Best time to live

1. What was the best time in history to live?

2. This is an opinion:

An obvious answer to your question would be- now. Today we have internet, access to information and capabilities that no human had ever seen before.

However, this would not be the most interesting answer. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (late 18th century), technology progressed enormously in Europe. Therefore, usually, the later- the better.

3. According to the same opinion, here are some contenders before the 18th century:

- Europe during Enlightenment and Renaissance.

- Song Dynasty China.

- Islamic Golden Age. [1]

4. Apparently the previous contenders aim to please the Europeans, the Chinese or the Muslims respectively.

5. But for me the issue goes much deeper. Despite the conformities and luxuries of our times, modern people are as unhappy as they have ever been.

6. The Industrial Revolution and technology may have improved our standard of living but they have destroyed the environment.

7. -Even the argument that conditions have improved in modern times can be an illusion due either to brain washing or to luck of some comparative measure.-

8. In any case one might argue that the best time to live is anytime as far as you are rich.

9. However what do you need money for when you are faced with repeated financial crises, destruction of the environment, anxiety and an unhealthy way of life?

10. Although some people may be in favor of radically transforming nature, I personally believe that the destruction of the natural environment is the biggest problem we are facing right now.

11. Not only this but also the disappearance of species which have already gone extinct suggests that the damage we have already caused is irreversible and that probably we are facing our own extinction.

12. Therefore in order to trace the best period in human history to live we have to go back before the Industrial Revolution, which degraded the environment to a large extent.

13. In fact we have to go back even before the Neolithic Revolution. Since the advent of agriculture forests have been cleared for pastures. I guess that during this period much of the forests would have disappeared by slash- and burn agriculture.

14. But it is not only the degradation of the natural landscape but also the impact of society on human beings.

15. While during the earliest period of hunting and gathering the physical state of human beings used to be freedom, the advent of agriculture, which ultimately led to the appearance of the first states, brought about social inequality and injustice.

16. Land ownership, taxes, imperialistic warfare, imposed religion, as well as epidemics appear during the Neolithic or soon afterwards.

17. Therefore I believe that the best time in history to live is that of the hunter- gatherers. This would be the period when human beings could be as close to their natural state as possible- free to run in the forests, without ownership or paying taxes, only obliging to the natural laws.

18. Now someone might say that life was harsh during those times, and that the average lifespan was only half that of modern times.

19. However there is the following saying: “It’s finer to live one hour as a free man than forty years as a slave and prisoner.” [2]

20. As far as the increased life expectancy in modern times is concerned, this is mostly due to lower infant mortality. On the other hand the maximum lifespan hasn’t changed, since it is suggested to be around 125 years. [3]

21. Thus although nowadays more and more people reach old age, centennials could have existed even in the Paleolithic.

22. But the most important factor is not how much but how well we live. Supposing for example that hunter- gatherers slept as much as modern people do, they had more leisure time at their disposal: It is said that the (modern) hunter-gatherer only works three to five hours per adult worker each day in food production. [4]

23. Thus what’s the use of our modern ‘easy’ way of life when we spend most- if not all- of our time either sleeping or working, or being trapped inside four walls, having nothing to do?

24. Therefore, naturally, the earlier- the better.

[1]: [https://www.quora.com/What-was-the-best-time-in-history-to-live]
[2]: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigas_Feraios]
[3]: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_life_span]
[4]: [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_affluent_society]
According to Marshall Sahlin’s ‘original affluent society’ theory, hunter-gatherers were the original affluent society.

6/21/2019

Image: [https://hraf.yale.edu/hunter-gatherers-in-ehraf-databases/]