Progress!

See the problem?

In 1820, survival was difficult and most of the world was harshly poor.  Perhaps 900+ million lived in what is today described as absolute poverty, living on less than the equivalent of $2 per day.

After almost a hundred years, we've made incredible progress, but now there are more than one billion in that poverty grouping.  There are more people in deadly poverty today than there were a century ago.

Population has grown, of course.  There are 7 times as many people in the world than there were in 1820.  One reason for the growth, a smaller percentage of people in absolute poverty means folks are living longer and children are more likely to survive to adulthood.  That part is encouraging, of course.

How much folks have to live on - from 2015 data for population, productivity, and share.

On the less encouraging side, we still have hundreds of millions who are left out of the progress so many of us enjoy.  It is difficult to grasp the life circumstances they face.  It's hard to imagine holding your children in your arms and knowing you don't have enough food for them.  We've made progress; the problem can be solved.

In a world filled with difficult challenges, dealing with human suffering should perhaps be at the top of the list.

Thoughts on the subject?