3 ms·

Was the water cold? Filtered well? Yes, food and drink was probably better for them, because technology related to those can be replaced by manpower. For air c

Was the water cold? Filtered well? Yes, food and drink was probably better for them, because technology related to those can be replaced by manpower. For air conditioning, healthcare, lighting, or travel they had problems. > How do you get your water? I takes me a few seconds to get cold, pure water from my fridge. The bigger benefit of running water I think is hygiene. I doubt they would have a hot shower. A hot bath would be possible for the king, but not other people. A lot of the servants would probably stink, and the toilets were holes in the side of the castle that went into the street. I think it smelled quite bad.

DarylZero 5y ago
Hot baths without running water were available to ordinary people. They would boil water on a stove and put it into the bathtub. The big problem with your argument here is that it's special pleading. You just focus on some technologies that weren't available then. You don't even make an attempt to show that these very few specific things somehow dominate "lifestyle." I think having full service everything, and no labor obligations, including architects who can build buildings (and know how to make them be cool in summer!) is very much more important to characterizing lifestyle than any specific technology.
- Thorrez 5y ago
  >Hot baths without running water were available to ordinary people. Everyone once in a while, yes, but not for everyday people.[1] >"lifestyle." You're right, it does depend on the definition of lifestyle. Some people consider travel to be central to a fancy lifestyle, and that would be hard in the past. >no labor obligations Most people on HN likely have no physical labor obligations from employment. We have cushy programming jobs, and many can afford to eat out/order delivery every day and hire a cleaning and laundry service. I can get anywhere nearby in a fast and comfy car, not having to deal with a slow, bumpy, drafty, horse-smelling carriage. I don't even have to walk up stairs, I can take an elevator. The king has the responsibility of running a kingdom. That sounds pretty stressful to me, much more so that my programming job. [1] https://www.quora.com/How-often-did-people-in-the-Middle-Ages-bathe https://www.quora.com/How-often-did-people-in-the-Middle-Age...
  - DarylZero 5y ago
    The grapes are sour.

DarylZero 5y ago

Hot baths without running water were available to ordinary people. They would boil water on a stove and put it into the bathtub. The big problem with your argument here is that it's special pleading. You just focus on some technologies that weren't available then. You don't even make an attempt to show that these very few specific things somehow dominate "lifestyle." I think having full service everything, and no labor obligations, including architects who can build buildings (and know how to make them be cool in summer!) is very much more important to characterizing lifestyle than any specific technology.

Thorrez 5y ago
>Hot baths without running water were available to ordinary people. Everyone once in a while, yes, but not for everyday people.[1] >"lifestyle." You're right, it does depend on the definition of lifestyle. Some people consider travel to be central to a fancy lifestyle, and that would be hard in the past. >no labor obligations Most people on HN likely have no physical labor obligations from employment. We have cushy programming jobs, and many can afford to eat out/order delivery every day and hire a cleaning and laundry service. I can get anywhere nearby in a fast and comfy car, not having to deal with a slow, bumpy, drafty, horse-smelling carriage. I don't even have to walk up stairs, I can take an elevator. The king has the responsibility of running a kingdom. That sounds pretty stressful to me, much more so that my programming job. [1] https://www.quora.com/How-often-did-people-in-the-Middle-Ages-bathe https://www.quora.com/How-often-did-people-in-the-Middle-Age...
- DarylZero 5y ago
  The grapes are sour.