Why can’t we see that we’re living in a golden age?

http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/08/why-cant-we-see-that-were-living-in-a-golden-age/

by treigerm • 10 years ago

3 3 10 years ago

spectator.co.uk

WalterSear• 10 years ago

Because, while overall, humanity quality of life is improving in leaps and bounds, for most people on hacker news, and especially for their non-tech middle class friends and family in Europe and the US, it has gotten decidely worse over the last ten years and shows no signs of stopping.

http://humanprogress.org/system/cms/files/files/000/000/241/...

dmfdmf• 10 years ago

Clay Shirky's article "Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable" explains one reason; we are still in the middle of the greatest social and political disruption and revolution since the invention of the printing press.

http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking...

endswapper• 10 years ago

I find this interesting as it is an ongoing conversation with one of my closest friends. I don't think we see that we are living in a golden age because of ego.

This is always touchy when it comes up, but he seems to validate my opinion, time, and time again. From the time that we were kids (he's 40 now, and I'm getting close), he couldn't help but size himself up against some external measure. He did it with jobs, women, cars, homes...The things that are/were important to him.

The data for comparison is more available than ever and as a society we tend to accept if not celebrate gratuitous demonstrations of wealth. I think that when we are focused internally, on our own egos, on our individual place in the world relative to anyone else it easy to see it as unfair. As in, "why don't I have 'x,' I deserve it..."

But as Marcellus Wallace said, "That's pride fucking with you."

If you think about the advancements we have made, and not just through innovation and technology, we truly do live in a golden age. We are all better off than previous generations. The way we think about tolerance, diversity and inclusion continues to progress. All of this eases human suffering and generally improves our quality of life.

It's not perfect, far from it, and I'm not saying that. We have a lot of work to do. However, undervaluing the broad benefits puts them at risk.

Focusing on the value of our individual contributions to the greater, collective good changes our perspective and our internal dialogue.

Why can’t we see that we’re living in a golden age?

Related Stories