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Steven Pinker shares his "relentless optimism" about human progress
If you follow the news closely, chances are your view of the state of the world is not super optimistic. From war in Ukraine to a warming planet to global poverty and hunger, there's plenty to get upset about. But what if things are actually getting...better? That's what Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker asks in his interview with Ian Bremmer for the latest episode of GZERO World.
"If you compare the number of wars and the number of people killed in wars in the sixties and the seventies and even the eighties, we're actually much better off today" Pinker argues. "And so if you don't look at data, if you look at headlines, since as long as bad things haven't vanished from the face of the earth, which they never will, you can get the impression that things are unchanged or even are worse than ever, even when they're improving. It's only when you count the number of wars, number of deaths in war, longevity, child mortality, extreme poverty, number of leisure hours, that you see that there actually has been improvement. "
Watch the GZERO World episode: Is life better than ever for the human race?
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld and on US public television. Check local listings.
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Is life better than ever for the human race?
Pinker shares his counterintuitive take on the state of the world. How does his optimism (as welcome as it might be) stack up against the undeniable sorry state of the world today? From war in Ukraine to a persistent pandemic to a resurgence of extreme global poverty, things feel...bad. And yet, Pinker remains relatively positive.
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Digital natives: Redefining youth digital literacy
Contrary to the common notion that today's young people are inherently digital-savvy due to their exposure to technology, chief innovation officer of USAID, Mohamed Abdel-Kader says that simply knowing how to navigate social media or use a smartphone does not equate to digital literacy. In a recent GZERO livestream presented by Visa, Abdel-Kader expressed how young people are not innately able to understand the broader implications of their digital actions, including being aware of the consequences of their online posts, critically evaluating information discovered, and navigating a digital world of “fake news.”
Education is the key, says Abdel-Kader. Digital education is essential to prepare the youth for the ever-evolving digital age, to equip the next generation to be active but responsible participants in the growing digital world.
To hear more about the challenges and opportunities that nation-states face when it comes to digitization, and how it could shape a more inclusive and resilient future, watch the full livestream here:
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The weaknesses of a digital economy
Is there any downside to going cashless?
Not really, but there are challenges, Usman Ahmed, head of Global Public Affairs and Strategic Research at PayPal, says during a livestream conversation on closing the global digital gap hosted by GZERO in partnership with Visa.
On the one hand, digitizing payment allows the creation of other financial services around it — mainly access to finance for the unbanked. On the other, there are privacy and security concerns, although these also exist with cash.
Overall, though, Ahmed believes that going digital is something that nobody will solve on their own. Governments and the private sector need to work together, and digital access is useless without digital literacy.