4 ms·

This trope is so tired. Yes, I live better than a medieval peasant, and I have access to more computing power than ever. Yet, the standard of living across my e

by benched 13y ago

This trope is so tired. Yes, I live better than a medieval peasant, and I have access to more computing power than ever. Yet, the standard of living across my entire family and most people I know is blatantly lower, in terms of human basics like housing and togetherness, than in my grandparents time, despite the fact that my grandparents were factory workers without even high school educations, and I am an experienced software engineer.

coldtea 13y ago
I think we are in agreement! I only gave the example to say that what's basic is relative (compared to current standards), so saying that a trailer-park person has more access to more things than a peasant doesn't mean anything.
- kbolino 13y ago
  If living better than a medieval peasant doesn't mean anything, then why do so few people want to live like medieval peasants?
  - coldtea 13y ago
    For one, because most people can not even point Canada on the map, much less know anything about the living conditions in the medieval age. In fact, most things people associate with the middle ages are either BS or happened at other times. Witch-huns and the Inquisition for example, are phenomena of the Renaissance, not of the middle ages. Even the Plague happened on the tail end of the middle ages entering into the Renaissance. Heck, even fewer know that the ratio of holidays (what we'd call bank holidays today) to work was extremely higher in the middle ages compared to today. Most homeless/coupon-living/trailer individuals would be much better off in the middle ages compared to today.
xrange 13y ago
Can we ask where you live? I wonder how local real-estate prices effect things. For example, I live in fly-over county in a $115,000, 1400 sq. ft. house on a large lot, while my brother-in-law lives in an 800 sq, ft. house on a tiny lot in Seattle that is apparently worth more than $400,000. I support my wife and 4 kids on one income, while he and his wife both work to support their two kids. So even though I make considerably less money, we have a lifestyle that is on par with the 1950's ideal.
twoodfin 13y ago
I think you have a rose-tinted view of the past. To take one example: I have much more togetherness with people in my family who would not be currently alive had they died of diseases with dramatically higher mortality rates 40 years ago.
Crito 13y ago
So... how many women do you know that have died in childbirth?
- coldtea 13y ago
  So, how does that matter in this discussion? And the 1500s people didn't knew many who died from car accidents or obesity either.
  - Crito 13y ago
    > So, how does that matter in this discussion? ...how does it not? Are you seriously attempting to make the case that automobile accidents and overabundance of food have made all of our other advancements a complete wash? That is delusional.

by benched 13y ago

coldtea 13y ago

I think we are in agreement! I only gave the example to say that what's basic is relative (compared to current standards), so saying that a trailer-park person has more access to more things than a peasant doesn't mean anything.

kbolino 13y ago
If living better than a medieval peasant doesn't mean anything, then why do so few people want to live like medieval peasants?
- coldtea 13y ago
  For one, because most people can not even point Canada on the map, much less know anything about the living conditions in the medieval age. In fact, most things people associate with the middle ages are either BS or happened at other times. Witch-huns and the Inquisition for example, are phenomena of the Renaissance, not of the middle ages. Even the Plague happened on the tail end of the middle ages entering into the Renaissance. Heck, even fewer know that the ratio of holidays (what we'd call bank holidays today) to work was extremely higher in the middle ages compared to today. Most homeless/coupon-living/trailer individuals would be much better off in the middle ages compared to today.

xrange 13y ago

Can we ask where you live? I wonder how local real-estate prices effect things. For example, I live in fly-over county in a $115,000, 1400 sq. ft. house on a large lot, while my brother-in-law lives in an 800 sq, ft. house on a tiny lot in Seattle that is apparently worth more than $400,000. I support my wife and 4 kids on one income, while he and his wife both work to support their two kids. So even though I make considerably less money, we have a lifestyle that is on par with the 1950's ideal.

twoodfin 13y ago

I think you have a rose-tinted view of the past. To take one example: I have much more togetherness with people in my family who would not be currently alive had they died of diseases with dramatically higher mortality rates 40 years ago.

Crito 13y ago

So... how many women do you know that have died in childbirth?

coldtea 13y ago
So, how does that matter in this discussion? And the 1500s people didn't knew many who died from car accidents or obesity either.
- Crito 13y ago
  > So, how does that matter in this discussion? ...how does it not? Are you seriously attempting to make the case that automobile accidents and overabundance of food have made all of our other advancements a complete wash? That is delusional.