The power of progress, and the friendship test
THREE NEAT THINGS
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ISSUE 043 | 30 January 2024
Hi friends!
One neat thing this week is exploring the profound impact of embracing hope and the transformative power it holds in our understanding of human progress. We all have the potential to reshape our worldview, just as the late data visualization expert, Hans Rosling, did. His groundbreaking work with the website Gapminder unveiled centuries of human progress that often went unnoticed.
Many of us may hold a pessimistic view, believing the world is perpetually stuck in problems like poverty, child mortality, lack of education and hunger. However, Rosling's data-driven approach challenges these assumptions, revealing a different reality.
While acknowledging the challenges we still face, there are so many compelling reasons to appreciate and communicate stories of progress. From generating momentum for positive change to learning practical lessons for a better future, the goal is to strike a balance between recognising the issues and coming up with solutions.
Marnie x
1
Upgrading your view of the world
Hans Rosling's Gapminder website has reshaped my view on the world's progress.
Watching mainstream news, you might believe everything was getting worse - poverty, child mortality, life expectancy, hunger, education, and healthcare. However, Hans uses data to reveal the opposite, emphasising stories of global progress.
2
What good friends look like
This is a bit of a different topic to what I'm usually driven to, but I loved the author's take on what good friends look like.
A quick method is Tim Urban's Traffic Test, where being in a car with a friend reveals how much you actually enjoy their company. If you really hope you get stuck in traffic so you can hang out longer, they pass the test. If you dread a traffic jam, they don't.
Read more about the four quadrants of friendships below.
3
Terra.do
99% of people who will be working in climate by 2030 haven't begun yet. Over 50% of the world’s GDP is getting completely disrupted (energy, transportation, agriculture) or transformed (finance, construction, manufacturing) by climate.
To adapt, Terra.do believe's that at least 100 million people (that’s just 1% of humanity!) will need to learn climate skills, build new professional networks and find new kinds of work in this decade. Terra.do is the the ramp for these 100 million people.
