I view it as a glass half full rather than half empty.
First, I am better off in nearly ANY criteria that matters than any Queen or King or Duke or Dutchess ever was before indoor plumbing and central heat.
The only way i am less is I cannot just tell the guards to lop off someone head. (and have it obeyed)
So on that point i am happy. I have a great vehicle and roads and such i can travel on with the greatest of ease anytime, anyday.
I have a secure home, where I feel very safe.
I have a steady income. Which most likely will be there the rest of my life.
I have the internet, music, TV, my pets. my friends..
So i do not see it as getting to be less.
One point I would make is the last century in particular saw the rise of the lower class and lower middle class in an astonishing way after WWII. ThUSA really did become a melting pot of those with lower means, being able to rise up.
Now, that 'boom' seems to have passed. It may have, it may be a temporary thing.
LOOK at old pictures of the child workers in the 1890s etc. nothing like that is happening now.
So I do not think we are in trouble.
When we have 7 year old children working 12 hour days 7 days a week again, for pennies.. then we will be in trouble.
Some interesting observations Elizabeth
Actually, child labor is alive and flourishing in the 21st century - albeit in emerging economies and yes, we all support it when we purchase their products and conveniently turn a blind eye to these practices.
Perhaps we may consider ourselves as "islands" and many of us do enjoy a comfortable life, but I think that the tides are slowly changing and there is now a hint of a stench on the beach. What happens to personal security when the numbers of 'have nots" are slowly increasing and individuals feel that they have nothing more to lose. Although many of us are privileged to enjoy a steady income, its purchasing power has dramatically decreased over the years.
For example, before HST was added to the price of gasoline here in Ontario, we were paying around $.90 per litre. During my daily commute, I use approximately 10 litres of fuel. So for arguments sake, with today's price of $1.40 per litre it costs me an additional $5.00 per day or $25.00 per week. Multiply this by 40 or so weeks and you are paying an additional $1000 per year. Now lets say you get a raise of 3% on an income of $100K, the after tax, CPP, EI amount left over would not cover this. Now you have to look at the other increases in other products, i.e. food, which also goes up as a result of high fuel prices. I will not touch on high electrical prices here in Ontario, but it is responsible for hurting our manufacturing industry.
The other shoe I waiting for to drop is a raise in interest rates, can you imagine renewing your mortgage and finding out that your home is worth less than the amount you must refinance due to a sagging economy? I actually consider myself a social recluse and I tend to observe a great deal when I am out and about - you are very sensitive to so many social nuances when you look in from the fringe. Yes, the internet does provide me with a level of social interaction from the comfortable and safe environment from my room - there goes the security thing again. I do not intend to be a bastion of negativity and it is surely not my intention, or perhaps it is my Gothic personality just peeking out
, but maybe, just maybe, we have all become a little too comfortable over the years and take many things for granted - just an observation.
Be well...
