My Second Video

Ok, this is what i've been working on lately... took me long enough, i know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D952Jh1PSY

Ok, well... enjoy?

Nicely done.

As to my answer, I think our quality of life is much, much better. Our attitude, as a culture, however, is worse.

Thanks for the video.

Not a problem Joe, glad to make them

I think quality of life isnt getting better, just the length of it

Its hard to believe, but it really *wasn't* that long ago that there was no running water, sewage ran freely in the streets, and a trip abroad meant weeks or months travelling by boat. Refridgerators were called "iceboxes" because you had to keep filling them with ice.

This was less than 100 years ago and at the rate we're going YOU will probably live & be active to 90- 100 years old. Imagine all the things that will have come about by then to make your life even easier.

I grew up (as much as I did, anyway) in the 80's. I remember (and owned) Pong and Atari, cable was brand new and had an unbelievable 40 channels (although the "remote" was the size of a toaster and connected by a cable to the tv), microwaves rolled out and you could heat food on the plate! Oh, oh and VCR's!

We, as a culture, have more & better than ever before, IMO.

We, as a people, (inc. me) don't do dick "money" with it.

Sorry. Back to Tdubs sweet, sweet behind

That is true! Over the last few centuries, we've gone from people living short, brutal lives, where most of their kids were likely to die before becoming adults, you did back breaking work from sun rise to sun set, were lucky to live to be in your 40s, had few rights, and you pretty much focused on trying to make sure you had enough to eat.

There are problems, some very serious problems today, and will be in our future, as well as parts of the Earth still being centers of violence, starvation and disease, but even the poorest people in the Western world are rich compared to the vast majority of people throughout history.

I would freak if I had to give up my computer and internet! But, I think of that, buying music, movies, my truck, etc., and though I'm nowhere near rich, when it comes right down to it, I should only need a bit of shelter, enough food to survive on and a lot less material stuff in my life. If we all lived as simply as we could, we would have far less impact on the Earth and none of us would have a problem supporting ourselves, even on the lowest wages, but we tend to think of quality of life going beyond the necessities, and including the luxuries- where every generation wants more t.v. channels, bigger homes, more toys.

I'm not big on big houses, expensive cars, etc., but I can't help but lust after a nice computer, or some wonderful new electronic toy. I guess it's just human nature to have a desire for new shiny things!

And even though we have more than ever before in history, there is more depression and mental problems than ever before.

I grew up gay in the 80's fer Christ's sake and I consider myself lucky compared to anyone growing up today. It never once occured to me that someone might bring guns and bombs to school or that I might need to be on prescriptions because I was unhappy for 2 weeks. Girls didn't starve themselves or compulsively vomit to get stick thin. and then get breast implants. Guys weren't on Steriods to bulk up.

Too much today of equating different with undesirable or DEMANDING the "right" to be happy, no, ecstatic at all times!

Ugh.

Oh, God, I think I really am old.

Of course, today's generation of kids will grow up and complain about how things were better in their day too. But I do think one bad thing about our "progress", despite much that is good, is that families used to remain in the same area- the idea of shipping the old folks off to a home was unthinkable, people ate what they grew and raised, kids played outside and used their imaginations, etc.

Going camping with my nieces and nephews, they take their gameboys and continue playing with them instead of actually playing in the woods, kayaking on the lake, etc.! They get more toys in a year than I got in my entire childhood, yet it's never enough and they feel sorry for themselves for not having even more!

Determining how well off you are is definitely a relative thing, kind of like the glass half empty/half full. Some people who have very little are grateful for what they have, while some people who have too much still want more.

Perhaps in simpler times, when you didn't have time to think about what you didn't have, or worry about your appearance, etc., you were less likely to be depressed, where today, kids have to compare themselves, not to a small group of peers, but to everyone on t.v., who happen to have perfect looks, and lots of stuff...

Great post, Rog.

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So, overall, are we better or worse now a days?

Overall, I'd definitely say better off. Kids across America have access to schools that offer them the opportunity to do well in life- even if some schools are far better than others. If a kid doesn't have parental support and doesn't have the will power to study hard, then they can still fail, but old Abe Lincoln had to study by candle light, and kids only a hundred years ago often had to go to work in the fields or factories at something like 8 years old.

So, I'd say that in the Western world, anyone who truly puts effort into making a better life for themselves will succeed- perhaps not becoming wealthy, but they can make a very good life. That wasn't something most people could even dream of in the past.