10 Reasons to Rejoice Today




We made it through the latest governmental crisis. Knowing the next crisis will come soon enough; I went to my "comfort" file folder. This is where I put cheer-me-up articles, poems, Bible verses, and a plethora of jokes.

The political debates will start soon enough, so I searched for something a bit more positive until the arguing begins.

10 Reasons to Rejoice:




  1. We Make More Money: When I was born (1950’s) people earned three times less than they do now (corrected for inflation too).
  2. We Live Longer: Compared to 50 years ago, we live 1/3 longer.
  3. Even the Poor are Richer: Between 1980-2000, the poor doubled their consumption.
  4. What We Need Now Costs Less: In the 1800’s a candle providing one hour’s light cost six hour’s work. By the 1880’s, kerosene lamps provided the same light for 15 minutes’ work. By 1950, it was 8 seconds. Now, the same light costs us ½ second of work.
  5. Cleaner Environment: Rivers, lakes, seas, and air are much cleaner due to our efforts. Today’s cars emit less pollution traveling at full speed than a parked car did from leaks back in 1970.
  6. More Farms & More Wilderness: As world population has increased, crop production has also increased by 30% and harvests by 600%. Two billion acres of secondary tropical rain forests are now regrowing because farmers have found better work opportunities in cities.
  7. American Ingenuity Exists: Prosperity breeds innovation. The more we invent the more opportunities for economic growth. Have you seen what 3D printers can do? The possibilities are amazing—especially in the medical field.
  8. We are the lucky ones: We’ve had more freedom, leisure time, education, medical advancements, and travel than at anytime in history.
  9. The Great Depression was just a dip: By 1939, Americans were actually richer than they were in 1930. New products and industries were born during the Depression. Right now, researchers are at work testing software, running clinical trials on drugs, and pursuing what could revolutionize medicine, communication, and travel.
  10. Be optimistic: A journalist gets the front page with disaster news. If it bleeds it leads—traumatic headlines.Gloom and doom. But optimists have been right more often. Here in America, we still have the freedom to worship God. Having faith is the best way to be optimistic because you trust that God’s in control of everything—all the time. 

And next time you see a candle, you can remember just how precious it was in the 1800's.




Thanks to Matt Ridley (rational optimist.com) for his ideas and research.



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