We've Come a Long Way

Sometimes it adds perspective to our situation when we look at things in a historical perspective.  How far have we come in 1000 years?

·       A thousand years ago people thought the world was flat, that the Sun revolved around the Earth, and that the weather was controlled by supernatural forces.

·       A thousand years ago, people believed that illness was due to evil spirits or an affliction caused by displeasing a superior being or beings.  Today, illness is known to be part of the life process and modern medicine is able to heal most afflictions.

·       A thousand years ago, worldwide life expectancy was 30 years.  Today it is 67 years.

·       A thousand years ago, most people were subservient to a monarch, lord, a religious leader, or a despot and had little personal freedom.  Today, over half the world lives within political systems that generally have personal freedom.

·       Most cultures still used numbering systems that did not permit the development of modern math.  Europe, for instance, used Roman numerals.  The important concept of zero was absent from all cultures except for the Mayans and Hindus, both of whom had just discovered the concept.  [1]

·       Today’s technology would be considered magic to those that lived 1000 years ago. 

We’ve come a long way.  When reflecting on all the problems and challenges we face today, they pale in comparison to how far we have come in 1000 years.  What will the world look like 1000 years from now?  Our actions today will have great bearing on how far we go.

[1]  http://www.history-magazine.com/1000ad.html

Photo credit: David Kilabuk, Your Shot; courtesy of National Geographic