Is Now the Best Time to be Alive? Were the "Good Old Days" of Previous Decades an Easier Time to Live? When did Humans Live in the "Best of All Possible Worlds?"  episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 14, 2021 · 40 MIN

Is Now the Best Time to be Alive? Were the "Good Old Days" of Previous Decades an Easier Time to Live? When did Humans Live in the "Best of All Possible Worlds?"

from The Best Paragraph I've Read... · host Zac & Don

The Best Paragraph I've Read: "People in many countries are longing for the good old days. When asked if life in their country is better or worse today than 50 years ago, 31% of Britons, 41% of Americans and 46% of the French say it’s worse. Psychologists say that this kind of nostalgia is natural and sometimes even useful: Anchoring our identity in the past helps give us a sense of stability and predictability. For individuals, nostalgia is especially common when we experience rapid transitions like puberty, retirement or moving to a new country. Similarly, collective nostalgia—a longing for the good old days when life was simpler and people behaved better—can also be a source of communal strength in difficult times.  But when exactly were the good old days?" This paragraph comes from an article in the Wall Street Journal titled: "Why We Can't Stop Longing for the Good Old Days."  The article is written by Johan Norberg.  The article can be read here: https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/why-cant-stop-longing-for-good-old-days Zac and Don discuss if there ever was a better time to be alive.  They also discuss the power that nostalgia has on our lives.   Zac and Don mention the following:   Thomas Cole's Voyage of Life Paintings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voyage_of_Life Voltaire's book Candide: https://www.amazon.com/Candide-Voltaire/dp/1087113490/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=candide&qid=1610451442&sr=8-1

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Is Now the Best Time to be Alive? Were the "Good Old Days" of Previous Decades an Easier Time to Live? When did Humans Live in the "Best of All Possible Worlds?"

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