>> But yeah, I guess these are all tiny achievements! Compared to what my grandparents had seen between the time they were born and middle age, say 1920-1970,

>> But yeah, I guess these are all tiny achievements! Compared to what my grandparents had seen between the time they were born and middle age, say 1920-1970, yes, those are tiny achievements. You: Growth of the Internet, supercomputers that can fit in your pocket Them: Invention of FM radio, transistors, broadcast and cable TV, transcontinental phone cables, industrial robots, lasers, integrated circuits, hand held calculators, computers, internet, virtual reality, video games, PCs, liquid crystal displays, silicon solar panels, microwave ovens, nuclear fission You: treatment for HIV progress to the point where you can live a normal life with it, similar advances for many types of cancer Them: Vaccines for polio and measles, penicillin, antiviral drugs, insulin, organ transplants, smallpox almost eradicated, elimination of hookworm, oral contraceptives, artificial hearts, CPR, defibrillators. Life expectancy of 53 in 1920, 70 in 1970. 78 today, which is a decrease from 2015. Infant mortality of around 100 per 1000 in 1920 to 22 in 1970. 6 today. Plus no HIV. You: the ability to synthesize diamonds Them: Diamonds were first synthesized in 1954: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond You: electric cars that perform as well or better than gasoline cars, reliable airplanes Them: Liquid-fueled rockets, ballistic missiles, satellites, jet engines, supersonic aircraft, nuclear submarines along with mass ownership of automobiles. In 1970, there were four living people who had walked on the moon. Today, there are four living people who walked on the moon, the youngest one is 85. In addition, to all that you have the demographic changes. 30% of the population worked on farms in 1920, only 4% by 1970. 51% urban in 1920, 74% in 1970. High school graduation rate of 17% in 1920, 79% in 1970. Around 4% of the population had a college degree in 1920. To me, the changes in my lifetime do seem pretty minor in comparison.