NationStates Jolt Archive

I have been reading an awful lot of posts lately that portray a very negative view of the world and the way the poster seems to think it is or should be. I wanted to start a thread in an effort to find NS users who think like I do, who have an idealistic attitude and a desire to change the world for the better.

I thought we could exchange links to websites of organisations who are striving towards a more peaceful, democratic, green, prosperous future for all life. Here are some organisations that mean something to me:

http://www.newint.org/ The New Internationalist magazine is my one and only subscription, and the inspiration for the title of this thread.

http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/index.htm Striving for a fair election system that accurately reflects the voting of the people.

http://www.simpol.org/dossiers/dossier-UK/html-UK/interface-UK.html The Simultaneous Policy is one of the most idealistic, positive ideas I've ever come across, supported by Noam Chomsky among others.

http://www.ppu.org.uk/indexa.html Peace Without Violence! A great cause.

I'm sure there will be people who respond to this thread with derogatory comments, my hope is that there are plenty of people who use this forum who agree with me... A better world IS possible and it's worth working towards.

The world is better than most people seem to believe. I blame the news -- good news doesn't have quite the same shock value as a terrorist attack or something.

The world is better than most people seem to believe. I blame the news -- good news doesn't have quite the same shock value as a terrorist attack or something.

LOL, I think you missed my point! Check out those links, you'll see what I'm on about.

I already knew about those links, I'm just saying that theres's no point trying to make the world a better place if people can't see how good it is at the moment -- they will still focus on the negative and completely gloss over the good.

I already knew about those links, I'm just saying that theres's no point trying to make the world a better place if people can't see how good it is at the moment -- they will still focus on the negative and completely gloss over the good.

Personally, I rejoice at the positive things happening in the world. For example, Turkey have made some recent developments towards equal rights for women. Check out http://charityfocus.org/insp/clubs/sol/?cat=0 for more good news!

But to say we should settle for what we've got, not bother trying to make things better, is idiocy! One of the central aspects of improving the world is changing the way the media works, turning it from the circus it is, with slogans such as "If it bleeds it leads", to a fair and unbiased industry that reports positive news as well as negative and ratings are ignored. Don't you think that's worth changing at least? That seems to be something you might like to see, alas though, it is a change and in your eyes apparantly pointless!

That's what I meant. The media needs to be changed, otherwise nobody will care about all this 'bettering the world' stuff, as all they will ever see is the bad. Think about it -- how many average people are likely to, say, give £10 a month to a charity if they never actually see anything good coming from it?

And then there're the people who think the world is doomed anyway. What incentive do they have to help out if they think the human race is wrecked beyond repair anyway? They need to be shown that the world isn't as sucky as they think it is, or they won't bother helping out either.

And I'm sorry to say this, but to solve problems such as world hunger and the like, you need the help of everybody, not just a handful of people. It's not going to be possible for a small fraction of people to do it on their own. So to start bettering the world, you need to first point out what we already have, and what good changes we're already achieved.

Ah yes, with you. Yeah, changing the news is an excellent first step.

On the charity subscription issue, most charities and NPOs do send out information to donors on what they're doing and progress they're making. Unfortunately, progress is slow.

And yes, it takes a huge number of people to make the changes I'm thinking of. That's why I started this thread, to find other likeminded people, we need to know about each other and share resources!

A all 'good news' newspaper was made and it lasted for about a year, then people lost interest. Why, because no one gives a care about those feel-good stories. People want to hear bad stuff.

And then there're the people who think the world is doomed anyway.
Yep. We're known as "Realists".

:rolleyes:

Seriously though, how exactly do you plan to get everyone to agree on something let alone work together? And how would you change the media? Write a letter and hope that millions of people involved in the media industry will suddenly throw off the shackles of capitalism along with their wages to go live off God's green earth whilst promoting "happy thoughts"?

Look, I really do not want to believe it. Trust me, I once thought like you did thinking the world could somehow be saved from itself if we all just tried hard enough. It is a noble cause. But then you grow up and realise that the world a seriously f*cked up place and there is no way in hell that you can save humanity from itself. To believe that you can is nieve......

However, I will sitback and let you try and prove me wrong. Who knows, maybe you know something I don't? Maybe you can prove me wrong.

Afterall there's always hope... right?

A all 'good news' newspaper was made and it lasted for about a year, then people lost interest. Why, because no one gives a care about those feel-good stories. People want to hear bad stuff.
An all good news media is just as unbalanced as the all bad news media we have now. What's needed is for the media to start reporting significant news, both good and bad. Less drivel about which celeb is dating/marrying/divorcing who would be a good start.

A all 'good news' newspaper was made and it lasted for about a year, then people lost interest. Why, because no one gives a care about those feel-good stories. People want to hear bad stuff.

See that's the other end of the spectrum, and thus equally flawed. Bad AND good things happen in the world, and both need coverage. You can't appreciate the good without the bad, but by the same token, you can't cope with the bad without the good. People just end up depressed. Which, if this forum is anything to go by, they are.

EDIT: Or, what he said ^.

To believe that you can is nieve......

When a man believes he is going to fail, he'll do everything in his power to make it happen.

Ya....you really have to search for 'good' news in the media today. Its all pointless shock-dribble.

When a man believes he is going to fail, he'll do everything in his power to make it happen.

That's a nice saying. Ain't very practical though is it? I mean I could make myself believe that I would succeed at flying by waving my arms frantically but it still isn't going to do any good now is it? :p

That's a nice saying. Ain't very practical though is it? I mean I could make myself believe that I would succeed at flying by waving my arms frantically but it still isn't going to do any good now is it? :p
Have you ever tried? :)

Have you ever tried? :)

Of course. ;)

When a man believes he is going to fail, he'll do everything in his power to make it happen.

So true! I'd like to see what the pesimists say about the positive changes that do happen in the world. Did women get the right to vote (where they have) by sitting around moaning about how pointless it was to even try? No. Did the apartheid in South Africa get overthrown by Nelson Mandela sitting in jail despairing at how useless the struggle was? No. Was penicilin invented because Alexander Flemming saw the mould and thought 'Yuck' and tossed it out? No.

Changes are driven by the people who see a better version of the world, people who are optimistic and active. If you have given up that's up to you, you're entitled to, but to encourage others to give up is incredibly negative! It's rather like trying to convince children to start smoking. You obviously disagree with attempting change. Shame, one more person to disagree with!

That's a nice saying. Ain't very practical though is it? I mean I could make myself believe that I would succeed at flying by waving my arms frantically but it still isn't going to do any good now is it? :p

No, but say...building an airplane... really almost anything is possible, it just depends on the work put into it. you might say 'well I can't build an air plane' but you COULD build one, depending on how much you really wanted to fly O.o

So true! I'd like to see what the pesimists say about the positive changes that do happen in the world. Did women get the right to vote (where they have) by sitting around moaning about how pointless it was to even try? No. Did the apartheid in South Africa get overthrown by Nelson Mandela sitting in jail despairing at how useless the struggle was? No. Was penicilin invented because Alexander Flemming saw the mould and thought 'Yuck' and tossed it out? No.

Changes are driven by the people who see a better version of the world, people who are optimistic and active. If you have given up that's up to you, you're entitled to, but to encourage others to give up is incredibly negative! It's rather like trying to convince children to start smoking. You obviously disagree with attempting change. Shame, one more person to disagree with!

I'm a realist. So you got someone to back you up, not another to be against. This means 1/1 now lol!

I never said you shouldn't try, I just said I believe it's nieve to do so. All of those things you have mentioned are nice, and I am certain more nice things will happen in the world but really have they made that much of a difference?

The feminist movement was once for equal rights but could probably now be considered under the more appropriate title of "She-woman man haters club".

The vast majority of South Africans of native-african decent still live in terrible conditions in a country where the unemployment rate is nearing 50%.

And sure, Alexander Flemming meant well but you just have to take one look at all of these so-called 'super bugs' to wonder if our constant interventions with anti-biotics are causing these new mutations to develop. Let's also not forget all the wonderfully deadly biological agents developed by people all over the world for their governments stockpile of "things to destroy humanity with" using methods born of this discovery? Of course I could even dig deeper into this pessmistic mind of mine and also mention the only real remaining drive for drug companies these days is the cold hard cash of the sick and dying.

:rolleyes:

Anyhow, I should probably add while I think the earth will never become the ultimate "happy place" I also think the reverse is true in that we are not going to perish is some horrifically devestating way... at least, not for some time anyway. :p

Humanity goes from bad to good and then bad again followed by good. It is a constant cycle that we are doomed to remain in. As such I believe we would all live better lives if we simply stopped worrying about the world in general and started focusing on ourselves and our own actions (and thus taking the blame and responsiblity for said actions rather than pinning it on some obscure government/organisation/law/human trait/political situation/alien/god). Of course, that would make the world a better place, hence it is not going to happen. :)


Now I leave you all to hype your idealistic opinions so I can get some sleep. I've got work to do tomorrow. :cool:

No, but say...building an airplane... really almost anything is possible, it just depends on the work put into it. you might say 'well I can't build an air plane' but you COULD build one, depending on how much you really wanted to fly O.o

Heh, yes... then I could take flying lessons. However, just as I'm about to take off someone from the Aviation industry, whom stands to lose millions of dollars if word gets out that it is possible for people to fly on their own if they just put in the time and effort, pulls out a RPG-launcher and let's loose, destroying me, my makeshift aircraft, and any hope I had of flying on my own....

'tis the way of the world I tells ya. :p