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Is it Really So Bad to Be Alive?

It’s no secret that the past few months have been kind of rough.  A global economic crisis has been devouring jobs, a rapidly expanding piracy problem has reared its ugly head, and terrorist attacks in Mumbai have seriously complicated a conflict between three countries with nuclear weapons.  If you are not at least a little worried about the barrage of bad news, you probably should be.

Yet as scary as things are, and there is no doubt that things are scary, I am still feeling pretty good about life right now.  While it is easy to worry about all the things that could go wrong, anything but optimism is impossible when I look at all of good things going on around me.  Let me explain.

The Internet Revolution is Still in its Infancy

When the Internet exploded in the mid-nineties, global communication was changed forever.  Although the Internet is a part of our every day lives and its wow factor has worn off, the simple fact of the matter is that only 21.9% of the global population is online.  As powerful as the Internet has been in revolutionizing the speed of communication and technical innovation, we must remember that only a fraction of its potential has been explored.  As the global percentage of web users grows, functionality continues to develop, and ever faster infrastructure is installed, the way people communicate and work together will continue to change.  I believe we will see things in our lifetimes that 15 years ago would have been considered impossible.  Also, the communication revolution is only a single benefit that we have derived from high speed computing.  Breakthroughs in genetics, medical engineering, material science, and particle physics will help us live longer and better lives by fostering a better understanding of the world around us.

Bad Economies Don’t Last Forever

History has shown us that even the most terrible recessions are only temporary.  The Great Depression and the horrific stagflation of the 1970’s were bad but today we speak of them in the past tense.  Even in the worst case scenario, we are going to get through this.  Economic growth is a powerful thing.  Take China for example.  In the past few decades they have turned an inefficient state controlled economy into one of the world’s newest economic powers.  The current recession is a simple market correction from unsustainable to sustainable economic activity.  It should also be looked at as a tremendous opportunity because now more than ever, innovation and hard work will be rewarded.

Life is Short, So Enjoy It

As I began to wrap up my obligations and prepare to head home for the holidays, all of the world’s problems suddenly seemed a lot less serious.  It is family and friends that make life worth living and above all else we should enjoy those things while they last.  If anything, the highly unstable nature of our global society should be inspiration enough to take some time to relax and be with the people we care about because nothing lasts forever.  Conflict and terror may be out of our immediate control but we can never forget that we control our own futures.  Who wants to join me in making the best of it?

© 2008 The Daily Interweb.