Comments on: Is the World Getting Better or Worse? http://www.esletc.com/2009/09/15/is-the-world-getting-better-or-worse/ Global Issues and Activism in English Language Teaching Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:28:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave http://www.esletc.com/2009/09/15/is-the-world-getting-better-or-worse/comment-page-1/#comment-845 Dave Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:50:36 +0000 http://www.esletc.com/archives/250#comment-845 Those are good points. I also think that looking at statistics over such a short time is less effective. I like the fact that it attempts to give a more holistic view and pulls in a lot of different issues, though. I think it could be a good jumping off point. And looking at each issue more critically is certainly the way to go. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090916/wl_nm/us_food_wfp;_ylt=As8K.0AtUe5ljN6SDUhgO1S2GL8C;_ylu=X3oDMTJlZ3RiaHVyBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMDkwOTE2L3VzX2Zvb2Rfd2ZwBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDMgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3dvcmxkZm9vZGFpZA--" rel="nofollow"> This article</a> about hunger being at an all-time high and aid being at a 20-year low might be a good one to include. Those are good points. I also think that looking at statistics over such a short time is less effective. I like the fact that it attempts to give a more holistic view and pulls in a lot of different issues, though. I think it could be a good jumping off point. And looking at each issue more critically is certainly the way to go.


This article about hunger being at an all-time high and aid being at a 20-year low might be a good one to include.

]]> By: Khalid http://www.esletc.com/2009/09/15/is-the-world-getting-better-or-worse/comment-page-1/#comment-844 Khalid Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:49:08 +0000 http://www.esletc.com/archives/250#comment-844 One key point to remember with these numbers -most are represented as percentages. If you look at absolute numbers, the situation is not quite as positive. There are more people in poverty, more people go hungry, etc as population has grown. India is a rather famous example of this - some statistics show poverty rates decreasing, but the absolute numbers have grown tremendously. Moreover, in the case of India, it has been called the "republic of hunger" as despite the apparent decrease in poverty the number of calories consumed by something like 80% of the country are below UN guidelines for the minimum required for proper nutrition. Finally, these numbers tell us nothing about inequality, only averages. One key point to remember with these numbers -most are represented as percentages. If you look at absolute numbers, the situation is not quite as positive. There are more people in poverty, more people go hungry, etc as population has grown.

India is a rather famous example of this – some statistics show poverty rates decreasing, but the absolute numbers have grown tremendously. Moreover, in the case of India, it has been called the “republic of hunger” as despite the apparent decrease in poverty the number of calories consumed by something like 80% of the country are below UN guidelines for the minimum required for proper nutrition.

Finally, these numbers tell us nothing about inequality, only averages.

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