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.
Yes they would think we were softies.
I even see it just in my families immediate generations. My grandfather rode his bike everywhere, and never owned a car. He was fit. He got hit by a car once and waited at the hospital, after a few hours he said screw it, and cycled home.
For me growing up most families had one car, which the working parent drove, so if you needed to get to a friends house or anywhere it was by foot or by bike if it was outside of town. Or waiting several hours at a place for a ride. Being further from home meant you had to sometimes get creative for food. Friend and I once sharpened sticks and spearfished and cooked lunch over a dried stick fire rather than walk all the way back home.
My adult kids are hardworking individuals but they grew up with more modern convenience of 2 cars, uber, functioning bus system, food delivery. If their car or phone app broke, I think they would find walking or biking somewhere a deterrent to following through, especially if it was raining.
And there is the teen generation who you hear instantly complain “oh my gawd, my uber is like 1 minute late, like I have been standing here sooo long” LOL And a parent suggesting they walk leads to “oh my gawduh, then I will be all sweaty!”
That teen is never spearfishing because the walk home is too far. If their phone dies (along with payment app) they will probably have a breakdown/ feel stranded. My grandfather would never be able to fathom somebody being so unreliant on themselves let alone Somebody from 150 years ago seeing an able bodied teen not be able to use their legs.