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Beyond the Headlines: Measuring True Progress in Our World

Jaellayna Palmer | Jan 23, 2025

The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the authoritative views of the Baha'i Faith.

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Jaellayna Palmer | Jan 23, 2025

The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the authoritative views of the Baha'i Faith.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether I’m listening to the car radio, streaming news on my tablet, watching a current affairs program on TV, reading newspaper articles, or skimming journals and blogs — economic growth, or the lack of it, seems to rule the news. 

That economic angle often dominates reports about advances in innovation or the lack of it. Even in areas of general interest, such as arts and sports, reports proliferate about the box office totals, the economic impact, and the number of awards or trophies won or not.

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In general, we pay attention to these sorts of quantifiable items. Although they are significant, I wonder about other elements of life, inherently more difficult to measure, which have a great or even greater impact on our well-being.

This is true whether we consider our own local communities or the world at large.

Some very important questions seem much more salient than the monetary ones. As a society, are we better or worse off? What are the metrics for human health and well-being, family cohesiveness, happiness, and optimism? Are we reducing racism and other forms of prejudice? What about access to education? Are people finding their jobs meaningful? Even if most people are doing well, what about those who are not?

At the global level, what about planetary health, collective and individual security, cross-cultural communications, citizen engagement, and individual empowerment? Are there substantial advances toward the equality of men and women? What about child soldiers and sex slaves? What impact do our activities have on war and peace?

Various agencies and institutions around the globe do report on some of these items despite their being so difficult to measure with precision. For example, just to name some of the major successes in health and sanitation issues: polio is almost eradicated in most of the world; water purification projects are underway in Bangladesh and elsewhere; the number of new smokers has substantially decreased; and advances in medicine have led to a decrease in war casualties. I am encouraged when I learn about these sorts of things, as they indicate one aspect of progress.

If we could ask the animals, what would they say? What about air, water, soil, and plants? What worries parents about their children’s future? Are our communities becoming more or less attractive, litter-free, and well-tended? This important spiritual advice from Baha’u’llah sets a high standard: “Let each morn be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its yesterday.

How will I know if things are better and richer than they were previously, and what can I do to contribute to true progress?

RELATED: Humanity: No, We Are Not Doomed!

Most of us are busy people and feel that we cannot have a large impact on our community, much less on other cities, countries, or the entire planet. We don’t have grandiose visions, thinking we can single-handedly take on the big issues. On the other hand, I can orient my own actions toward love and friendship, as advised by Abdu’l-Baha: “… spiritual and material developments are conditioned upon love and amity among all men.

With this in mind, I can direct my thoughts to higher ideals and let those guide my behavior and influence my communications. I can be a good listener, sincerely seeking input from others. I can be deliberate in my buying habits, patronizing stores and businesses whose standards are consistent with mine. I can support community leaders whose vision mirrors mine. I can donate money or time to worthy causes.

If I orient myself toward the outer world rather than myself, then my thoughts and actions will be ennobled. Baha’u’llah asked all humanity to: “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.

As a Baha’i, I can follow the specific guidance offered through Baha’u’llah’s teachings. I can seek justice, confirming that my motives are correctly aligned. I can be grateful, sharing my good fortune. I can be mindful of the spiritual nature of life, seeking to learn and be inspired by daily events.

Keeping in mind what this life is all about — the community, and not just me — will contribute to true progress and not just material development. If we all did that all the time, that would indeed be news.

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