The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better.
Details
Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that might change how you see global progress
We're hosting a newcomer-friendly discussion about one of the most important questions of our time: How should we think about the state of the world?
We'll explore Max Roser's compelling essay "The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better" - a piece that challenges both doom-and-gloom pessimism and complacent optimism.
Please read the article before attending.
What we'll discuss:
- Why both "the world is terrible" and "the world has dramatically improved" can be simultaneously true
- How child mortality data reveals both humanity's greatest tragedy and its most remarkable achievement
- Why understanding progress matters for solving today's problems
- Practical ways this perspective can guide how we spend our time and money
Perfect for:
- Anyone curious about global development and human progress
- People interested in evidence-based approaches to world problems
- Those wondering how to think about competing narratives of decline vs. progress
- Anyone considering how to make their career or donations more impactful
The discussion will assume familiarity with the article's key arguments and data. No other prior knowledge needed!
This is a guest event hosted by Effective Altruism Hamburg - a group focused on using evidence and reason to figure out how to do the most good.
New faces especially welcome!