We often hear about the challenges our world faces. There seems to be a shortage of everything sometimes, from water to food to clean air. And the future looks bleaker.

But we also hear of progress being made. The last several decades have seen a significant rise out of poverty for millions. Innovation continues to accelerate. The internet and other technology flattens the playing field for us all.

It’s with this in mind that Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler have written Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think. At a time when we are constantly reminded of our limitations, how we are slipping behind, and how the future could be very dark, the authors argue we are on the verge of entering an age of extreme abundance.

And they do not mean just economic abundance. The book focuses on such things as education, food, water, health care, and even freedom. The arguments are that social entrepreneurs, new technologies, incredible research, and the dynamic forces of the market are all driving the human race forward.

The book can seem idealistic. It probably is. But the underlying idea is worth considering and raises the question we need to ask: are there things being worked on today that will solve the problems of the future? I think probably for at least some of our problems, yes. Obviously we do not know what challenges we will face, and obviously some of the ideas are not going to pan out. But some will. That’s encouraging.

Still, the book has flaws. There is scant attention paid to global warming being an issue. War is given short shrift as something that doesn’t pay for anybody and is unlikely to be pursued (that’s all an assumption I’m not ready to buy into). And it’s hard for me to put all my faith in the power of technology. Or even the good intentions of social entrepreneurs. Or well meaning corporations.

But in the ongoing conversation about the needs of the future, this is a book that should be part of the discussion. It pushes the pendulum in a specific direction, and that’s okay. Well worth reading and contemplating.