Some Food for Thought

Posted by Buck Jacobs on Dec 4th, 2009 | 2 comments home title

First some facts, then some questions. Did you know that:

1) Real per-capita income in our country has doubled since 1960.

2) Life expectancy has nearly doubled in the last century and continues to rise?

3) The size of the average new home has grown from 1100 square feet post WWII to 2300 square feet today?

4) We Americans are more prosperous today than 99.4% of anyone who has ever lived?

5) We have technology and labor saving devices beyond what could be imagined just 50 years ago?

6) The total of the knowledge we have gained in the last 50 years is 50 times greater than all that was previously known to man and continues to double every year or less.

7) We live in the country with the greatest individual freedom that the world has ever seen?

In spite of the above, all studies show that we are no more happy or satisfied with our lives than we were two and three generations ago. We are living in the most abundant and liberated society the world has ever seen. We have the greatest degree of personal freedom. But…

25% struggle with or are experiencing depression.

Our rates of addiction and suicide are flat or increasing.

Violence against children is rising.

We have a greater percentage of our population in jail than ever before.

Divorce is more common than fidelity to our marriage vows.

With all of the gains we have made through science, all the incredible total knowledge we have gained, with all of our basic needs for food and shelter met beyond anyone, anywhere in history, we’re not happy by even close to the same degree.

The question is… WHY????

2 Responses home title

Brent says:

December 30, 2009 at 4:28 PM

Fascinating and sobering statistics. We move more towards “counterfeits and substitutes” as Larry Crabbe describes to deaden the pain of a prosperous, but shallow existence.
Buck Jacobs says:

December 30, 2009 at 6:56 PM

Thank you for your comment Brent, “Counterfeits and substitutes” are what Satan has used quite effectively since the garden of Eden. Is it possible that we could be a generation wise enough to recognize and reject the lies? Spread the word, press on!