Oddbean

I disagree every technological advancement to date has proven to be for an increase in human quality of life, this is my opinion. I’m not of the opinion of “back in the day” we had higher human quality. there’s never been a moment in time where humans have had access to education n resources like we do in todays day n age.

100% Never have so many humans escaped poverty, never has violence been so low, never has education been so available. We live in golden times. Oh and also never before have we had such good money :)

Sure, it will make life very easy. That's not good. Hardship is what helps shape people into who they're supposed to be. We're not become more hardy as people, we're becoming weaker. Softer. Depression is at its highest and growing. Suicide too. It's getting the point where no real effort is being made to make people not want to die. Instead we're helping people die. That's just one data point, in fairness. But I think it's important. Plus this is based on the assumption that all advancements in tech will lead to improvements in perpetuity. Which is not likely, because all things are subject to diminishing returns. I do agree that quality of life was not higher back in the day. I agree that having access to information is good. But there is something else about how life is now that is soulless. Also you can't go back, so I'm not really advocating for that.

Hardships will remain a thing always, if you don’t think we have hardships now with all the technological advancements we have you’re mistaken. You’re speaking about the west and certain European countries but the GRAND majority of civilization still has hardships day in n day out.. and if you think depression is something new or suicides also incorrect.. in fact I’d argue it’s more likely to happen if life wasn’t “easier” but yeah I see where you’re coming from I think there’s a compromise here somewhere

Agreed on the points about the west. And yes some hardship will remain. It's hard to imagine a world with none. I don't think depression and suicide is new, it's been around for a long time. I just think these things are getting worse, and it's a red flag for me. Ultimately, time will tell how all this will turn out, and it's out of my hands (not that it was ever in them)