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If it makes you feel better, by almost every metric the vast majority of humanity is living the best they have in all of human history. If you live in the west

If it makes you feel better, by almost every metric the vast majority of humanity is living the best they have in all of human history. If you live in the west it’s even better because we haven’t had any local wars in nearly 80 years. I think a lot of people need to study history a bit more to understand how great things are now for most of the global population.

kjsbfkjbf 7y ago
Great if you ignore the exported suffering and rape of the Earth.
adrianN 7y ago
It's always best just before the party is over, right?
- malvosenior 7y ago
  No?
imtringued 7y ago
The problem is that it won't be great for much longer.
- malvosenior 7y ago
  There are no signs that technological progress is slowing (the driving factor behind our success).
toofy 7y ago
I definitely agree with you that things are better than they’ve ever been. However, much of that security, it hinges on a delusion that this security will go away if we address climate change, which is of course mostly untrue. If we address this soon, it’s a matter of scaling back on a few luxuries while keeping other luxuries and the basics which keep us healthy and fed. One example of many, how many suburban homes in the US touch much of their space more than once or twice a year? How many have multiple completely unused heated and air conditioned bedrooms? How much of suburban home’s storage is used by stuff which is bought and never gets touched again? My house currently, about 2/3rds of the space is rarely touched, the storage in the garage and closets is full (organized, i’m not a hoarder lol) but full of projects and stuff which was bought because it seemed like a fun idea at the store, and all of that space is heated and cooled all year long. The thought processes which go into the type of “need” for this much wasted space is just a norm readjustment which on a fundamental level mostly won’t impact our daily safety issues and still allow actual important luxuries. If we wait, well, that’s when difficult decisions will have to be made, many of which will greatly impact fundamental life changes.
kiliantics 7y ago
Great so let's just forget any of what the parent commenter just said... This Steven Pinker/Bill Gates cheerleeding nonsense is such a distraction. We need more anger and frustration to be stoked against those in power, not some kind of pacifying bullshit about how amazing all our technological gadgets have made our lives. It won't be worth anything once all the above starts happening. And for some people, this apocalypse has already begun.

kjsbfkjbf 7y ago

Great if you ignore the exported suffering and rape of the Earth.

adrianN 7y ago

It's always best just before the party is over, right?

malvosenior 7y ago
No?

imtringued 7y ago

The problem is that it won't be great for much longer.

malvosenior 7y ago
There are no signs that technological progress is slowing (the driving factor behind our success).

toofy 7y ago

I definitely agree with you that things are better than they’ve ever been. However, much of that security, it hinges on a delusion that this security will go away if we address climate change, which is of course mostly untrue. If we address this soon, it’s a matter of scaling back on a few luxuries while keeping other luxuries and the basics which keep us healthy and fed. One example of many, how many suburban homes in the US touch much of their space more than once or twice a year? How many have multiple completely unused heated and air conditioned bedrooms? How much of suburban home’s storage is used by stuff which is bought and never gets touched again? My house currently, about 2/3rds of the space is rarely touched, the storage in the garage and closets is full (organized, i’m not a hoarder lol) but full of projects and stuff which was bought because it seemed like a fun idea at the store, and all of that space is heated and cooled all year long. The thought processes which go into the type of “need” for this much wasted space is just a norm readjustment which on a fundamental level mostly won’t impact our daily safety issues and still allow actual important luxuries. If we wait, well, that’s when difficult decisions will have to be made, many of which will greatly impact fundamental life changes.

kiliantics 7y ago

Great so let's just forget any of what the parent commenter just said... This Steven Pinker/Bill Gates cheerleeding nonsense is such a distraction. We need more anger and frustration to be stoked against those in power, not some kind of pacifying bullshit about how amazing all our technological gadgets have made our lives. It won't be worth anything once all the above starts happening. And for some people, this apocalypse has already begun.