Havingbadfeelingaboutworld?“Cheerup.”sayssciencewriterMattRidley.“Theworldhasneverbeenabetterplacetoliveinanditwillkeepongettingbetterbothforhumansandfornature.” 36
1) 37
ItisreportedthattherearemorethantenbilliondifferentproductsforsaleinLondonalone.Evenallowingforthemanypeoplewhostillliveinpovertyourowngenerationhasaccesstomorenutritiousfoodmoreconvenienttransportbiggerhousesandbettercars. 38 Thiswillcontinueaslongasweusethesethingstomakeotherthings.Themorewespecializeandexchangethebetteroffwe'llbe.
2)Brilliantadvances
Onereasonwearericherhealthiertallerclevererlongerlivedandfreerthaneverbeforeisthatthefourmostbasichumanneeds—foodclothingfuelandshelter—havegrownalotcheaper.Takeoneexample.In1800acandleprovidingonehour'slightcostsixhours'work.Inthe1880sthesamelightfromanoillamptook15minutes'worktopayfor. 39 Todayit'shalfsecond.
3)Let'snotkillourselvesforclimatechange
40 Achildthatdiesfromindoorsmokeinavillagewheretheuseoffossil-fuel(化石燃料)electricityisforbiddenbywell-meaningmembersofgreenpoliticalmovementstryingtosavetheworldisjustasgreatatragedyasachildthatdiesinafloodcausedbyclimatechange.Ifclimatechangeprovestobemildbutcuttingcarboncausesrealpainwemaywellfindthatwehavestoppedanose-bleedbyputtingatourniquet(止血带)aroundournecks.
A. Ridleycallshimselfarationaloptimist—rationalbecausehe'scarefullyweighedtheevidence.
B. Overreactiontoclimatechangecouldprovejustasdamagingtohumanwelfareasclimatechangeitself.
C. Shoppingfuelsinvention.
D. Andofcourseweearnmorepoundsanddollarsthananywholivedbeforeus.
E. In1950itwaseightseconds.
F. It’shightimethatwetookimmediateactiontofightclimatechange.
G. Here'showheexplainshisviews.