We see a LOT of articles about how everything is going bad these days but can people share any positives that are happening right now to balance this out and give everyone a little bit of an uplift? Turns out they can and they did. Here's how the thread played out!
As always, this post couldn't be done without the submissions of our wonderful community members. If you want to engage in these threads, just check the open topics that you may find under Ask Pandas and Challenges category.
#1

Just met up with a bunch of lads I’ve now know for 12 years online only. We all talk almost everyday, we know each other’s jobs, wives names, kids names, everything but never met. We met up and it was amazing almost like we never weren’t in person friends before. The modern world let’s you connect with people you may have never met before technology.
134points
#2

Advances in science/medicine...and if everyone had equal access to these advances--or even the basics--that would make it even better!
125points
#3

Living in a society that tolerates and respects differences from the traditional norms. There was an era in human history where simply being left-handed was a death sentence, let alone practicing any actual "social deviance". Now we live in a world where you can be openly gay, transgender, etc. and most people will at least not make a big deal of it (if not openly support your right to be yourself).
98points
#4

My cat rubbing against my legs every morning to say hello, my dog jumping up to say hi whenever we go outside, our pets being there for us always
91points
#5

The up and coming generation values life experiences over materialism.
90points
#6

I know it's been around for a long time now, and it's always been a part of my life, but...
I'm still a Big fan of electricity!
And I love daylight light bulbs!!!
I'm still a Big fan of electricity!
And I love daylight light bulbs!!!
89points
#7

Oh I love this! Today in the modern world, I have been able to talk to my grandparents more, and my uncle. I can keep track of my friends and check in on them when I feel as if they someone to lean on. Overall, while I seem unsociable- and I am as an introvert- I actually have managed to have a full and sociable life thanks to our tech!
74points
#8

Communication, talk with people across the world, instantly. Order online from anywhere, from whoever has it cheapest...and you can check first.
Not dying from infections....vaccinations.
Cleaning, cooking is so much easier now.
All kids are allowed to be educated. Few are working up chimneys or in mines at primary school age.
Light at night, inside or out.
No poo in the streets, clean safe water - in most places.
Far more rights for women, in most places.
Being able to make your own decision on religions ...or not, in most places.
Being able to do research and discover things at a touch of a button.
Most people don't pay to live in a drafty bare dirt floor hut made of sticks and pay for the privilege..in most places.
Not dying from infections....vaccinations.
Cleaning, cooking is so much easier now.
All kids are allowed to be educated. Few are working up chimneys or in mines at primary school age.
Light at night, inside or out.
No poo in the streets, clean safe water - in most places.
Far more rights for women, in most places.
Being able to make your own decision on religions ...or not, in most places.
Being able to do research and discover things at a touch of a button.
Most people don't pay to live in a drafty bare dirt floor hut made of sticks and pay for the privilege..in most places.
53points
#9

Anti vaxxers screwed up US healthcare system aside, modern medicine.
Although there are a ton of conditions we cannot cure and/or treat all that well there are many more that we can. Medicine has come a tremendous way just in my life time. It's got farther to go yet, especially when pseudo science is thrown into the mix. But we can cure and treat more illnesses, injuries and diseases now than when I was born.
48points
#10
Dogs.... those fluffy balls of limitless happiness.
In a world of complete and utter s**t everywhere - they are stupidly happy and make (almost) everyone around them happy.
48points
#11

I'm going to say internet communication. I'm bipolar and an ambivert and for some reason my parents moved me just after high school to the middle of nowhere. Can you say no friends? If it weren't for my long term internet friends, I would have no one to talk to for the longest time. Being bipolar means I suffer from extreme depressive slumps, but I can just as easily be unhandibly hyperactive. It's very hard to make friends in person, but I have had online friends to talk me down for so long that my closest friends are online.
43points
#12
The fact that the younger generation are beginning to NOT put up with the sh*t that is done in the name of 'growth' and 'progress' by the 'ruling' classes and governments. It makes me think that once they start voting the 'established' political parties around the world, and the corporations are going to rapidly loose support.
43points
#13

Accepting differences is starting to happen more often?! Still a ways to go, but some movement.
42points
#14
Running water. Did not have it when I was young. Simply turning a tap is so much easier than hauling 20L buckets.
38points
#15

Certain projects, errands, tasks take mere minutes or at least only a couple of hours when they used to take several hours up to a few days. The lines between a lot of gender specific situations have been blurred. Answers can be found much faster (due largely to experience).
The world is getting better as it gets worse but there are just as many platforms to learn about each situation.
The world is getting better as it gets worse but there are just as many platforms to learn about each situation.
37points
#16

Acceptance. The modern world knows that everyone is different and unique, and everyone deserves respect.
37points
#17

Genetic modification. The scientifically illiterate love to s**t on it, but it's the reason we can produce the amount of food we do, why we need less pesticides, and why it's far more nutritious than it once was (just look at golden rice literally preventing blindness). And for many sick people it's the reason they have medication - eg. insulin is produced through GM microbes. Like vaccines, the success of genetic research has allowed people to forget what life was like before it.
32points
#18
Anyone else feel that people are waking up to the world. Fed up of big companies running the politicians, more and more aware of how we need to look after each other and our planet. Just need some politicians to make a stand and example then more will follow.
31points
#19
The concept of every living thing being connected in a complicated and wonderful net of coexistance instead of: „Hey us humans are the crown of the world and nature is our slave and nothing but a source for our uprising!“
29points
#20

Headphones!
28points


