Confirmation bias: it's something so easy to fall prey to, unless we consciously seek out evidence that shows otherwise, and are willing to take in that information and modify our beliefs accordingly.
If we're depressed, angry, hopeless, etc. we're more likely to see the world as a bleak, grim, terribly, very bad, no good, horrible place.
To what extent does confirmation bias play a role in depression/suicidal ideation, etc.?
And how can we avoid confirmation bias, at least enough from leading us down this potentially dark path?
Really?
-Nearly 1/2 of the world's population — more than 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. -More than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty — less than $1.25 a day.[1]
-1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty.[2]
-805 million people worldwide do not have enough food to eat. Food banks are especially important in providing food for people that can't afford it themselves. Run a food drive outside your local grocery store so people in your community have enough to eat. Sign up for Supermarket Stakeout.[3]
-More than 750 million people lack adequate access to clean drinking water. Diarrhea caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene kills an estimated 842,000 people every year globally, or approximately 2,300 people per day.[4]
-In 2011, 165 million children under the age 5 were stunted (reduced rate of growth and development) due to chronic malnutrition.[5]
-Preventable diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia take the lives of 2 million children a year who are too poor to afford proper treatment.[6]
-As of 2013, 21.8 million children under 1 year of age worldwide had not received the three recommended doses of vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.[7]
-1/4 of all humans live without electricity — approximately 1.6 billion people.[8]
- 80% of the world population lives on less than $10 a day.[9]
-Oxfam estimates that it would take $60 billion annually to end extreme global poverty--that's less than 1/4 the income of the top 100 richest billionaires.[10]
-The World Food Programme says, "The poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty." Hunger is the number one cause of death in the world, killing more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.[11]
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-global-poverty