Comment on Were people happier in the past?
susi7802@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
I’m old and have studied history extensively. Life on our planet has improved. Life expectancy is way up, hunger, slavery, discrimination much less - multiple studies show this. We are on the brink of a world war. In 10,20 years from now, you will think about today as the happy times - make a note of it.
jj4211@lemmy.world 1 week ago
He mentions creating more problems than we’ve solved, which like you I disagree, but on the other hand he asked if the world was, presumably on average, “happier”.
I think that could be a tougher call. On the one hand, the average life experience is by any rational consideration better now, but as communication has advanced now everyone gets to know about the most miserable news that they would have previously been completely oblivious to.
So while atrocities always were happening, 50 miles away people would have no idea. Now any such event on the other side of the world has instant awareness.
So we get exposed to harsh realities constantly and if we have any shred of empathy we get burdened with that. Those realities may be smaller compared to the population than before, but their emotional impact is far broader.
susi7802@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
You’ve got a point there.