Do we live in the best times ever?

Discussion in 'Economics' started by Debaser82, Mar 3, 2011.

  1. Lets look past the gloom and doom for just a second and really put things in perspective.

    I bet if ancient Kings, emperors or Farao's would visit any random family in Suburbia today they would be in awe of the luxury we bathe in.

    You don't even have to go that far back to realise the level of wealth and progress we have at our disposal today is astonishing.

    My grandfather 70 years ago had to ride the bike 30 miles to buy butter! If they had any! This was in a country that ranked among the 5 wealthiest at that time.

    Conventional wisdom today dictates countries like Ireland or Spain being totally in the crapper and doomed for ever when in fact they were still ruled by dictators or near 3th world poverty just a few decades ago.

    How quick we are to lose perspective no...


    Ofcourse as material wealth rose we probably payed somewhat of a price giving up spiritual wealth (unhappyness, family ties, etc...).

    If it was worth it giving up those I guess depends on each individual's assesment but here as well look at it on the bright side.

    Should our economic slump continue it might bring about some spiritual healing as well.
     
  2. zdreg

    zdreg

  3. Yes , you should give thanks to your mom and dad every day.
     
  4. 20081013

    20081013

    i think this is a best times . at lesst i can talk with you,don't you think this is an intersting thing?
    my english is poor,i'm sorry.
     
  5. Locutus

    Locutus

    I read an article on that once (forgot by whom and where unfortunately or I'd link it) but the gist of it was that for the best times ever you need a) sense of directionality/progress at the time and b) compares favorably to prior ages

    for A) the 2000-2010 decade is pretty much horrible. Nothing much happened except for "social media" but to claim that this has really revolutionized much would be inaccurate compared to inventions of motorized transportation, the internet (in itself without web 2.0 which was well underway prior to 2000 as we witnessed), there are no major health breakthroughs, no major science breakthroughs (major as in applicable, I think applicability of recent discovery may come in 2020-2030).

    For B) 2000-2010 also scores not well. Those who lived in any period from 1900-1960(ish) would be amazed at the prosperity period in 1970(ish)-1990. Those from 1970-1990 may be somewhat impressed by the 90's, but not as much comparatively.

    Of course you have to assume an immediate transition from point A to point B, because change happens gradually and people during a time tend to accept it as normal/unremarkble.

    Edit: My main point is that not very much real progress has been made for the last 50 years but that things are definitely better than 60 years ago.