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Send a HeroBox Care Package Today!On a call the other day with a long-time friend and business associate, we found ourselves discussing how bad things appear to be. I mean, 2021 was a pretty terrible year.
The economy is in terrible shape, and measures on energy prices, unemployment, mortality, and liberty are all headed in the wrong direction.
But then I recalled, and shared with my friend some things I learned recently: listening to Jordan Peterson’s podcast on my way into DC for lunch last week (it’s a long drive), and was gladdened to learn of all of the good wrought by the system of our modern world:
- From 1981 to 2018, all years that I’ve been on this planet, “absolute poverty” has declined from 42% of the population to 8.1%.
- Food is more abundant than ever, and less land is needed to produce so much food. In the US, we went from producing 6.84 tonnes of corn per hectare to 10.73 tonnes/hectare in 2014.
- More trees cover the planet than at almost any time in the last few hundred years.
- Infant mortality is at the lowest level ever – and has declined by 56% since 1990.
Although facing a recent rise in crime, and drop in age expectancy – both during COVID, we are still experiencing astonishingly improved rates compared to just a few decades ago – violent crimes are down almost 50% since 1991, and age expectancy continues to steadily climb.
So, why are we so focused on the bad? My friend said: “You know, I think it’s because we are in it. It’s our jobs, and central to our lives.“
It’s also pretty clear that media in general is focused on the bad – mostly because it sells. It gets views, and ultimately views are dollars in our business. Peterson talked about this on his podcast as well, and it’s absolutely true, and something we talk about all the time: how the ROI in the media business drives us to create content with the most pageviews, and how that generally leads to less insightful, and more divisive content. We’re trying to fight that, but that’s another and very involved story.
So, as we lament the loss of what we may consider our culture, or fight to preserve liberty, and battle against the ever encroaching forces of outright idiocy – take a few minutes to reflect and give thanks for the positive progress we are making as a species.
Although 2021 has been a bit of a setback here and there – over recent years, we as a species have continued to improve by almost every meaningful measure.
So, join us as we pledge to continue pushing as hard as we can to make it an even better place for our children, and their children.
Happy New Year.
Things are going to get better. Be optimistic.”
– Bob Dole
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David Keene is a lifelong advocate for civic engagement and the founding force behind American Liberty News. As CEO of Elliance Digital Media, he helps mission-driven organizations connect with audiences in meaningful ways—mobilizing people to act on the values they hold dear.
David’s journey began early—stuffing envelopes for a nonprofit at the kitchen table—and has since spanned decades of work in advocacy, fundraising, and political media. From grassroots campaigns to national initiatives, he has remained committed to the idea that American democracy works best when citizens are informed and empowered.
Beyond his professional pursuits, David is a hands-on craftsman and passionate woodworker who finds joy in creating with his hands. He treasures time with his family, his dogs, and the quiet freedom of riding off-pavement in the mountains on his motorcycle. Whether through art, nature, or meaningful work, David believes in the power of personal expression and building a life rooted in purpose.
Yes. We were cheated out of an election, we have a government that just wants to grab power from the people and does not care, at all, about the people. Sickeness, well, that is improving no matter what the liberals want us to believe = just see how well we are doing in Florida. Democrats please don’t come to our state, we like it red! The election bothers me the most since it is the only power the people have, we need to take it back!
The domestic political situation is clearly not very good, but the point is: as a matter of a trend, we are doing pretty darn well. It isn’t to say that there are not problems – there clearly are. That said, moving into a new year, we’d like to point out that there is some good, and even great things going on. Then let’s saddle up and take down those who would strip us of our freedoms – the mid-terms are just around the corner, and we should all be preparing for that.
I appreciate the attempt at looking at the positives. Yes we have a lot of trees and produce a lot of food, yet exploding inflation and transportation failures make it difficult for many to obtain the food along with many other basic necessities. The worst thing in 2021 was learning just how incompetent and corruption all of our institutions have become. This includes the media, education, intelligence agencies,tech industry, the military, corporations, and most significantly, our election system. We typically look to the next election cycle to attempt to effect change but unfortunately the unmasking of the deep state and the uniparty make our elections an exercise in futility. Changes at the margins might happen but the winners have already been determined.
Lets hope we don’t have anymore 2021 and project a better 2022.