NO ONE HAS IT HARDER THAN THEIR FATHER DID:

So why aren't we more excited about the future and the new wonders that await us there?

Because human beings are born complainers. Negative emotions are much more powerful and longer lasting than positive ones. That's just the way we're wired. It only took the Hebrews a few days to begin complaining to Moses about the food in the desert after they had been liberated from Egyptian slavery. As a species, we're never satisfied.

But the truth is if you are living today, you are the beneficiary of countless life enhancements.  And not just in developed countries - almost everywhere.

Consider the following global statistics:

Between 1950 and 2020, the average inflation-adjusted income per person rose over 400%. We also live longer, with the average life expectancy rising from 51 years in 1960 to 73 years in 2019 or by 43%. And we are better fed. The daily supply of calories rose from about 2,000 calories in 1961 to about 3,000 calories in 2018. That's growth of 34%. Astonishingly, a recent study from Africa noted that obesity is increasing in urban areas.

Worried about the environment? There's plenty of good news there, too.

We are also safer from natural catastrophes, including earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms, wildfires and landslides. Mortality rates from those disasters fell by almost 99% over the last century. 

Also, the world is greening, with the global tree canopy cover increasing by an area greater than Alaska and Montana combined between 1982 and 2016.

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