Were Old Times Really Better?

“Things are going downhill.”

“We need to stop this before it gets worse.”

“Back in my day we never had this mess.”

Embedded in these statements is an implicit “things used to be better.”  Sometimes that is true.  Yet there is there pervasive idea that things are worse now and we need to “return to” something. 

Challenge question: “When were things great for everyone? At what point in history was 99% of the human race experiencing a life free of struggles and corruption and failing?”

When in history were these things — globally, for all peoples — not an issue?

  • Lack of accountability
  • Partisan news  
  • Lying politicians and corrupt rulers
  • Ungrateful youth
  • Nepotism and favoritism surpassing competence
  • Elders resistant to progress
  • Racism, sexism, classism
  • Elites believing they have the right ideas
  • People believing wild rumors and rejecting facts
  • Censorship and suppression of information
  • Failures of masculinity and femininity
  • Unfair employer practices
  • Distrust in institutions
  • Wealth spent foolishly

We have made enormous progress, and there is still progress needed.   People have experienced “Camelot” moments in time but they didn’t last and certainly didn’t include many people.   Heaven is in the future, not the past.  

Press ahead into your adventure!