What Matters?

The greatest problems facing humankind in terms of urgency, as I see the planet:

1. Nuclear Detonation
2. Global Warming
3. Child Neglect and Abuse*
4. Non-renewable Sources of Energy
5. Disparity in the Advancement between Human Social Thought and Technological Knowledge (we know how to detonate a nuclear weapon but do not know how to live together in peace and harmony)
6. Disease
7. Famine
8. Tyranny **

* Child neglect and abuse used to be #1 on the list, reasoning that a human mind is a terrible thing to waste. It is with healthy human minds that all other problems are eventually resolved.

** Tyranny defined as the absence of human freedom and liberty. This is the only problem where there seems to be slow but increasing improvement. In 1776 there was only one democracy in the world based on the ideas of human liberty. Today, of the 194 (192 U.N. registered) countries in the world 26 are full fledged democracies where human liberties abound. There are 76 more countries that have some form of democracy - we could call them flawed democracies (e.g. Russia). Human liberty and freedom is moving forward slowly over the planet, slow but unstoppable.