Russia has shown to have a hard time invading a small country and being a minor power with nukes, so WWIII with them seems unlikely
The power of economic sanctions makes a confrontation with China less likely, the oligarchic power there not seeing what it has to gain with it
Environmentalism, despite what many people think, has become a mainstream opinion in most western countries
Authoritarians who used some kind of socialism as their core ideology now switched to the far right as their main relays. Now 95% of the anticapitalists do not consider Russia or China as models anymore. A real discussion is occurring unencumbered of authoritarian baggage and apologetics.
A big part of the perception that the world is getting shittier actually comes from the world and the public opinion getting better at self-awareness and introspection. Overdue critics of colonialism and neocolonialism are gaining traction (to the point that conservatives consider it is not niche anymore but a threat they need to address). Systemic racism is now a notion that is discussed within the Overton window. To someone like me in his 40s the evolution of the acceptance of LGBTQ has actually been pretty fast.
Also a bit more debatable I guess, but I also see the declining religiosity of the rich countries as a big factor for hope.
The Star Trek future needed World War 3, nuclear annihilation and elite eugenics to emerge, so we’re on the right track.
Recent events give me fuel for hope actually:
A big part of the perception that the world is getting shittier actually comes from the world and the public opinion getting better at self-awareness and introspection. Overdue critics of colonialism and neocolonialism are gaining traction (to the point that conservatives consider it is not niche anymore but a threat they need to address). Systemic racism is now a notion that is discussed within the Overton window. To someone like me in his 40s the evolution of the acceptance of LGBTQ has actually been pretty fast.
Also a bit more debatable I guess, but I also see the declining religiosity of the rich countries as a big factor for hope.