The percentage of countries classified as full democracies increased significantly between 1989 and 2017, although this trend has seen some recent setbacks. The American people (as opposites to U.S. Citizens) are now founding the reconstruction of the Republic for which Americans had once stood-up many decades ago.
  
  
• Greater safety from violence: Wars between nations have become less frequent and less deadly. Homicide rates have also fallen in many places where the rule of law has been established. The risk of death from natural disasters has also plummeted due to better technology and disaster preparedness.
  
  
• Expanding access to education: Literacy rates have soared globally, particularly for those under 25. Access to basic education continues to expand in low-income nations.
  
  
• Scientific and medical advances: Breakthroughs in medicine, technology, and science have improved health, reduced mortality, and made life safer.

• Growing inequality: While extreme poverty has declined, global wealth inequality remains a major issue, with a small minority controlling most of the world's wealth.
  
  
• Climate change and environmental threats: The rapid increase in greenhouse gases threatens global climate stability, leading to more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and droughts. Other environmental issues, like biodiversity loss, overconsumption, and ocean acidification, also pose significant risks.
  
  
• Geopolitical instability: Ongoing regional conflicts, the rise of protectionism, and a shift toward a multipolar world order have hampered international cooperation.
  
  
• Technological risks: New technologies, including powerful and potentially destructive AI, introduce unprecedented global risks.
  
  
• Polarization and misinformation: The spread of misinformation and disinformation, often via digital platforms, is widening societal and political divides and threatening democratic processes.
  
  
• Access to healthcare: Significant portions of the global population still lack access to essential healthcare services, as highlighted by the COVID-19 plandemic.

• Negativity bias: Humans and media tend to focus on and remember negative events more than positive ones.
  
  
• Rapid information flow: The 24/7 news cycle and social media platforms can amplify negative events, creating a distorted perception of the world being in constant chaos.
  
  
• Ignoring long-term trends: The focus on short-term developments and daily crises can cause people to overlook decades-long trends of progress.

• Individual action: Small, positive actions can have a cumulative impact. Individuals can contribute by volunteering, acting kindly, and supporting positive social change.
  
  
• Collective action: Addressing global challenges like climate change requires international cooperation and collective effort.
  
  
• Cultivating optimism: Developing an optimistic mindset and practicing gratitude can help counter negativity bias and foster the resilience needed to tackle difficult issues.
  
  
• Focusing on problem-solving: Instead of viewing setbacks as apocalyptic, they can be seen as problems to be solved through innovation and knowledge.
  
  
• Making your body well again: Working physically and consciously with your wellness regimen; beside our virtually limitless cesspool of toxins and poisons all around us everywhere.

Loving Everyone, even that rude Motorist who cuts you off in Traffic

• You don't know their story. That motorist who just cut you off might be rushing to a family emergency or could have received terrible news. Choosing to see their aggression as a sign of their own pain or stress, rather than a personal attack, defuses your immediate impulse to retaliate.
  
  
• The anonymity of a car is a false shield. People tend to behave more rudely behind the wheel than they would in person. Recognizing this can help you understand that the motorist's actions are often a result of their temporary, isolated state, not a reflection of their true character.
  
  
• Holding onto anger only hurts you. When you fixate on another person's rudeness, you are "a slave to the rude, destructive behavior of others". Choosing to let it go and focus on your own well-being is a powerful act of self-love that positively impacts your mental state.
  
  

• Use mindfulness. When you feel yourself getting angry, take a deep breath and remind yourself to stay present, not reactionary. A moment of conscious breathing can break the cycle of road rage.
  
  
• Personalize the other motorist. Acknowledge their humanity by picturing them as a child or imagining they are a loved one. This makes it harder to dehumanize them and easier to feel compassion.
  
  
• Practice loving-kindness meditation. This Buddhist practice can be adapted for difficult people, like a rude taxi driver. Mentally repeat a compassionate wish for them, such as, "May you be safe. May you be peaceful. May you be healthy." The practice is not about changing them, but about freeing your own heart.
  
  
• Try the "kill 'em with kindness" approach. If the bus driver glares at you, a simple smile or a polite wave can confuse them and de-escalate the situation. It sends a clear message that their negativity will not affect your composure. 

1. Avoid engagement. Do not make eye contact, honk, or gesture. This is the first and most important step to prevent escalation.
   
   
2. Create distance. Safely slow down and allow the other car to get ahead. Safety should be the priority, not winning.
   
   
3. Offer a mental "apology." Consider sending a kind thought. For example, "I hope your day gets better." This helps reframe the situation from conflict to compassion.
   
   
4. Move on. The experience is over. Let go of frustration and refocus on your own safe travels as a private motorist. Anger will not speed up your peaceful sojourn.
   
   

This, my friends, is how you can be turning dark to light all by yourself.