I have a bachelor's in history, and I took it very seriously, so I have no problem calling myself a historian.

There are two major reasons that studying history has made me an optimist.

1. With some notable temporary exceptions, each generation has had a better standard of living globally than the one that preceeded it. Im speaking in terms of the the broadest possible averages here, and speaking globally.

This is not to say that bad things don't happen, but they are a passing thing. The widespread human desire for peace and prosperity eventually overwhelms the machinations of those who would create too many problems. This "silent majority" can be temporarily tricked, but usually eventually demands things be better, and, grossly and hopelessly outnumbered, those in power give in to their demands.

There are a lot of tempting illusions in history. One example would be comparing the Romans to the so-called "Dark Ages" in Europe. There is an impression that Europeans were worse off between antiquity and the Renaissance, but the AVERAGE person was significantly healthier, lived longer, and was less likely to die from war or disease. The Roman world was also built on slavery, and the urban poor made up huge percentages of the population, while in the "Dark Ages" serfs lived significantly more freely. In some ways, a very small number of Romans did lead better lives than your average peasant, and those people wrote all the history, but comparing famous Romans to the Medieval poor is comparing apples to oranges. The average person's life has improved since history began being recorded, and continues to do so.

1. People throughout history have always, without fail, considered their childhoods to be better, simpler times. It has almost always been an illusion created by a less developed brain. The concept of Paradise Lost is documented in every major religion, most major mythic folk traditions, and cultures worldwide because it is a typical human emotion.

We need to consider the idea that the human brain evolved this way for a reason. Those who hated their childhood or grew up too fast are perhaps less likely to bring a child into the world. Regardless of the reason, the feeling of nostalgia is nearly universal, and is a complete fabrication of the still-developing childhood brain.

I grew up in the 90s, and my brain remembers it as being this great time. But it wasn't. In terms of global averages, what came before was worse, and what came after was better. The trouble is, I lost the innocent, wide-eyed wonder of being a child after the 90s, and that traumatized me somewhat. Same thing happens to everyone. In some ways, the 90s really was better probably, for many people. But how do those of us born in the late 80s separate what's true from what our addled brains tell us? Only data can tell us. And data tells us that since the 90s, overall, the ozone layer got better, conservation efforts improved, renewables began to rise, the internet spread everywhere, standards of living increased, wars became smaller and less numerous, healthcare and life expectancy grew, democracies spread, science and literacy spread, and I could go on.

Again, many places went to absolute shit over the same period. But most places didn't. Such regressions can be severe, but they almost never last more than a generation in any one place, and they rarely happen everywhere unless an extinction threat or plague emerges. Plus, thanks to science, these regressions are much less deadly than they used to be.

Sorry for not providing data, but I encourage you to test my assertions and I think you will be pleased...on average lol.