Wayne King
Sep 4, 2018 · 1 min read

I think you’ve grossly over-simplified their struggle. The American generations that lived before were more directly involved in the production of their daily essentials. This single fact focused your attention. You either performed the required tasks or you died. You hunted, browsed, planted hand washed, built yourself, 16 hours a day every day, your whole life.

Today the essentials are provided in that there’s always access to sufficient amounts of nutrition and shelter. People stay with friends, an option that wasnt as available as most pre-industrial people lived in an extended family environment.

Finally, the most telling difference is their desire to fill their lives with meaning. I dont think anyone ever had time to consider such a thing prior to the “Me Generation” of the late 70’s, early 80’s. I kind of equate it to the guy on the job who spends most of his time and effort complaining about the work when if he’d just get to it, they’d be done.