T.S. Eliot warned that "humankind cannot bear very much little reality" (from "Burnt Norton"). Of the top 20 television programmes shown in Australia, 17 are on sport and three are on cooking. News and current affairs get lower priority.
Higgins believed that the previous six challenges could all be solved if there were the human capacity to do so. He remained confident that somehow humankind can solve the other six challenges.
I told him that I admired his optimism. Some progress has certainly been made (such as the eradication of some appalling global poverty) but in general we seem to be winning battles but losing the overall war.
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Exactly four decades on from the book's first publication, we still have much work to do. Are we capable of doing it?
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About the Author
Dr Keith Suter is a futurist, thought leader and media personality in the areas of social policy and foreign affairs. He is a prolific and well-respected writer and social commentator appearing on radio and television most weeks.
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