Pride, Arrogance, or Human Nature?

Why is it that every generation, every age thinks they are the top banana? Pick a century, pick a time period and if you investigate you'll find a people which thinks that they are the pinnacle of civilization be it science, medicine, art, music, politics, fashion or culture. If we look back at nearly any period in time, I bet most would say how much better things are today.

But are they really? Are we more prosperous, intelligent, and creative than all the peoples that came before us? Is life better, less complicated and more fulfilling than ever before? What will they say about us 100 years from now? 500 years?

Finally, if you could live in any age, in any place, what would you choose?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've thought about this kind of thing before T/S. If I had my choice of any time it would be the mid 1800's right here in the U.S. Especially if I was able to know what I know now AND i was able to take my AR-15 with unlimited ammo. Yes.....things would be different today :)

Liberal Elite said...

@9:48
Ah yes.. If only the CSA could have won that war. Things would be so great.... Right?
And what would you do if you came down with a bad case of dysentery, like so many others who died from it?

@TS

In terms of science, medicine, and prosperity, we really are a "top banana" generation. The average American lives better than the average king of the middle ages (but the kings may have had more cute women to play with).

Some things get better, and some things get worse, and as with any sort of progress, something is lost by leaving technology behind. The things that seem to stay the same are the intelligence and creativity of humans, but knowledge moves forward. We're well past the days of the seven pillars of wisdom.

"Finally, if you could live in any age, in any place, what would you choose?"

To live in any age other than our own is terrifying. With what we know about medicine, I know how vulnerable I would be pre-1900. But for a visit? I'd like to see first productions of Shakespeare.

afterthegoldrush said...

Not to be cliche, but I like the fact of being born in 1954. The country had made it through WWII and life was prosperous. I have been able to witness some of the greatest events in history, sports and music.
I was fortunate to be raised by two parents who, along with the entire village, taught me right from wrong.
I always worked smart and not hard, and am relatively comfortable. I don't require much in life except happiness.
And happiness comes from within.

Anonymous said...

atg
excellent thoughts

afterthegoldrush said...

As does freedom.

Biazzio said...

I wish just for a bit I could live in a time where there was no war, no ethnic cleansing, no civil wars or cold wars. All my life I have never known a time of peace. Korea was my birth war, Vietnam, any number of small conflicts and now the war in the desert which seems to go on forever.
Sometimes I wish I lived back in the Pacific Islands in Micronesia, people were removed from the world it took 14 days to get mail and news was always a day old,. I think they call it Nirvana. When would I like to live, in a time People did not live beyond the time our bodies are supposed to live and elders were respected for what they knew, for me that would be nice.

swampcritter2 said...

I hate to pee on people's cornflakes, but why waste time and brain cells on fantasies? Why not expend that on your/our present dilemmas. Also it's not as though I plan on being here 100-500 years from now. Sure there are enlightened minds from the past I would like to meet, someday perhaps I will, but I don't spend a lot of time on that. Grow where you are.