Considering things like modern medicine not being available, infant and child mortality, the gruesome nature of most work back then… would a “standard” commoner from back then laugh at how ‘soft’ our world has become from their point of view?
What can we infer from people’s mindsets and resilience back then vs now, and do you think we’re on the verge of a return to these conditions?
I think techno-feudalism has the capacity to be much more brutal than any old time machiavellan clown. The way our minds are deliberately manipulated by algorithms nowadays are much more subtle and insidious than anything the tyrants of yesteryear could’ve dreamt up, while at the same time convincing people they have it better than ever.
Quality of life is definitely exponentially better than it was at that time. However, while we may not face the same physical turmoils, I believe the mental turmoil is much, much greater in the modern day. We do not have nearly as much concern for physical health, but mental health has hit the floor. I don’t know that the general human condition is necessarily “better” or “worse”, just different