4 ms·

We may be wealthier materially overall, but we're poorer mentally and socially. TANSTAAFL. And as others have pointed out, a higher aggregate level of wealth hi

• SR2Z 2y ago
  > we're poorer mentally and socially. Do you actually think that there was less mental illness in the past? Because I find that extremely unlikely. My parents' (gen X) generation is LOUSY with depressed, anxious people who don't believe in medication, therapy, or really even the existence of many forms of mental illness. They had more serious problems to contend with - political instability, unemployment, etc., etc. and so they bottled their feelings up and did the needful. Human beings are evolved to survive on the edge, in situations where our performance is the difference between their families' survival or starvation. Even 50 years ago, food was more expensive and work was harder on our bodies and minds - people getting depressed about writing code, frequently at less than 40hr weeks, have nothing on office workers of the 70s. Calories and entertainment keep getting cheaper, which means anxiety and depression keep getting more maladaptive.
  • sydbarrett74 2y ago
    When there's an epidemic of attempted/successful suicides amongst teenagers, much of it driven by social media, we are absolutely sicker mentally than in times past.