It's Worse Than It's Ever Been

United States
March 14, 2022 3:42pm CST
I see people posting that it's hotter/colder than it's ever been. There is more crime and violence than there has ever been. There is more famine and drought and suffering than there has ever been. Conflict, war and division is worse than it's ever been. The claims go on endlessly. Have people become so soft and spoiled that they think it's never been worse in the history of earth? I know that 24/7 news is filling space with more stories and reports of mayhem in general, so it might be influencing people negatively, but is it really worse today than in all history of civilizations? Do you think that because more news is available, we just see more negative news but it's really not as bad as past civilizations or are things really the worst they have ever been?
15 people like this
17 responses
@CarolDM (203451)
• Nashville, Tennessee
14 Mar 22
I agree with some of those claims. But I also blame the media for mostly reporting only the bad. Also, many read their news on social media, why, I have no idea, but that news is not to be trusted. Just my opinion.
4 people like this
• United States
15 Mar 22
I think everything we see today has happened before. The news just promotes it 24/7.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (58181)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Mar 22
People have become to soft, and aren't raised to develop thick skins. We have access to the news in a veriety of ways, and the bulk is negative. Which is what sells. Finding good news can be hard to find, and you don't see it as much. It's how the world sadly works. No. Is the world worse than it's ever been? I don't think so. I think social media, is making people see what's been in front of them all along.
2 people like this
• United States
15 Mar 22
I agree 100%. Well said.
@kareng (55130)
• United States
14 Mar 22
That is a good question. Is it the media's fault for all the fake news and pushing all the negative news instead of good news stories? Those are very few and far between. I do think though that there are more things going on now such as Covid, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricaines, floods, tsumamis, droughts, war, etc. all going on.
1 person likes this
@kareng (55130)
• United States
15 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 They have, but now it seems like one after the other. They are all coming more often.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
@kareng And you see this because news is 24/7. I hear about storms and earthquakes and viruses and famine and floods and hurricanes being the worst in 100 years. Meaning they were as bad 100 years ago. N.America was covered in ice not too long ago in the lifespan of Earth. I think the news makes us more aware of events around the world like no other civilization has in Earth's history.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Haven't they always been happening on earth, most at the same time too?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111248)
• El Paso, Texas
15 Mar 22
No, it's no worse in this era than it was in the time of the Roman Empire or the time of Ghengis Kahn, the difference is that there are a whole lot more people on this planet so it sounds worse.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111248)
• El Paso, Texas
16 Mar 22
Yes, that too plus the media loves to dwell on the bad
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
@rebelann Yes they do. A slow drum beat of bad news affects people negatively.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I agree with you. I think that 24 hour news just brings more to our attention too.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86831)
• United States
15 Mar 22
In the way that people have not learned from history, It is worse. You would think by now it would have flattened out, but no.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 I think most are totally uneducated and want to keep it that way
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I think of the things that have happened in my own lifetime and can't understand how the same things are repeated. People don't even read history anymore so they can't learn from it. Most people just buy the spoon fed stories brought to us by the media.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Mar 22
@RebeccasFarm I think mis-educated is a better way to say it but I agree with you.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458994)
• Switzerland
15 Mar 22
I do not know what to say. I am not very young and I remember that I loved a lot more the world as it was when I was younger. I felt safe going out alone, I would never go out alone in my native city right now.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458994)
• Switzerland
17 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 NO, I disagree, when I was young never in my native city in Italy a woman walking in the street was raped. In our days there is one every day. Milan was a wonderful and safe city when I was young, now it is a horrible place. May be in your country it was always more dangerous.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458994)
• Switzerland
17 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 During WWII 2,000 Italian women were raped by military. In Milan in the 50s and 60s we were perfectly safe NOW women cannot go out for the fear to be raped... NOT by Italians. YES, I feel it is A LOT worse than in my times. I do not care about ancient Rome, what happened to the slave women in your country? We are not discussing of this.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I still feel safe enough to go out but it's not the same everywhere. I guess the world seems different today but the same dangers were present when we were younger.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
15 Mar 22
"Worst" is relative. Perhaps the pain feels the worst and most real when one is having to live through that time. I will say some things do seem worse than it ever has been in the timeframe of "my" lifetime, but I can't claim all of history. While we have speedy access to current news and information from around the world, I have to wonder is the influence of the news on the people worse than it has ever been?
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
15 Mar 22
• United States
15 Mar 22
That's a good point. It's the one thing that IS worse than it's ever been.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247191)
• United States
15 Mar 22
I've been around long enough to know that it's just as bad as ever except for climate change, which is worse.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Worse than ice ages?
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247191)
• United States
15 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 My mind is a bit foggy. Give me some time to think back on that
1 person likes this
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
17 Mar 22
I'm a firm believer that nothing is worse than it used to be, it's just more out in the open.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Mar 22
That's just how I see it too. A person can see the most awful headlines just by scrolling the news pages. Those things were happening before, there just wasn't the access to this kind of media before recently.
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
18 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 People want to panic and say the world is getting worse. But it's not, we are just paying more attention to it. News is covering it more, and people are told to panic. It amazes me how many people don't know how to think for themselves.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53677)
15 Mar 22
There has been trouble and strife in the world since the beginning of time.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Amen.
1 person likes this
15 Mar 22
I am not sure why there have been so many negative news as of late. I guess the world has seen so much sufferings and bad stuff already.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I think it's the fact that the media knows bad news sells better than good news. Conflict, crime and horrible acts sell stories.
17 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 You're right.
1 person likes this
@Babino (5761)
• Morocco
15 Mar 22
I think the world is doing great thanks to all the technology and knowledge we have now. About the crimes and stuff, as you said, I believe they always has been this bad we just couldn't know about them.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I agree. The media brings the bad events in headlines. It sells better. I almost think the world is worse off now. The technology advances have changed the way people communicate. In a bad way.
1 person likes this
• China
15 Mar 22
Maybe people pay more attention to bad news
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I think you're right. The media seems to think that way too.
@MrDenata (12195)
• Indonesia
15 Mar 22
Have you heard the term "bad news is the good news"? I tho they follow that rules
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Bad news is good news to the media. It sells better than good news.
@MrDenata (12195)
• Indonesia
15 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 yes, indeedddd
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72279)
• Philippines
14 Mar 22
Not complaining.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Good for you.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73704)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 Mar 22
For these reasons and many others I only peek at the news that comes in on my email and then I keep far away from all that crap otherwise I could not deal with anything at all,
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Mar 22
I don't watch any news. I just read some of what filters through. If I'm curious about something, I will search to find out.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326092)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 22
Maybe once, we didn't know much about what was happening in other parts of the world but now every little detail can be seen or read about, no matter where it's taking place.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Mar 22
Yes. I think that too.
1 person likes this