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One interesting thing I've noticed in my life is that everyone that I've known personally preferred their early life and thinks the world is getting worse. Fro

One interesting thing I've noticed in my life is that everyone that I've known personally preferred their early life and thinks the world is getting worse. From my great grandparents to me today. And each have their reasons, which sound valid, but probably have a bit of rose colored glasses and yearning for youth attached. So is it that people prefer the world they are born into and hate change, or is life for an average person getting worse in some less tangible respects? Is fondly remembering the family bonding over radio broadcasts worth more than being able to afford every member of the family having their own TV, for example? It seems hard to judge. We often define 'best it's ever been' by the poor being able to afford iPhones and the marginalized having more rights, which are both valid points. But is it better for the majority common person? Are there people who are constantly in awe of how great things are, or are we doomed to miss what we had as kids and focus on the negative? Because I find myself falling into that trap often. One thing that sticks in my head is that as a kid, my dad worked for a soda company and my neighbor worked for Lowes. Neither wife worked, both had 3 kids, and could afford a house and 2 cars. That seems like a fairy tale to young people today.

varjag 2y ago
There is familiarity aspect for sure but also that living conditions don't change that dramatically over human lifespan. Life two generations ago was different but not so terribly different as to be uncomfortable to a modern human. However getting used to lifestyles of some centuries ago, let alone back to neolithic would be substantial complication.
verisimi 2y ago
The presentation of reality is always worsening, and now there are more means to present than ever. And people are experiencing reality through screens more than ever. But if you turn off the screens, the physical reality hasn't really changed that much. There is some horrible architecture inflicted on us, but then parks and streets are nice/cleaner than in my youth. PS I do agree that the social pressures are worse, with both parents encouraged/needing to work.
- mandmandam 2y ago
  > the physical reality hasn't really changed that much It sure has. We've lost a significant proportion of the other species on earth in the span of a few decades. For just one example of many, "69% decline in vertebrate populations globally since 1970." (WWF Living Planet Report, 2022 [0]) The current extinction rate is 100 to 1,000 times the natural background rate. Half of all coral reefs have died since 1950, and entire marine food chains are collapsing. There's been a 75% decline in flying insect biomass in parts of Europe over 30 years (Krefeld Study, 2017). 1 in 6 bee species have gone regionally extinct. 1.3 million sq km of forest have been destroyed since 1990; the size of South Africa. Now Trump is talking about logging National Parks and cutting down a California sized amount of trees. 96% of all mammal biomass on Earth today is humans and livestock. I could go on, but, I think the point is made. 0 - https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/69-average-decline-in-wildlife-populations-since-1970-says-new-wwf-report https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/69-average-decl...

varjag 2y ago

There is familiarity aspect for sure but also that living conditions don't change that dramatically over human lifespan. Life two generations ago was different but not so terribly different as to be uncomfortable to a modern human. However getting used to lifestyles of some centuries ago, let alone back to neolithic would be substantial complication.

verisimi 2y ago

The presentation of reality is always worsening, and now there are more means to present than ever. And people are experiencing reality through screens more than ever. But if you turn off the screens, the physical reality hasn't really changed that much. There is some horrible architecture inflicted on us, but then parks and streets are nice/cleaner than in my youth. PS I do agree that the social pressures are worse, with both parents encouraged/needing to work.

mandmandam 2y ago
> the physical reality hasn't really changed that much It sure has. We've lost a significant proportion of the other species on earth in the span of a few decades. For just one example of many, "69% decline in vertebrate populations globally since 1970." (WWF Living Planet Report, 2022 [0]) The current extinction rate is 100 to 1,000 times the natural background rate. Half of all coral reefs have died since 1950, and entire marine food chains are collapsing. There's been a 75% decline in flying insect biomass in parts of Europe over 30 years (Krefeld Study, 2017). 1 in 6 bee species have gone regionally extinct. 1.3 million sq km of forest have been destroyed since 1990; the size of South Africa. Now Trump is talking about logging National Parks and cutting down a California sized amount of trees. 96% of all mammal biomass on Earth today is humans and livestock. I could go on, but, I think the point is made. 0 - https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/69-average-decline-in-wildlife-populations-since-1970-says-new-wwf-report https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/69-average-decl...