Longing for the “Good Old Days”
A lot of folks complain about things now and long for the “good old days” in our nation’s early years. But do people really want to do without modern inventions like computers, televisions, automobiles, telephones, refrigerators, electric lights, air conditioning, indoor plumbing, etc.?
Some Quality of Life Improvements in the 20th and 21st Centuries
The 20th century saw the invention of television, VCRs, DVD players, microwave ovens, air conditioning, and numerous other modern creations that make life easier and more fun.
Also, although electric power may have been discovered by Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s, and electric power used for such things as lighting in some places in the 1800s, it was not until the 20th century (the 1900s) when electric power use became widespread in businesses and homes. Electric lights, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, toasters, and the things listed in the last paragraph became available to the public.
Furthermore, while radio transmission, telephones, and automobiles were invented in the 1800s, only a small percentage of U.S. households had access to them when the 20th century began. Folks in the 1800s had limited options for contacting folks outside their households.
Persons living in households before the 20th century lacked many modern conveniences that I often probably take for granted.
It’s hard for me to imagine living without electric lights, refrigerators, television, radio, microwaves, computers, etc.
Now may be the best time in the history of the world to live, at least since the Garden of Eden if the Bible is to be taken literally. The Bible’s words indicate that Adam and Eve had it nice before their fall, with all their needs met.
However, over the thousands of years of recorded history, the world has experienced many problems. But many problems have been solved since 1900, through human progress under God's leadership, as I see it.
In the last century or so, steps have been taken to better prevent, treat, and cure numerous diseases. Antibiotics, vaccines, and better quality drinking water all help.
Slavery has been eliminated in most of the world. Progress has been made toward equal rights for minority groups, women, etc., in many ways.
Supermarkets today offer a huge variety of food at relatively low prices thanks to modern methods of agricultural production, transportation, and storage.
Below are photos of a few modern inventions. The first photo shows a VCR, DVD player, and television. The second shows a microwave oven.
Radio and television provided major improvements in mass communication in the 20th century. This was followed by a massive advance in communication after the Internet was invented in the 20th century and expanded enormously in the 21st century.
A vast amount of information and entertainment can be seen (and heard) online from newspapers, television stations, governments, companies, individuals, etc., around the world. Much of it is free, as long as you have access to the Internet. And here in the United States public libraries typically offer Internet service and public computer access free. Many businesses and apartment buildings offer free Wi-Fi too.
Keeping in contact with relatives, friends, etc., has become much easier in recent years thanks to social media websites on the Internet. Lots of such sites exist, but “In the early 2020s, Facebook was the most popular social network in the world with three billion users” according to Britannica.com.[1] That’s a huge number of people.
I’ve personally reconnected with several friends and relatives thanks to Facebook. And the numerous “groups” on Facebook help one to keep up with various topics. Furthermore, Facebook is just one of a vast number of resources online.
Cell phones that can be carried around in one’s backpack, purse, or pocket can store a huge amount of information and offer Internet service as well as the ability to make phone calls, take pictures, use GPS, write notes, etc., etc., etc.
The photo below shows a cell phone, as well as an 8-GB USB computer flash drive that can store an astounding amount of text, pictures, and video. Much larger flash drives are available too.
What About the Past?
Thinking about how things likely were in the past can maybe help us appreciate how blessed we are now.
A few generations ago persons lived without any type of telephone or television or radio or electricity or automobiles or a lot of other things we may take for granted. To converse with a neighbor, I guess they typically had to walk or ride a horse or mule (or wheeled vehicle pulled by such an animal) to where they thought their neighbor was, and hope they were there. Communication with persons out of town was done via letter or postcard mostly I guess.
The majority of persons in the United States lived in rural areas then. In many cases they likely built their own houses, grew most of their own food, got their water from their own well or a nearby spring, used an outhouse for a toilet, washed clothes by hand, and in many cases sewed their own clothes.
Concluding Thoughts
Visitors to the 21st century from a few centuries ago would be astounded by modern technology.
Human beings have flown to the moon, landed, and returned safely home. And airplanes even allow relatively quick travel between many destinations here in Earth.
We are blessed immeasurably to live at this time. I don’t know what advancements will come in the future. But I’m confident that the world is going to get better, not worse. I even optimistically think that we humans, under God’s leadership, will eventually find and implement ways to resolve our differences peacefully and fairly, thus ending war and violent conflict. Indeed, I’m confident that, as William Shakespeare reportedly wrote in the play Twelfth Night centuries ago, “the best is yet to come.”
ENDNOTES:
[1] Ray, Michael; “social network"; Britannica.com; webpage accessed August 23, 2022; https://www.britannica.com/technology/social-network
[2] Google Translate; webpage accessed August 23, 2022; https://translate.google.com/
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