Are we better off or worse off today than in the past? How so, when and why?
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,671
I'm stealing this idea from a couple of other threads since the topic has come up a few times.
The question is: In general, are we better off than we were since (just to narrow it down further than 10's of thousands of years or 4,000 years if you're a Biblical literalist) any time in the last 100 years or so? When and how were things worse or better?
The question is: In general, are we better off than we were since (just to narrow it down further than 10's of thousands of years or 4,000 years if you're a Biblical literalist) any time in the last 100 years or so? When and how were things worse or better?
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
0
Comments
-
The old anthropicprinciple.0
-
Off the top of my head
Better: medical care, sanitation, nutrition (though perhaps arguable with the level of obesity and sugar content in food), education, women's rights, gay and lesbian rights
Worse: Proliferation of nuclear weapons and general weapons of mass destruction, loss of languages, rise in tensions between the 'West' and the Islamic nations, loss of innocence as children grow up way too fast, drug problems, homelessness
Technology I see as both a positive and a negative. It connects and isolates us at the same time0 -
Biocentric views are more than welcome, of course!PJfanwillneverleave1 said:The old anthropicprinciple.
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
are you talking about personally or as a species?"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
How is "we" defined?
And really, why limit the past to a specific timeline?
Might give a skewed view / response.
0 -
I roughly went based on now vs 100 years agohedonist said:How is "we" defined?
And really, why limit the past to a specific timeline?
Might give a skewed view / response.0 -
I
Hi, Jenny.jnimhaoileoin said:
I roughly went based on now vs 100 years agohedonist said:How is "we" defined?
And really, why limit the past to a specific timeline?
Might give a skewed view / response.
Again, the "we" factor plays a part. Overall we as humans, or inhabitants, or what? Or we as individuals?
I thought of now vs. when I was a kid.
Now vs. when I was 15.
Now vs. 15 years ago, just pre-9/11.
Post, too.
I wonder if better or worse isn't so cut-and-dried. Actually, I know it isn't. (edited, ironically, to add a fucking period back there) Colors and shades always present themselves, in the best and awful of our personal and overall eras. Even the mundane.
Really agree with the last part of your post a bit further up.
And gimme, ha! Nice we can be on the same wavelength at times.
Post edited by hedonist on0 -
for the underlined....what? were you not alive during the cold war when both the US and Russia had nuclear warheads aimed at each other and had the capability to blow each other off the face of the map? there are way less nuclear weapons today than during the cold war. not close.jnimhaoileoin said:Off the top of my head
Better: medical care, sanitation, nutrition (though perhaps arguable with the level of obesity and sugar content in food), education, women's rights, gay and lesbian rights
Worse: Proliferation of nuclear weapons and general weapons of mass destruction, loss of languages, rise in tensions between the 'West' and the Islamic nations, loss of innocence as children grow up way too fast, drug problems, homelessness
Technology I see as both a positive and a negative. It connects and isolates us at the same time0 -
russia had nukes 90 miles from the us in cuba. that was the closest we have ever come to nuclear war. i thank buddha that jfk was in power then. could you imagine if it were a hothead like lbj, nixon, or trump?pjhawks said:
for the underlined....what? were you not alive during the cold war when both the US and Russia had nuclear warheads aimed at each other and had the capability to blow each other off the face of the map? there are way less nuclear weapons today than during the cold war. not close.jnimhaoileoin said:Off the top of my head
Better: medical care, sanitation, nutrition (though perhaps arguable with the level of obesity and sugar content in food), education, women's rights, gay and lesbian rights
Worse: Proliferation of nuclear weapons and general weapons of mass destruction, loss of languages, rise in tensions between the 'West' and the Islamic nations, loss of innocence as children grow up way too fast, drug problems, homelessness
Technology I see as both a positive and a negative. It connects and isolates us at the same time"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
Good question. As a species or civilization or nation.gimmesometruth27 said:are you talking about personally or as a species?
Personally-wise, you're always cool gimme, so that doesn't count!"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
i don't think i could speak for the whole of the human race. some people still live under some pretty brutal regimes in some brutal conditions.brianlux said:
Good question. As a species or civilization or nation.gimmesometruth27 said:are you talking about personally or as a species?
Personally-wise, you're always cool gimme, so that doesn't count!
we aren't perfect. far from it. but i think in general most people in our society are better off than they would have been 50 years ago. we have made some great scientific advances. there is less poverty. medicine is better. live expectancy is better. there is less pollution. we still have way too much religion involved in our cultures and our governments though. i don't think the human race can ever fully move forward until they stop following a book about an invisible man and a ghost that tells them how to live when they can't make those decisions for themselves."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
Hmmm. Not sure we should let you off that easy, haha.hedonist said:
Seriously, do you think society, our species, or even just your country is better off or worse off? I'm leaving it open because what prompted this were comments elsewhere (that were also a bit vague) about how we are better off or worse off than we used to be.
That make the question a bit easier if you chose your own parameters. How about the greater Los Angles basin. Are things better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Hedo aren't you in Canada???brianlux said:
Hmmm. Not sure we should let you off that easy, haha.hedonist said:
Seriously, do you think society, our species, or even just your country is better off or worse off? I'm leaving it open because what prompted this were comments elsewhere (that were also a bit vague) about how we are better off or worse off than we used to be.
That make the question a bit easier if you chose your own parameters. How about the greater Los Angles basin. Are things better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?0 -
i think the answer depends on who you ask.
if i asked someone from rwanda in the 1990s if they are better off now they would probably say that they were.
if i asked a palestinian living in occupied territory they would probably say they aren't.
everyone has their own experience and their own perspective. unfortunately none of us were around 100 years ago to be able to tell.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
Well, my initial response came from the heart and with sincerity, so no haha's needed...nor letting me off "easy".brianlux said:
Hmmm. Not sure we should let you off that easy, haha.hedonist said:
Seriously, do you think society, our species, or even just your country is better off or worse off? I'm leaving it open because what prompted this were comments elsewhere (that were also a bit vague) about how we are better off or worse off than we used to be.
That make the question a bit easier if you chose your own parameters. How about the greater Los Angles basin. Are things better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?
Damn.. I commented honestly earlier up there. Cool to request clarification, no? And maybe see things differently?
Different doesn't mean heads butting. Maybe people can learn from each other.
You're asking now about society, species, country, my parameters (my little mind didn't need easier questions, just clarification).
Each bear a different answer, so I can't give one sweeping response to all of this.
As to being better off. Personally, yeah! And have worked for it, in work and in life and in living.
And in that, I can pass some of that on, of my own accord.
0 -
Jenny, I am a native Angelino.jnimhaoileoin said:
Hedo aren't you in Canada???brianlux said:
Hmmm. Not sure we should let you off that easy, haha.hedonist said:
Seriously, do you think society, our species, or even just your country is better off or worse off? I'm leaving it open because what prompted this were comments elsewhere (that were also a bit vague) about how we are better off or worse off than we used to be.
That make the question a bit easier if you chose your own parameters. How about the greater Los Angles basin. Are things better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?
Angelina?
Bottom line, born, raised and living in Los Angeles
0 -
Here’s my take. For what it’s worth (got a dime?):
I think the world as a whole, both civilization and life in general on the planet, are generally worse off than 50 years ago (I like that number) yet with greater potential for it all to be much better than at any point in time in history since the dawn of agriculture (Everything pre-agriculture was totally natural which is my definition of nirvana).
We are worse off because we are seeing more frequent wars and greater instability OK,
Bay of Pigs was bad but short lived and the cold war is basically still going on).
There is an increase in violent incidences, particularly with regard to terrorist acts).
There have been break outs of disease in the form of epidemics but our over-use of antibiotics presents us with a strong threat of pandemic.
Humans have changed the climate of the planet by using the atmosphere to dump far too much carbon (starting with the Industrial Revolution and moving forward).
Our population is still rapidly increasing starting at 2.6 billion people 65 years ago to 7.4 billion today to (projected) 9.7 billion to (projected) 11.2 billion in 2100.
Species loss due to human interference (particularly habitat loss) is increasing and is man, many times greater than pre Industrial Revolution times.
Pollution and radiation and mocro-waves are ubiquitous and increasing.
And yet we possess great potential for so much good. The internet gives us access to great amounts of information. Biodiversity is researched at amazing speed today and understanding diversity is a key so slowing species loss. Education is spreading around the world. Communication is easier and faster. Medical advances are increasing. Technology, which has caused many of the problems, also holds many of the answers.
I think we have great hope if we choose to move in that direction.
"It's a sad and beautiful world"-Roberto Benigni0 -
Why on earth was it so fixed in my mind that you're Canadian?hedonist said:
Jenny, I am a native Angelino.jnimhaoileoin said:
Hedo aren't you in Canada???brianlux said:
Hmmm. Not sure we should let you off that easy, haha.hedonist said:
Seriously, do you think society, our species, or even just your country is better off or worse off? I'm leaving it open because what prompted this were comments elsewhere (that were also a bit vague) about how we are better off or worse off than we used to be.
That make the question a bit easier if you chose your own parameters. How about the greater Los Angles basin. Are things better now than they were 10 or 20 years ago?
Angelina?
Bottom line, born, raised and living in Los Angeles
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 148.9K Pearl Jam's Music and Activism
- 110.1K The Porch
- 275 Vitalogy
- 35.1K Given To Fly (live)
- 3.5K Words and Music...Communication
- 39.2K Flea Market
- 39.2K Lost Dogs
- 58.7K Not Pearl Jam's Music
- 10.6K Musicians and Gearheads
- 29.1K Other Music
- 17.8K Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
- 1.1K The Art Wall
- 56.8K Non-Pearl Jam Discussion
- 22.2K A Moving Train
- 31.7K All Encompassing Trip
- 2.9K Technical Stuff and Help