Quality of life

squeakywaffle

squeakywaffle

Active member
I would assert that "quality of life" as a function of unknown variables across the entire human race does not change significantly with time, viewed at any large (decades or centuries) scale. The average value of that function will be more or less the same no matter what time period you take your sample from.

In other words, average quality of life now is more or less the same as it was when humans lived in caves, or during any other period up until now. I think "quality of life" has a lot to do with the ratio of people who would claim to be "happy" vs. the people who aren't happy, but that is open to debate. I don't claim to have an authoritative definition of quality of life. I don't even claim to have decided on one for myself.

I think the human race calibrates itself to the situation in which it is forced to exist such that the same global levels of happiness and unhappiness can be observed for any time period. Variations will exist in the short term (maybe wars, depressions, etc.) but even they will be canceled out in the long term.

Part of what I am saying is that technology has no discernible effect on the human aspect of life. I will come back to this tomorrow when I am sober.
 
In fact, one could argue that the quality of life of the recent generations is decling due to technology. With the simpleness of day to day routines and the zombiefied style of living we are subjecting ourselves to a lessoned state of actually living is aquired. The beauty of life is lost when you choose to play video games in the afternoon instead of going for a bike ride, or with the blatant consuming we go through instead of creating. In such an absurd existence all we have is the beauty to live for, and when this is lost, "quality of life" is soon lost with it. It's a matter of time before we see obvious social decline, if it hasn't begun already.
 
One could definitely argue that. :)

I'm not sure I would go that far myself, but I wouldn't strongly disagree with you for the specific case of American society. My argument more applies to the entire world, though...
 
I'm going to have to dissagree, the choise is still there its just the majority of people choose to not embrace the narture. i myself Enjoygoing out huntind, reppelling and climbing mountains and what not. Photography allows people to look at things differntly i guess which makes them want to learn more... so basicly only a small amount of people know what living life is all about, other choose not to explore, and the way things used to be(sort of complex style of living). Some people would rather go to a super market to buy their food... or a fast food joint... Many people still prefer to go out and hunt their food. I dont know about the majority of people that are on this site, but i find a Steak from a moose you hunted down tastes just that much better then one you had to go to the super market to get. also i prefer grous to chicken, but everyone has their prefrences. so for you to say that our culture is slowly getting stupider(the basics of what you were saying) is not true for everyone... just a fiar amount of the new kids growing up in this day and age... like sure some of us cant remember all of the mathmatical equasions that re programmed into our calculators, bt why bother, a fair amount of those equasions we will never use, and most of the stuff you learn is outside of school, and I'd prefer to have street smarts to book smarts, cause when it comes down to it if the power goes out and all communication is lost throught the world I know i'll be able to servive cause i know what it takes to make a fire, and how to kill a deer, and the basic survival knowlage everyperson used to know but the majority of our society has lost because they decided to stay with the technological route... what you did say was part true wi will admit, but its not everyone thats like that.
 
As long as one is deeply content with oneself and the positive contribution they are making to the existence of those around them, then one is truly happy. True happieness is the highest quality of life one can reach. You could essentially reach this living in a cave, on the street or in a multi million dollar home. 10,000 BCE, 1000 BCE, 1000 CE or 2007. I believe this is how I would judge quality of life, through personal satisfaction. Rating quality of life depends upon the amount of the population who is "happy".

That is to say, I could be living on the street, eating rarely, and appearing "down and out" to passer-by's but happy with my existence and the positive contribution I am making to living things around me, then my quality of life surpasses one who may have glorious meals, shower daily and own many expensive material possesions.
 
the main Idea of life is to just live life and live it to its fullest. Like to whatever makes you happy, smoke pot drink alchohol, hang out with friends... and if you're into it Explore, cause in my personal opinion theres nothing better than going places and seeing new things... thats my idea of the main goal in life is to explore... and try new things and what not
 
It's not that I was trying to promote naturism. A death to technology. It's that when we loose awareness of the actual fact that we are alive, we loose the awareness that we have something to live for (see my above post).
 
I missed that, but that's pretty much the core of what I believe... not so related to this discussion, but those are words of wisdom right there.
 
I agree, to an extent. If, in your quest for individual happiness you bring harm those around you, then it isn't justified. It's important to ahve compassion for the living things around you AS you persue happiness.
 
I know. My first post: not so on topic. But the one right after it. Refer to that one when you want to know what my contribution to this thread was.
 
Well alright then. Man, I love using my brain! Especially for situations like this. Thinking! It's amazing.
 
but some people take the ability to send an afternoon on video games as a quality of life. its a quality that only humans can enjoy
 
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