Considering things like modern medicine not being available, infant and child mortality, the gruesome nature of most work back then… would a “standard” commoner from back then laugh at how ‘soft’ our world has become from their point of view?
What can we infer from people’s mindsets and resilience back then vs now, and do you think we’re on the verge of a return to these conditions?
I think techno-feudalism has the capacity to be much more brutal than any old time machiavellan clown. The way our minds are deliberately manipulated by algorithms nowadays are much more subtle and insidious than anything the tyrants of yesteryear could’ve dreamt up, while at the same time convincing people they have it better than ever.
Want the honest truth? Except for our current politics they would have been amazed, astounded, and hopeful for thr future. Medicine, science, technology have all made quantum leaps. Quality of life has to. They would be happy we don’t have to kill each other for resources.
I also think that, after getting up to speed, they’d fight pretty hard against measures that are meant to backslide us to that point again.