It's Better Than It Looks

Reasons for Optimism in an Age of Fear

By: Gregg Easterbrook

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Audio Recording Downloadable | 20 February 2018

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This surprising and desperately needed corrective shows that despite the present political turmoil, the world is better off than it ever has been thanks to centuries of intelligent reform--and the sooner we get back into this spirit of progress, the better off we'll be.
Anyone who watches the news knows that the world today is in a bad way: the rising tides of fascism, terrorism, and economic and environmental instability are destroying the fabric of civilization. Except, they're not.
In fact, the problems we feared in the mid-twentieth century look quaint today. Hunger? Worldwide, levels of malnutrition are at an all-time low. Resource depletion? Minerals and fossil fuels are abundant. Sickness? Disease rates are falling throughout the world, in nations both rich and poor. Global life expectancy is rising. Pollution? Smog and acid rain have declined massively in the past twenty-five years. And despite the 2008 recession, the global standard of living has been rising steadily for decades, especially for the poor.
We miss these success stories because we tend to focus on our new fears; but the truth is, humankind has attacked these problems and largely succeeded. Today, there are legitimate threats posed by climate change, income inequality, and structural racism. But the greatest bulwark against their effects is reform. And as Gregg Easterbrook shows in this ambitious and sweeping work of political history, the bedrock of reform is optimism.
In an age of disagreement and fear-mongering, The Arrow of History could not be more timely or necessary. It shows that the spirit of progress has led us to impressive heights, and the time has come to revive it.

Industry Reviews

"Gregg Easterbrook regrets to inform you that the future is a lot rosier than you've heard. Not only are things Not So Terrible, they are actually Quite Good-and Getting Better. The world's citizens are living longer, economies are expanding, and we produce more food than we can eat. He even suggests that our most intractable problems, like economic equality and climate change, can be ameliorated in our lifetimes. It's Better Than It Looks is anything but Panglossian. It serves up persuasive arguments mustered by a trenchant, erudite and consummately un-boring writer. Start reading - you'll become a believer, too."--Alex Beam, Boston Globe columnist "It's Better Than It Looks is a welcome corrective to our fashionable pessimism that things are bad and getting worse, by providing a wealth of evidence that the reverse is true. Gregg Easterbrook is clear-eyed nonetheless in facing up to present challenges, and reminds us that there is always a way forward out of seemingly unsolvable problems."--Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University "America, like most of the world, has fallen prey to a false and destructive narrative: the belief that everything is getting worse. In this important and compelling book, Gregg Easterbrook sets the record straight. His refreshing analysis can restore our optimism and help heal our poisoned politics."--Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci "An argument worth considering."--Kirkus Reviews

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