Quote:
Originally Posted by jph0424
If only that were the way the world worked. You have obviously been very fortunate and grew up in a good home. The cold reality is that most people don't. I would say that the average 40 year old in America is either divorced or in a bad marriage, has debt, and kids that aren't "growing up nicely". In a lot of other places in the world it is far worse. /
I'll be thankful to be in the minority, though it doesn't seem that way. Most people I know in their 40's are as Cole described. It could be the people that I know, but most got married later in life, had kids because they wanted them, and are correspondingly reaping the rewards of good decision making. That or the people I know are lucky or grouping. I'm either really lucky + thankful for that, or things aren't as bad as all that and I'm normal.
I wonder at the desire of people to think that they currently live in bad times. People selling newspapers would like you to think that we do. Two questions (though I'll admit to believing I know the answer to one)
1) Are you safer now than you were 40 years ago? i.e. is the crime rate, specifically the violent crime rate, higher now or in 1970?
2) How about hunger in the US? Sorry, I know a lot less about Europe. Per capita, are there more or fewer people in risk of starvation/dangerous malnourishment now or 40 years ago? Intentional malnourishment doesn't count.
How about each of the about 100 or 200 years ago?
The divorce rate came up. Higher now or in 1970? 1980?
I'd be particularly interested in what people think before the real answer comes out. If you had to guess, what would you say?