As a clinical psychologist, I am accustomed to evaluating patients/clients who come to the hospital, clinic, or office I worked. I assessed their presenting problems, adjustment in living, strengths and weaknesses, and cognitive and affective resources and deficits. Certain aspects or dimensions of their personality were more thoroughly scrutinized depending on their problems. A psychological report emerging from the evaluation typically contains a diagnosis or provisional diagnosis together with a treatment plan or recommendations. If a clear picture or diagnostic formulation from the initial psychological interview or examination did not emerge, further evaluation or even psychological testing may be suggested. Generally an initial, somewhat comprehensive mental status examination yields enough information for formulating an adequate treatment plan. Here I would like to attempt a mental status or more appropriately a status of the world. In place of the word world, the word nation or state can be substituted. Clinically I am analyzing this world as if it were an individual person – an organism. An individual that is a microcosm can reflect the universe that is a macrocosm. The health of certain important characteristics or dimensions of the world are examined. At first factors contributing to health or disease/disorder are described. When positive factors outweigh the negative ones, we have a world where well-being and growth flourish. When negative factors dominate, we have a world of disease, disorder, disintegration, and decay.

             1. Economic factor: The world economy is a war economy. In a war economy peace is proclaimed war is celebrated. The prosperity of the United States of America, the leading economy in the world, for instance, was based on the mobilization of resources for the Second World War. The war productions, chiefly weapons, gave the greatest boost to the economy. Interestingly it is not uncommon that weapon producing nations provide/sell their wares to warring parties, in effect, encouraging, supporting, and sustaining conflicts. It is very important to note that Dwight Eisenhower, the great American general of the Second World War and later president of the United States of America once decried the American society as a great military, industrial complex that could deprive the poor of the necessities of life. As men went out of the country to fight war at home and abroad women began to get out of their homes to fill jobs held by men. There was a sea change in the job market. Things would not be the same again. Automation and industrialization went into full swing. Skills training became necessary. Specialization became inevitable. New jobs were created. Traditional jobs were mechanized, curtailed, or even eliminated. As workers got organized and demanded higher pay and benefits owners and managers of factories and services started relocating in regions where they could procure cheaper labor and raw materials and higher profit margin. With globalization of economy, relaxation or removal of trade barriers, free movement of farm produce and factory products, outsourcing of services, and shifting of power balances, a new world order started emerging. As men and women started getting pay checks, there was also a gradual shift in power. As women clamor for equal rights men began to feel threatened. Men began to be dislodged from their traditional job preserves. As women who used to be the traditional home-makers went to work, mothers were not at home to receive their children when they came home from school. Latchkey kids became prey to abuse and neglect. New opportunities and freedom, greater mobility, privacy, and access to money led to unforeseen stress and tension. New relationships and alliances forged often at work or social gatherings led to extra-marital affairs, divorces, and family break-downs. Chaos, conflicts, and confusion abounded. The gap between the mighty filthy rich and the weak dirt poor widened. Earth's resources have not been fairly distributed. Hoarding, exploitation, and corruption are rampant. With more opportunities and options, life can become better or worse depending on the choices we make. With material prosperity the quality of life needs not necessarily improve. The fast developing nations in a globalized economy marked by explosion of technology and information need to keep in mind that modernization is not westernization. They need to keep their good traditions and values while assimilating the best from the west. Going after money and material prosperity neglecting the spirit and the mind is still the scenario in the world stage at large. The overall wealth of the world has considerably increased at the expense of future generations and ecological degradation, but the distribution of that wealth has been abysmally poor. On the dimension of the economic factor related to the status of the world a negative point is scored.