Ten Reasons Why the World is Doing Better Than You Thought

Selwyn Community Education is based at Selwyn College, Kohimarama, Auckland.

This course runs over six weeks with a two-hour class each Monday 7 - 9pm. The course starts on 8 August 2022.

Do you feel that things are getting worse in the world? Poverty, hunger, plane crashes, deaths from disasters, ozone depletion? This course will present interesting and up-to-date information on these issues and more. Based on the bestselling book, 'Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things are Better Than You Think', we will discuss human instincts that slant our view of the world; look at current data to get a realistic perspective on the ways the world is changing; and focus on the last 50+ years in relation to access to education, reducing poverty, increasing life expectancy, and protecting endangered species.

Who should attend this course?
Anyone who would like to expand their knowledge about global issues and how our natural biases/instincts colour of understanding of what's really happening in the world.

Expected learning outcomes:
-Be better informed about issues across the globe and how socio-economic issues have evolved in the last 100 years
-Understand the inherent biases that distort our view of the world
-Be able to read bubble maps and graphs
-Have a realistic long-term view of global change and its potential impact on the lives of people, country by country
-Have the facts at your fingertips, for robust conversation.

Course outline:
-The Gap Instinct - introduction to the theory behind factfulness, our unconscious biases, and a quiz
-The Negativity Instinct and the Straight Line Instinct
-The Fear Instinct and the Size Instinct
-The Generalisation Instinct and the Destiny Instinct
-The Single Perspective Instinct and the Blame Instinct
-The Urgency Instinct and Factfulness in Practice

We'll provide all materials for this course.

Our Mission: To provide quality adult and lifelong learning opportunities which empower individuals in their personal lives and as members of society.