See, the world is safer ;)

[gusthedog]

Finally, the stats show the world is indeed safer now than it ever has been. I've been saying for years that the only increase is in over reporting and media so everyone assumes the world has gone to pot.

The world is not falling apart: The trend lines reveal an increasingly peaceful period in history. (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/12/the_world_is_not_falling_apart_the_trend_lines_rev eal_an_increasingly_peaceful.single.html)

Pricey

[Greatsouthernland]

Finally, the stats show the world is indeed safer now than it ever has been. I've been saying for years that the only increase is in over reporting and media so everyone assumes the world has gone to pot.

The world is not falling apart: The trend lines reveal an increasingly peaceful period in history. (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2014/12/the_world_is_not_falling_apart_the_trend_lines_rev eal_an_increasingly_peaceful.single.html)

Pricey

Always good to put these things (including human influence/non-influence on global warming :D) into perspective with 'long term' data...news should be better balanced and have a disclaimer that shows credible statistics and reminds viewers 'that a large degree of bias in story selection and sensationalism has been added for shock factor...and ratings retention'.

[mikehzz]

Tell them that in North Africa, The Middle East, Pakistan and Indonesia.

[ramblingboy42]

good news never makes a paper sell......

[gusthedog]

Tell them that in North Africa, The Middle East, Pakistan and Indonesia. Allah doesn't seem interested.

Did you read the article?

[mikehzz]

Did you read the article?

Yes, especially this part....

The 2010?2014 upsurge is circumscribed in a second way. In seven of the 11 wars that flared during this period, radical Islamist groups were one of the warring parties: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel/Gaza, Iraq, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen. (Indeed, absent the Islamist conflicts, there would have been no increase in wars in the last few years, with just two in 2013 and three in 2014.) This reflects a broader trend. In January 2014 the Pew Research Center reported that the number of countries experiencing high or very high levels of 'religious hostilities? increased by more than 40 percent (from 14 to 20) between 2011 and 2012. In all but two of these countries (those listed above together with Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, and Thailand) the hostilities were associated with extremist Islamist groups. These groups tend to gain the most traction in countries with exclusionary, inept, or repressive governments or in zones with no effective government at all, including long-anarchic frontier regions and the parts of Syria and Iraq that have been rendered anarchic in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq and the Arab Spring.

Because the radical Islamist groups have maximalist goals and reject compromise, the major mechanisms that drove the decline in the number of wars in the preceding decades?negotiated settlements and peacekeeping and peacebuilding programs?are unlikely to succeed in ending these conflicts. Also intensifying the violence is their international scope. External fighters and weapons drive up death tolls and prolong fighting. For these reasons we do not expect the recent upsurge to be quickly reversed.

We should hand out leaflets to the hoardes of people over running Europe telling them how they've never had it so good.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that if you are sitting in a comfy democratic western armchair then it has never been so good. But my comment was about those who haven't got a chair. It's business as usual for them.

[gusthedog]

Just to resurrect a dead horse and then flog it to death again.... And because I'm interested in this even if no one else is, we are currently in the longest reign of relative peace for 600 years. Percentage wise (number of people killed in war per 100,000), less people have been killed in war each year in the last 20 years than the last 600. So we are indeed in the safest time ever on the planet - in terms of those killed in war.

The constant in human civilisation is war - but this has been in decline since WW2.

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/23/8832311/war-casualties-600-years (http://www.vox.com/2015/6/23/8832311/war-casualties-600-years)



We should hand out leaflets to the hoardes of people over running Europe telling them how they've never had it so good.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that if you are sitting in a comfy democratic western armchair then it has never been so good. But my comment was about those who haven't got a chair. It's business as usual for them.

Mike - I was talking from a global perspective - you are less likely to die now that ever before in actually fighting a war (per 100,000 people). That statement is not meant to dehumanise those 'who haven't got a chair' and are displaced by war. It is difficult to understand the amount of terror that people must experience when they flee their home land from war. And I think Europe's response (and Australia's) has been awful. We should be sharing our wealth with those that are displaced, not fearing and despising them.

And before you jump down my throat and think I've done a back flip - it still stands that less people are dying in war than ever before per 100,000. What isn't captured in the data in that article is, like Mike has clearly stated, those displaced by war. If you look at the sheer volume of people, more people are currently seeking refuge now than ever before - because there are more people on the planet even if there are less people (percentage wise) killed in war, the numbers can still be crazy. More than twice the population of Australia is currently displaced.


http://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2015/6/558193896/worldwide-displacement-hits-all-time-high-war-persecution-increase.html (http://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2015/6/558193896/worldwide-displacement-hits-all-time-high-war-persecution-increase.html)

And no, I don't have the answers to our current woes - if I did I wouldn't be thinking about it, I'd be attempting to do something. Actually if we took back Brexit, got a green government in and Trump disappeared, we'd be on the way.... But what is true is that we have a reoccurring cycle of war in human civilisation. My hope is that someday we realise and put a stop to it and I thought we might be getting there. My biggest fear is, that like in this article, we don't learn from history and we are heading towards another global war. So enjoy the relative peace we are in - I don't reckon it will last forever.

https://medium.com/@theonlytoby/history-tells-us-what-will-happen-next-with-brexit-trump-a3fefd154714#.2k6pekk9k (https://medium.com/@theonlytoby/history-tells-us-what-will-happen-next-with-brexit-trump-a3fefd154714#.2k6pekk9k)

[newhue]

As tragic as it all would be gusthedog, the world could do with loosing one or two billion humans. It may be safer but it's 7.5 billion and climbing population is not sustainable. Sadly the current way Australia's two parties preferred crowd do business we are a long way from being sustainable, and even further away from a green government unfortunately. So the earths climate may decide on humans behalf how many people are around.

I sometimes wonder as Trump gets closer, will he get assonated? It would be a real blow for democracy and potentially implode the USA more than it currently displayes. As per your first link the media only focus on sensationalism so part of me wonders what does Trump say that's not head line grabbing. It must have some weight as so many Americans are backing him. At the least he is a good cat amongst the pigeons, perhaps upsetting the comfortable businessmen and politicians riding the gravy train of business as normal.

And yes I think you are right. Humans consider themselves to smart to repeat history. However this obsession with war and war machines is unrelenting. The fall out of nuclear powered war machines that various armies have will be bad enough. But if it ends with a few nuclear war heads settling the debt who knows where we will be. Certainly the earth will take a giant leap forward of being even less inhabitable for man kind.

[newhue]

gusthedog, just finished reading the "History tells us what may happen next with Brexit & Trump" article. I liked it, my kind of reading, easy. Thanks

One thing it does't mention much of that may be one of these "splitting" factors, is the unofficial Wholly War that is going on with Islam and Christianity currently. The west call it a War on Terrorism, but it's also a war on Christian based and lead cultures largely. My in-laws are solid liberal christians and I easily receive one or two anti Islam-muslim emails a week. Addressed to many, it seems one side is working as hard as the other. They are not all that demeaning, just warn of inaction and too much tolerance brings being over run. Many have some history as an example.

I have a pommy friend who migrated to Aus only a few years ago. He voted in Brexit. He voted "out" purely to limit numbers of immigrants. He said the services and infrastructure struggles with just the poms to start with. But to wait 2 months for a GP appointment. No spaces in early learning centres for children. Overcrowding on public transport. Can't rent a house or buy one due to no availability, and things like that all due to largely in his eyes an abundance of immigrants. He said so many unskilled have arrived looking for better lives, but can contribute little besides make up numbers.

I can see a correlation here in Australia regarding our infrastructure and services. Skilled and unskilled, white or coloured immigrants. We have no EU though. No judgement, just an observation.

[DiscoMick]

Funding for various services has been cut and then people allowed to blame the resulting overcrowding and delays and other problems on 'others' so people forget who cut the funding.
Its a bit like here where funding for diversionary and other services was cut and instead people were locked up where they can be mistreated in secret and they hope no-one will find out, but if word does get out they blame the victims for being 'bad' people.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[gusthedog]

gusthedog, just finished reading the "History tells us what may happen next with Brexit & Trump" article. I liked it, my kind of reading, easy. Thanks

One thing it does't mention much of that may be one of these "splitting" factors, is the unofficial Wholly War that is going on with Islam and Christianity currently. The west call it a War on Terrorism, but it's also a war on Christian based and lead cultures largely. My in-laws are solid liberal christians and I easily receive one or two anti Islam-muslim emails a week. Addressed to many, it seems one side is working as hard as the other. They are not all that demeaning, just warn of inaction and too much tolerance brings being over run. Many have some history as an example.

I have a pommy friend who migrated to Aus only a few years ago. He voted in Brexit. He voted "out" purely to limit numbers of immigrants. He said the services and infrastructure struggles with just the poms to start with. But to wait 2 months for a GP appointment. No spaces in early learning centres for children. Overcrowding on public transport. Can't rent a house or buy one due to no availability, and things like that all due to largely in his eyes an abundance of immigrants. He said so many unskilled have arrived looking for better lives, but can contribute little besides make up numbers.

I can see a correlation here in Australia regarding our infrastructure and services. Skilled and unskilled, white or coloured immigrants. We have no EU though. No judgement, just an observation.

No dramas for the article nuehue. I think the media would like to say that there is a war against Christianity but it is interesting to note that over 80% of terrorist attacks world wide are against Muslim people. It doesn't provoke the same reaction or sell as many papers as saying there is a war on Christianity though. Maybe share this link back to your Christian relatives?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/muslims-are-the-victims-of-between-82-and-97-of-terrorism-related-fatalities-us-government/5516565

In that vein I'd love to see moderate muslims (the 1.5 billion or so of them) shown as extremist targets as well in the media. But that doesn't sell news it seems. Daesch (ISIS hate being called that because it implies they are "stateless" which is a fundamental tenet of their self imposed caliphate) hate moderate muslims, christians and westerners equally. There is a war against everyone that Daesch hates - which is everyone in the world except themselves.

[incisor]

No dramas for the article nuehue. I think the media would like to say that there is a war against Christianity but it is interesting to note that over 80% of terrorist attacks world wide are against Muslim people.

that sort of stat just shows that they don't give a toss who they terrorize, as long they aren't part of the archaic branch of islam that they believe is the "REAL" one.

all zealots are dangerous, no matter what breed, colour, race, religion, or however you like to create the divide.

as i see it, the big problem, as perceived by the vast majority of the world at the present time, myself included, is that islam it self is doing very little to bring this particular group of zealots into line. way too many so called moderate leaders are making stupid statements.... the head guy in australia included.

until that perception changes the stupidty will continue, and then humanity will find another divide...

and the wheel will spin again.....

[newhue]

It begs the question why does Good News not sell. For many years I have tried not listened to radio, TV, read a paper or the net. Basically having nothing what so ever to do with the media preferring to be happy and ignorant over lied to, confused, or ****ed off. It has only half worked as the media is very hard to avoid.
Recently I have tried to get back onto the same plain with humanity. Listening to radio and reading some web content, but I go into tail spins on how ****ed it all is. Particularly the environment and humans.
I've managed to upset a few around here being negative. But if one goes to a party or social they don't hang out with the negative dude. Or they don't all go for drinks with the cup half empty bloke. However, why do people keep coming back for more negative news, or even pay for it? Is it we are just socialised into it?

I have thought if the media is to report negative, they should have to finish the article with the latest approach or response that is positive.
Often wonder if a few words were changed in all the sad sac songs that have made it so big, would being positive make any difference.
And I second Noni Hazlehurst, though I have not heard of it again, but children should have a positive only channel be designated to them.

But what you do with angry young men in black who hate everyone? Call the daesch I suppose.
I know I have a joke: Q What do you call an isis daesch? A a homeless bloke with stutter.

[TerryO]

You ask the question Jason, why doesn't good news sell?

The old saying in journalism is ... 'what bleeds leads'

for example, in the wash up from the recent election so called political experts said one of the major reasons the incumbents did badly was they didn't go negative enough, namely they didn't spend all their time making up story's to scare people about what their opponents would do if elected.

Sad day for the country when a political party gets hammered by the voters because they were trying to build a positive message about how to build the future rather than rubbish their opponents.

What does this say about how the average Australian thinks when they respond better to negativity rather than a positive message?

[DiscoMick]

Its just human nature. We are cynical and want to believe we are better than other people.

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[TerryO]

Believe it or not my earlier post was not about politics, it was about how we as people tick and what pushes our buttons and how those who are not very scrupulous will take advantage of our inner fears given the opportunity.

Here is another example, we live in a world where we are bombarded by news story's and images of conflict and the us versus them theme nearly every day painting a picture about how its never been less safe for us poor innocent souls here in the west. Even though statistics show that this is not true. But as I said earlier in journalism what bleeds leads, the more unsafe we feel the more we watch and a vicious cycle ensues.

Here is a story on how photo journalists can and do make the most of any small ruckus and how their very presence can causes things to escalate and if its not looking bad enough they stage pictures to make it look bad just so they can make us all feel less safe so they can sell their pictures.

The 24 hour news cycle has a lot to answer for.

https://fstoppers.com/bts/fascinating-video-reveals-manufactured-nature-some-photojournalism-139573

[DiscoMick]

You're spot on. Some people think it is in their best interests to make other people afraid of 'others', so they will rush together and seek protection, and power can be held onto.
Globalized information transfers make it easy to spread fear.
I suppose a classic example of the flood of news obscuring the facts is the road toll. Road deaths have been falling for half a century and are at historic lows, compared with the size of populations, in many countries including ours. Yet we are bombarded with stories about crashes and calls for even tougher rules.
I see some people are arguing that a reaction against globalization is a factor behind the Brexit vote, and behind people supporting both Trump and Sanders in the USA. The argument goes that the losers under the current situation where the gap is widening between the poor majority and the rich minority are making a protest vote against their political leaders. Not sure how true that is, but it's interesting.
Personally, I refuse to be intimidated by fear-mongering. We should stand up for what we believe to be right and true. We shouldn't lower our moral standards just because some other people do bad things.

[newhue]

I'm thinking I'll just tune out again and continue to plant more trees. Its a far simpler life.