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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: 40,709
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?
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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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
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Personally-wise, you're always cool gimme, so that doesn't count!
Also, any time might be interesting.
Guess I've supposedly contributed.
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.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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?
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.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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.
Angelina?
Bottom line, born, raised and living in Los Angeles
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.
We need a friendly / gentle-punch-in-the-arm emoticon thingie
(Kat and Sea, please get on this)
*edit - the Canadian reference was not lost on me! I think quite highly of my northern neighbors.
50 years ago? Yes
25 years ago? Yes.
10 years ago? Yes.
With the advances in technology, medicine, civil rights, and communication we are always better off than we were.
we will find a way, we will find our place
And there were no phones at concerts. We had lighters, lots of 'em. And fans actually lived in the moment.
One thing that is DEFINITELY better that the past: dental care. My dentist reminded me that 100 years ago the town blacksmith assisted the dentist because he was the only one strong enough to hold anybody while a tooth was being pulled. Ouch!!
This made me think of something my wife said the other day. It was after the Orlando shooting, and she was really trying to see the positive in people. While I ran into Trader Joe's, she waited in the car. In that short time, she saw strangers being nice to each other randomly: one person dropped their credit card and another person picked it up and chased them down to give it back, another stopped a runaway cart from hitting a parked car, and a third person was helping hold someone's hatch up when they loaded their groceries. These things weren't major, but it points out how when you intentionally shift your focus to the good, you end up seeing the good.