Or is the world going to run out … sooner than later? 

I pick "Dunno" - I see wonderful things happening, new understandings, new initiatives at all levels - personal & worldwide.  But I see people ignoring basic stuff.  I see apathy leading to resentment & rejection of good things.  I see nasty folk preying on the nice ones, knowing they'll be too soft to stand in the way of power-grabbing.

Still, we work to make the world a better place, and every day we see joy, smiles, improved lives bit by bit.

"Dunno"

I think it all evens out.  Overall we're muddling along as best we can, plenty of people are trying to take what they can while they're here, others are trying to figure out what's best for ourselves, for the planet.

One plus is that we know more about the universe we live in more than ever.  And our tools for learning just get more sophisticated with every passing year.

I think it's getting better overall...first of all for women it is much better today (well not in every part of the world though...).

People are more aware of global issues and seem to be more openminded due to more information and opportunities to travel.

Lifespan and health are better in many parts of the world.

MikePaterson wrote]

 Do you think the world is getting better or worse?

I think it is the same, which for me is sad.  We have so much potential, the ability to do truly wondrous things and we don't.

I probably have a nostalgic ideal of the Renaissance - my luck I would have been a peasant - or the idealism of the American Revolution - for sure I would have been a native - but I think of what those times attempted and achieved.  The grand vision of the founders of democracy. 

I think of the Civil Rights movements of the 50s and 60s.  The struggles, the passion and I can't help but ask myself where is it today?  Where is the vision of our leaders and the passion of the people?

I know it is there, I've seen it but it is not collective.  There is no mass movement to create the momentum and energy necessary to move a nation and change the world.

But I always live in hope....

LB

i never march in demonstrations
i hold my breath for arbitration
i am far too Canadian

Spirit of the West, Far too Canadian

I got off welfare almost exactly 4 years ago.  I still live in the same apartment that I did then.  My rent has increased by $55 a month with a probable increase of at least $32 next year.  Bus fair has gone up by 40¢ a trip.  Bread, milk, vegetables and fruit have all increased by a significant amount in that time.  Power rates in NS have gone up by approximately %12.  Rental allowances have increased by $20 and basic personal allowance (all moneys for food, clothing, power bill and tolietries) has increased by $16 a month. I would say that things have gotten much worse for the poor in Nova Scotia.

I recently read "So Soon Forgotten" by Dick Fairfax.  It's an historical account of his experiences in homesteading in Saskatchewan in 1904.  Compared to what he and other pioneers went through, I have to say better... way better.....a LOT better.....holy crap better!

I cannot adequatly express my admiration for those men and women.  It's a good thing they were tough enough for that because I'm sure not.

 I   was thinking the other night at how soft we have become so that not having THE perfect pillow under our heads results in a lousy night sleep. Myself included. We sure are not tough like folks used to be.

Life is going smoothly, things are not getting worst or better, it's just changing... Changing... Being different but not ncessarly better or worst. We can only answer this question about ourselft. We can't talk for the whole world. People are not what they seem to be. Many secrets are hidden behind the happy eyes of the people you see everyday. My life is... different but I wouldn't trade it even though I wish it was better but again i wouldn't change it... Bad shows your good... Our world has to go through misery to understand. WE most all live in proverty even the rich to understand... (this doesn't apply to everyone)

Worse for us.  Always worse.  Two, maybe three generations left, tops.  People are dumber in "educated" parts of the world, pollution is increasing, not decreasing, and I think some of the processes the neo-cons around the world have started are going to play out very badly in the next 20-40 years or so.  We're done.

That means things are getting worse for us, and soon we'll be gone.  Thus, in response to your question, I guess the world is getting better.

I would like to take the time to say that we're all going to hell in a handbasket. lol Ok maybe not so bad, but I think things are deffinetly getting worst. I mean look at the crimes in toronto recently? What in hell is up with those? Personally, I don't think i'll see the day where we're all litteraly fighting for our very survival in a jungle of abandoned cities but my great-grand children just might.

Better--no dispute

Look at all we have left behind. At least in this part of world.  Look at Canada and the US 150 years ago

Child labour,race based slavery, gender inequality, no enviromental protection, no standards for food or drugs, high infant mortality, limited political rights, no social welfare programs (except a handful of church based initiatives)

Look at what we have, the envy of the world

Universal education and healthcare, enshrined ideals for racial and gender equality, individual rights, low infant mortality, an environmental movement gaining in power and influence, social welfare programs

This is not a comprehensive list.  Even the "Third World" countries like China and India are better off today than 150 years ago.  You might even be able to argue the same for Africa.

The human race is progressing when you look narrow confines.  Don't listen to the news too much, everything sounds like doom and gloom.  Thats what sells advertisements

Mmmm, better or worse for who?

I'd have to say that I don't know, or that I'm not qualified to judge, being the little egocentric human that I am. ;-)

I don't think it's getting very much better. I know some people are trying to help, but as long as we are still ruled by money, greed, and wealthy big-shots, then it will just get worse and worse. So bascally, if we don't do something major about this situation, we are screwed.

My answer is yes.

Lots of good points above pointing to how we are living  better, but doing worse. As for slavery being abolished, there are more people living in slavery now (about 26 million) than were enslaved before the Civil War.

The problem I have with this kind of question is that the median stays about the same. People are born, live and die with about the same amount of purpose as they every did, but our ability to do good or evil has expanded exponentially. The sad reality is that most people are too busy surviving to care if their world survives.

We grow enough food to feed adequately every man, woman and child on the planet, but we don't. The US spent about 22 billion in aid last year (a quarter of that going to arms for Israel and Egypt), and about 20 billion on diet supplements.

I am changing my answer. We are worse, because we are not better, and we should be.

I believe that very slowly we are becoming better people.  I think one way you can tell that we are becoming better people is because we are asking these questions.  I don't think that there was much discussion in the Dark Ages or the Renaissance or Roman Times as to how much money the government of the day was putting in foreign "aid" vrs. military money, how much money was going to be ear-marked for the environment, how our actions were affecting or environment and how we should be held accountable for the destruction of the earth.  The first step on the road to change is recognition that we are part of a problem.  We are such a young people.  I believe that we are changing for the better but it is taking a long time.  We are like children who we watch make mistakes all through their teen and early adult years.  Hopefully, we will not make a fatal decision prior to coming to maturity.  E. 

I'd say that the planet is facing it's biggest challenges yet, and that we are worse off then we were before, but it's getting better because we know that (and because some people are acting upon the knowledge).

More power and riches are given to fewer people, (the fewer have power, the worse off we are...)and the gap between the rich and the poor is greater than ever before.... economic slavery is causing insane problems. On top of that, we're kind of melting the planet, and messing with species and the climat...(it really shouldn't be snowing when the spring flowers are in full bloom...) 

then again, the fact that we have come to these realisations is miraculous!

information is free, readily availible, and the common people can more easily educate themselves, voice thier opinions and organise themselves.

We have the knowledge, now if we act- things can look up.