Festering Problems We Should All Think About More

It’s hard to think about the world’s massive problems when we’re struggling to put food on the table. Despite our individual concerns, we must stop ignoring these potential global disasters. 

Antibiotic Resistance

A medical researcher using a microscope.
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Imagine how deadly an infection will be when all the bacteria become resistant to all our antibiotics. 

Insect Biodiversity

Monarch butterfly on a pink flower.
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We usually don’t think much about insects, but their declining populations could spell doom for the global ecosystem. 

Driving

A man experiencing road rage. He gestures aggressively and yells while driving.
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People stick their heads in the sand about the dangers of driving. They act like they own the road and barely pay attention while operating a 2-ton death machine. 

Becoming Disabled

Sad looking man in a wheelchair, all alone in an empty hallway.
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Disability can strike anyone at anytime, yet most Americans blissfully ignore the possibility. They’ll be sorry they voted against social programs when they find themselves drowning in medical bills and unable to work. 

Alcohol

Close up of a man drinking beer from a pint glass at a bar
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Most people enjoy a few beers on the weekend without a problem. But we ignore the catastrophic social and health effects of alcohol, allowing anyone to freely buy it as long as they’re legal age. 

Authoritarianism

A Corrections officer standing in front of a jail cell.
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In times of strife, people seek comfort in strong men leaders, not realizing that they’re sacrificing their very freedoms for those comforting words. Authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide, and if we don’t start addressing it, we’ll be stuck under it. 

Rugged Individualism

American rancher standing outside in cowboy gear watching his herd to represent rugged individualism.
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Americans celebrate rugged individualism, ignoring that our ability to collaborate and build communities brought us where we are today. If we’re not careful, we’ll let our own egos destroy humanity. 

Lack of Empathy

Man in a white shirt shrugging as if he's unsure and doesn't care.
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The culture of rugged individualism slowly drained people of empathy. We no longer care about other people for their humanity, and that’s a massive problem. 

Heart Disease

Illustration of the heart area of the human circulatory system showing the heart and the main veins/arteries carrying blood.
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Heart Disease stands firm as the most deadly condition for both genders, yet we all continue to chug our cooks and eat our greasy pizza like it will never happen to us. 

Mental Health Care

A teenager comforting his sad friend.
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We constantly say we need better health care, but no one lifts a finger to do anything about it. The insurance companies ensure everyone votes against universal health care and any other government program that would help. 

Misinformation

Man browsing a newspaper at the newspaper stand.
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People can’t care about a problem when they don’t realize it exists. Far too many people lack critical thinking skills and gleefully share any propaganda that fights their narrative, regardless of how outlandish. 

Parenting

An overwhelmed father holding his daughter next to a giant pile of laundry.
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Parenting is a wonderful journey for those who genuinely want to take it. Unfortunately, too many people are far too lax about becoming a parent, resulting in neglected children who perpetuate the cycle of abuse. 

Artificial Intelligence

Robots working the line in a manufacturing warehouse.
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We’ve only scratched the surface of AI’s possibilities, and people aren’t paying enough attention. We have no idea what the future of AI holds; it could become a helpful companion, but it could also destroy the world. 

Decreasing Standard of Living

poor man looking at the small pile of change that came out of his piggy bank.
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Parents should want better for their kids, but the Boomers proved they don’t care. Millennials and Gen Z have a lower standard of living than their parents, and it’s getting worse by the day. 

Climate Change

Dead dried out trees on a beach to represent climate change.
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Some folks watch the growing intensity of summer hurricanes and the massive increase in wildfires and shrug their shoulders, claiming it’s just a coincidence. We’re on the brink of an enormous climate disaster, and it might be too late to do anything about it. 

The Heritage Foundation

Dome of the US Capital Building on a clear day in Washington DC.
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The conservative think tank that gave us gems like the Dobbs decision and authored a manifesto about their political goals for 2025 is the true shadow government we should fear. Yet, many people let them pull our elected leader’s puppet strings like it’s nothing. 

All the Propaganda Surrounding Us

Man with a tv head playing puppet master to a group of smaller people with tvs for heads.
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Propaganda surrounds us. It attempts to sway our thinking in both mundane and critical ways. Here are some examples of propaganda we see every day.

People Can’t Afford Kids

Sleeping infant wrapped in light blue bear blanket on a blue grey background.
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Even people who want children can’t afford to have them. When basic biology gets put off, you know society is on the decline. Here’s the truth about why young folks aren’t having kids: they can’t afford it. 

America’s Poverty Trap

hands holding an empty wallet to represent poverty
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We often think of third-world countries when we talk about poverty, but it’s thriving right here in the US.

Here’s the truth about America’s Poverty Trap.

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.