Earth’s population statistics in perspective
The population of Earth is around 7.8 billion.
For most people, it is a significant figure. However, if you condensed 7.8 billion into 100 persons, and then into various percentage statistics, the resulting analysis is relatively much easier to comprehend:
Out of 100:
11 are in Europe
5 are in North America
9 are in South America
15 are in Africa
60 are in Asia.
49 live in the countryside
51 live in cities.
75 have mobile phones
25 do not.
30 have internet access
70 do not.
83 can read
17 are illiterate.
33 are Christians
22 are Muslims
14 are Hindus
7 are Buddhists
12 are other religions
12 have no religious affiliations.
26 live less than 14 years
66 die between 15 and 64 years of age
8 are over 65 years old.
If you have your own home, eat full meals & drink clean water, have a mobile phone, can surf the internet, and have gone to college, you are in the minuscule privileged lot. (in the less than 7% category).
Among100 persons in the world, only eight live or exceed the age of 65!
If you are over 65 years old, be content and grateful. Cherish life. Grasp the moment.
If you did not leave this world before the age of 64, like the 92 persons who have gone before you, you are already the blessed amongst humankind.
Take good care of your health. Cherish every remaining moment.
If you think you are suffering memory loss, read on.
Anosognosia
In the following analysis, the French Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of the Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IMMA) at La Pitié-Salpêtrière – Paris Hospital, addresses the subject in a rather reassuring way:
“If anyone is aware of their memory problems, they do not have Alzheimer’s.”
1. forget the names of family members.
2. do not remember where I put some things .
It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain that they lack memory. “The information is always in the brain, it is the “processor” that is lacking.”
This is “Anosognosia” or temporary forgetfulness.
Half of people 60 and older have some symptoms that are due to age rather than disease.
The most common cases are:
– forgetting the name of a person,
– going to a room in the house and not remembering why we were going there.
– a blank memory for a movie title or an actor.
– a waste of time searching where we left our glasses or keys.
After 60 years most people have such a difficulty, which indicates that it is not a disease, but rather a characteristic due to the passage of years.
Many people are concerned about these oversights; hence the importance of the following statements:
1.”Those who are conscious of being forgetful have no serious problem with memory.”
2. “Those who suffer from a memory illness or Alzheimer’s are not aware of what is happening.”
Professor Dubois reassures the majority of people concerned about their oversights:
“The more we complain about memory loss, the less likely we are to suffer from memory sickness.”
Now for a little neurological test:
Only use your eyes!
1- Find the C in the table below!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
2- If you found the C, then find the 6 in the table below.
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
3- Now find the N in the table below. Attention, it’s a little more
difficult!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
If you pass these three tests without problem:
– you can cancel your annual visit to the neurologist.
– your brain is in perfect shape!
– you are far from having any relationship with Alzheimer’s.
We are truly blessed, So, share this with your over-55 friends, it can reassure them.
If you are over 65 and complaining about a few aches and pains, think again …….92% of people didn’t even get that opportunity! So be pleased with your situation and be happy.
This article was forwarded to me by email, and I regret that I cannot name its author. But, as this is my final seniors column for the Voice, I thought I’d offer something different.
Tony Barnett
