12 Facts That Make Us A Little More Hopeful About Humanity
![12 Facts That Make Us A Little More Hopeful About Humanity](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/2/1/794221_320x180.jpg)
It's easy to despair over humanity. It's a complete oversimplification to say that we commit horrible acts of injustice and cruelty on a daily basis. But if we don't have any hope for our species then we don't have any reason to try and improve.
Recognize our underdog mentality. Notice how great we ascended. We should be thankful for this and use it to fuel our mental toughness as well as work and effort. But even so, we must curb our proclivity to strike out in violent reactions to fear.
I started searching for solutions in Yuval Noah Harari's book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. I realized that since I read, study and help educate about human behavior, it would be fun to know how human existence relates to our present behavior.
Consider imposter syndrome, anxiety about social situations and low self-esteem. Even though they are new, we seem unclear about our stance and strong points! But being the underdog isn't always a negative thing. Actuality, I firmly believe that being an outcast has the following advantages:
Humans fight tooth and nail as underdogs. Here are some reminders as to why we as species are worth fighting for…
![Lovers' heartbeats sync up In one study, partners showed similar patterns of heart rate and respiration. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/2/0/794120.jpg)
Source: UCDavis
![Gen z may be the best educated generation yet Compared to previous generations, they are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to be enrolled in college. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/9/794119.jpg)
Source: PEW Research
![Giant pandas are no longer endangered They're still threatened but have been removed from the 'endangered' category. China's efforts to save its iconic animal have paid off. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/8/794118.jpg)
Source: BBC
![The U.S. has more museums than Starbucks and McDonald's, combined It may seem counterintuitive, but it's true... the U.S. has 000 museums, but 000 Starbucks and 14,000 McDonald's. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/7/794117.jpg)
Source: Washington Post
![Telling the truth is good for our physical and mental health According to one study, telling less lies resulted in closer relationships and better health, even over the duration of a few weeks. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/6/794116.jpg)
Source: APA
![Polio was officially eradicated in Africa In 2020, the African continent was declared free of wild poliovirus type 1. Now, it's only in Pakistan and Afghanistan. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/2/1/794121.jpg)
Source: CDC
![Our brains are wired for empathy and friendship A study showed that the threat of shock had the same reaction in the brain whether it was directed towards self or a friend. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/5/794115.jpg)
Source: University of Virginia
![Infants are willing to give up food to help others In a study of 100 19-month-olds, researchers learned that children will give up food, even when they are hungry for a snack, to a person who wants it, without any training. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/4/794114.jpg)
Source: Washington
![3 out of 4 millennials donated during the pandemic Millennials were hit harder than any generation during 2020 but were the most generous with financial aid. Gen Z had the second highest rate at 66%. The future doesn't look SO grim. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/3/794113.jpg)
Source: CNBC
![The ozone layer may completely heal within our lifetimes The United Nations has said that international commitment to phase out ozone-depleting substances has been extremely effective, with the ozone on track to completely heal by the 2060s. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/1/1/2/794112.jpg)
Source: United Nations
![Our brain rewards us for doing acts of kindness Psychologists have discovered that the reward areas of your brain are activated after you do a good deed, whether or not there's something in it for you. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/9/6/794096.jpg)
Source: ScienceDaily
![Good acts spread just as easily as bad Researchers have discovered that acts of kindness, generosity and cooperation are all contagious, spreading from person to person. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/9/5/794095.jpg)
Source: ScienceDaily
![People are more willing to hurt themselves than other people for profit In one study, researchers discovered to their surprise that people were much more likely to give themselves a larger shock for extra money, requiring twice the cash incentive to increase the pain level for the stranger. CRACKED.COM](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/9/4/794094.jpg)