MEXICO.- The world is full of threats, of varying severity and types, but each country has its own set of priorities when it comes to preventing those that it feels are the greatest threats, so a new study published by Pew Research asked thousands of people in many countries what worries them the most, including Mexico. Five topics were polled: AIDS and other illnesses, nuclear weapons, the environment and contamination; economic inequality, religion, and ethnic discrimination.

According to the survey , in Mexico, nuclear weapons are considered the biggest threat facing the world, with twenty-six percent of those polled, tied with another 26% affirming that contamination was the greatest threat, followed by Economic Inequality at 19%, and AIDS and other illnesses coming in at 17%. It is worth noting that this survey was conducted prior to the Ebola outbreak.

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In Latin America the same is true, except with a little more emphasis on illnesses instead of inequality. Nuclear weapons are seen as the primary concern for the world, with twenty-six percent of Latin Americans responding so, while 25% responded that contamination and the environment are graver concerns.

Around 30% of Chileans chose the concern of nuclear weapons as the main concern, followed by Venezuelans at 29%, and Brazil at 28%. Colombians, Peruvians, and Nicaraguans said that environmental concerns are graver matters.

The U.S. and Europe have economic inequality on their minds

Concerns vary year after year, and this is especially so in western countries. While the United States used to be more worried about religious conflict and nuclear weapons, six years after the Great Recession, they are more worried about economic inequality.

Throughout the world, the concern over religious and ethnic conflict has increased.

Pew also found that, although it varies from country to country, between 2007 and 2014 the concern over religious and ethnic conflict increased in, especially in the Middle East. A total of 34% of that region indicated that this topic was the greatest concern, followed by nuclear weapons. Economic Inequality came in at third place, at 19 percent.

[p]What most countries are concerned about

Each country, and the topics that they selected as primary concerns are, without a doubt dependent on the local context, even though the question was ask from a global threat standpoint. As we can see in topics such as Spain, which is heavily concerned with economic inequality above all else. The same goes with Greece with economic inequality receiving 43% of the vote. In Lebanon, 58% of those polled said that religious and ethnic conflicts are the greatest problem, while Japan is more concerned with nuclear weapons at 49% of those polled. The topic of AIDS and other illnesses polled as the greatest threat in Uganda, with 44% of those polled.

Via "The Atlantic"

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