korrents

korrents · piece

Many people are individually optimistic but think the world is falling apart

Hannah Ritchie · 13 Jan 2026 · sustainabilitybynumbers.com ↗

4 korrents from this piece

Hannah Ritchie did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this piece, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

  1. Our reading

    People consistently underestimate how many of their compatriots believe in climate change and want action on it.

    Their wordsAs I’ve written about extensively, people consistently underestimate how many others in their country “believe” in climate change or support action on it.
    Interesting

  2. Our reading

    People are optimistic about their own lives and pessimistic about the world, because they judge their life on everything and the world on the last few headlines.

    Their wordsWhen someone is asked to reflect on their own life, they draw on a wide range of experiences. When people are asked about “the world”, they recall a very small number of recent events (the availability bias).
    Interesting

  3. Our reading

    Blanket fatalism about the world is unhelpful to anyone who wants to improve it.

    Their wordsBut I do believe that deep-seated, blanket fatalism (which is stronger than pessimism) about our countries, systems and world is unhelpful if we want to improve things.
    Interesting

  4. Our reading

    Knowing that poverty and child mortality have actually fallen is what makes people think the future can improve.

    Their wordsOnly 17% of those who got no correct answers on historical development changes thought the world would be better off. 62% of those with more than five correct answers did.
    Interesting