Looking back on 2016, it seems like it was the worst year in history. Bombings and death, shootings and devastating natural disasters, Zika virus and racial tension. While it is true, these are all terrible things that happened in 2016, there are other reasons people are dubbing 2016 "the worst year in history" that should never have been taken into account. For example, Harambe, seriously? You're going to say that the death of a gorilla makes 2016 the worst year ever? People die every day and there is never that much uproar over a human life as there was for this gorilla. Or celebrity deaths, again celebrities pass on every year, so why was this the year that suddenly meant the death of an actor meant 2016 was the worst year ever? The list of unworthy reasons for 2016 to be the worst year ever goes on and on. So, as we ring in 2017 why not take a look back at why 2016 WASN'T the worst year ever? Reasons both serious and some just because they were good things to happen.
1. Netflix added downloading
2. Leo finally won an Oscar
About dang time.
3. The measles were eradicated in all of the Americas
From Canada to Chile. According to NBC this is the first time ever in history the disease has been eliminated from an entire world region.
4. The number of smokers in the U.S. dropped
The number dropped 8.5 million since 2005. 8.5 million.
5. 93% of kids around the world learned to read and write this year
This is the highest proportion in human history.
6. World hunger reached its lowest point in 25 years
7. Gambia and Tanzania banned child marriage
8. Teenage Pregnancy
2016 marked the 24th year in a row that teenage pregnancy rates in the U.S. and UK dropped.
9. Manatees are no longer in danger
10. Germany took in an additional 300,000 refugees
The list of great things to happen in 2016 goes on and on. While some reasons like Netflix and Leo aren't the most serious, it just shows that we can focus in on some good.
Personally, I wasn't even aware of most of these statistics. So let's make 2017 the year that we hone in on these types of news stories. Let it be a year that we focus on the good and don't wallow in the bad. Let us move forward when the bad does happen but to feel blessed with all the good happening around us.
