[noelherrick]

I understand your point - whenever people ask what era I would like to born in (that's not the future), I always say now. I really like mRNA vaccines, the discovery and proliferation of mindfulness/meditation/mental health, antibiotics, supercomputers strapped to our wrists, etc. Even things like food have gotten better than from when I was a kid (that one could be personal).

However, just because it's good, doesn't mean it couldn't be better. I think this all the time - why can't the rich be rich without inflicting cruelty and suffering on people? You can have your millions, just give us healthcare, housing, public transit, vacation time, and fair pay, and stop dumping chemicals in the water, torturing animals, warming the planet, addicting folks to opioids, and promoting guns and the use of personal vehicles.

We don't have to imagine or fantasize about improvements the US could make - we have an example right in front of us with many social democracies in Europe. When a car backfires, the French don't assume it's an active shooter. When a Dane gets into an accident, they don't take a taxi to hospital. When your CEO gets trolled on Twitter and decides to fire 70% of the staff, you don't have to worry about it because you have an employment contract, and he simply can't.

We have to do better.