Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

Imagine a world where everyone talks about 'us and them,' rich and poor, developed and developing. This is a story many of us have heard so often that it feels like an unshakable truth. But what if I told you this story is no longer true? In fact, it's a misconception that clouds our understanding and makes the world seem more divided than it really is. Most of humanity lives not at the extremes, but in a vast middle.

Let’s take a step back and look at the data. When we examine the global population by income, we find that about 75 percent live in countries that are neither poor nor rich but fall somewhere in the middle. These are places where families have smaller households, children attend school, and access to basic healthcare and clean water is steadily improving. This middle is bustling with progress, opportunity, and complexity. Yet, the labels 'developing' and 'developed' persist, painting a world divided by a chasm that no longer exists.

This binary thinking is what we call the 'gap instinct.' It tempts us to see the world in two separate boxes, with a dramatic gap in between. But this gap is an illusion. When we look closely, we find overlapping ranges of income, health, and education. For example, child mortality rates and family sizes vary smoothly across countries rather than forming two distinct groups. This means the simplistic division into 'us and them' hides the reality that most people live in a continuum of conditions.

To understand this better, think of the world divided not into two, but four income levels. Level 1 is where people live on about $1 per day, struggling with extreme poverty. Level 2 is a step up, with basic improvements like access to food and water. Level 3 is where many families live comfortably enough to send children to school and afford some modern conveniences. Level 4 is the wealthy consumer level, familiar to many of us. Most people live on Levels 2 and 3, the middle ground often overlooked.

For example, in 1965, the world did look divided into two groups. But today, the majority have moved into the middle levels. Countries like China and India, once considered poor, now have millions living comfortable middle-class lives. The gap is closing, but our minds and language have not caught up. Clinging to old categories misleads us and blinds us to the progress made.

Understanding this is key to seeing the world clearly and responding effectively to global challenges. It also helps us appreciate the diversity and resilience of people worldwide. So as we move forward, let’s leave behind the illusion of a divided world and embrace the rich spectrum of human experience. This new perspective sets the stage for exploring other instincts that distort our view of reality.

With this fresh understanding, we can now turn to the next challenge: why do we tend to see the world as getting worse, even when data shows otherwise?