How about you start by venturing yours ?!  ;-))

I think the question is very interesting, too;

but - honestly - for myself I can't say there's any world event that could change my perspective on life.

I'm also a very sarcastic person, so, I believe firmly in the dark, evil side of people. Can't say that any bad thing in the news can shock me.

It's my personal experiences or those of my closest friends and family, that may alter my perspective.

Changing your perspective on life is something rather profound, so, to change that there would have to be a big event. Really, really big.

I also think that the possibility of your perspective on life can be changed diminishes with age, experience. Since all glocal members must be at least 23 years of age, and most of them are expats, have therefore already a rather larger then average life experience, I wouldn't expect many different answers.

But, again, I agree, the question itseld is very interesting and can start a discussion to fill an evening and more, if people take it serious.

The attacks of 09/11 and the events that followed.I lost all faith in politics and the rule of law.

I lost my political innocence and followed current affairs with far less interest.

I pretty much agree with what Dominik stated and I cannot think of one major event that influenced my perspective on life, however, the Madoff case together with the Kerviel case, the Subprime crisis and the current European crisis have undoubtedly increased my awareness of the fragility, the instability and constant change of our world.

Real change of perspective on life rather comes through personal experiences and reflections. For the last ten years, I have been the same person, yet I feel I have very much evolved. My political views have evolved also. I now tend to expect more responsibility from myself and from others, ie. stop blaming fate, God, the state and the neighbours for all our misfortunes... there is always a way to react positively... each of us can be our own hero... this vision decreased my fears, increased my sense of power and freedom... there is definitely a positive effect from time and getting older

Knowing that US goverment is paid for private companys in order to vote for wherever works best for them.

The housing/banking crisis and the fall-out that followed. I lost my job just as I was moving to Geneva. Now I'm doing a PhD and preparing to become a business school teacher, something that would never have happened if I'd have kept my job.

I don't have a big world event, but a micro personal event that changed my perspective: a guy who works with me died in a car crash last year. One minute he was happy and kicking and making plans for the next 10 years, the next minute he was gone. Was a brutal reminder of how fragile life is, and how fast it can end / change. 

Man makes plans, and God laughs. 

The subprime mortgage crisis changed my perspective on a range of sophisticated derivatives and structured products, the Rating Agencies and revealed the autonomy of the financial markets to me.

The situation of the Eurozone, changed my view on the security of entire countries: Some years ago we learnt that developed economies could never become bancrupt as their governments would simply raise taxes.

EU leaders have no prescription to agree a comprehensive deal that might draw a line under the crisis and there is no more garantee for a stabilisation of the global economy.

Hey - life was so straightforward in the past: Kohl and Mitterand were friends, the axis of the evil could be destroyed and UBS had international clients

My own birth. Still a relatively recent event on the scale of History

ha ha - that's a nice one, Free!

Mine too! I was so shocked i started crying!

We cry because we're born naked, wet, cold and hungry.

But then things get worse!

you forgot that coming from an aquatic environment it's the first time air gets in our lungs

...and that aquatic apartment complex had no windows & NO INTERNET! Quelle horreur! 

dull but not too bad....

...but it has a belly button through wich the baby can peek at the world.

Rena was asking for a recent event, though.

Not much of an eye opener, but more of a confirmation of previously held convictions: the sorry spectacle that is the UN Security Council in light of the continuing slaughter in Syria.