@dlowan,
Global life expectancy continues to go up:
Global median income continues to rise
Global literacy percentage and educational attainment continues to rise
Freedom continues to advance. One century ago most of the world lived in "colonies" which were owned by a handful of countries in Europe.
There has never been a time in history where the possibility of a long, full, happy life for a greater percentage of people was as attainable as now.
Happy 2017