2018 in Review
December 21, 2018The Topic: 2018 in ReviewThe News Story: The Story of 2018, in 10 ChartsThe New Research: Marriage—Global Shield Against TraumaThe News Story: The Story of 2018, in 10 Charts “It was the year The Avengers topped the movie charts, France won the World Cup for the second time and Prince Harry married Meghan Markle,” opens a story from the World Economic Forum. The story continues to feature ten charts, in a quest to answer the question: “what happened in 2018?” In short, it wasn’t all bad news. In the U.S., unemployment rates hit a 49-year low—but this is the bright spot among these charts. In other news, carbon emissions, deforestation, and wildfires were all more serious this year. In financial news, Brexit rocked the British financial world—and not in a good way. But relevant to advocates of the natural family is the chart indicating that in 2018, “the world got less peaceful.” “The average level of global peacefulness declined, according to the 2018 Global Peace Index, with 92 countries deteriorating and only 71 improving.” The GPI “measures the state of peace using three thematic domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarisation.” While it certainly doesn’t impact each of these in the same way, research reveals that globally, marriage serves as one of the best protectors, and perhaps world peace may be impacted by increased rates of stable marriages. (Source: World Economic Forum, “The Story of 2018, in 10 Charts,” December 20, 2018.) The New Research: Marriage—Global Shield Against Trauma Being in an automobile accident, contracting a life-threatening illness, being mugged—these and other traumatic experiences can leave scars physical and emotional. But whether in Boston or Bogota, Beijing or Beirut, Berlin or Brisbane, married men and women face significantly lower risk of acqu
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