Almost every political and religious group, every opinionated person, every publication with an opinion, has said at one time or another what they think is wrong with this World.

Conservatives think that the World has become a World of welfare, while many liberals think the World has too much corporate welfare.

Others think that abortion is the problem, others think it is declining morals, others think it is infidels, and others say it is infidelity.

Other things that are wrong with this World, depending on the group are the media, young people, environmentalists, McDonald’s, criminals and gays.

Black people, white people, foreigners, bigots, radicals, the Establishment, poor people, corporations, lazy people, evil people, the Internet … the list could go on and on, obviously.

So what is really wrong with the World. Not a thing.

It seems to be a prevailing world-view that the World is messed up, that there are just a few things wrong with it, and if we could only get those things to change, the World would be great.

If we could just educate people and get them to realize what is wrong with this World, things could change.

This type of view of the World stems from an ideal that many people have in their heads of what the World should be like. They might not realize they have that ideal, but it is there.

And the World will never reach this Platonic ideal, because it is just this image of perfection that does not match reality. Reality and this ideal are incompatible.

A lot of people think they know what is wrong with this World, and they are all wrong.

The discrepancy between what people think the World should be and what the world really is can cause unhappiness.

If you want the World to be completely vegetarian and kind to animals, and it is not and will not be in the foreseeable future, you will most likely be unhappy.

If you want the World to go back to how it was during your childhood, or during your parents’ generation, and it is not and will not be in the foreseeable future, you are not going to be happy.

The same is true of any of our ideals. Do you have an ideal spouse? An ideal child? An ideal friend, mother, co-worker or roommate?

It is very possible that you do, and also very possible that the reality of the people in your life do not meet these ideals.

That might cause you to be unhappy with them. Then reality does not meet the ideal – and it rarely does – and we become unhappy.

Accept the World as it is, and love it for what it is. Accept people as they are, and love them.

The World is not going to meet any ideal – it is what it is, and while it will always change, it probably will not change to meet your ideal.

The person in question is exactly the same – they will not meet your ideal, but are who they are.

Accept this as fact. See the good in everything and everyone, and if you have really look and understand, you will find good in everything.

Enjoy this gift we have been given, for it is incredible. And perfect, just as it is.