Society/Culture Has society become better or worse over the past 30 years?

[Cap]

And billie ray cyrus, the macarena, vanilla ice and savage Garden.

I feel like there is some improvement

 

[Bombermania]

Better: technology.

Worse: housing affordability and the media.

 

[Richard Pryor]

How do you figure?

Antibiotic resistance is a looming reality which is pretty scary. Up in PNG they have 100 percent antibiotic resistant tuberculosis which if it becomes the norm will set us back to the middle ages.

 

[Carringbush2010]

Better:

• Internet and technology (and all that comes with that as the op has mentioned)
• Treatment and inclusivity of minority groups

Worse:

• The rise of the far right
• The cause of the rise of the far right, (see protest voting i:e trump)
• The utopian and unrealistic outlook of far left compassionate progressives
• Society trying to bend to the 'vibe' i:e the intent / wish of groups / individuals to unrealistically transition away from fossil fuels
• Media and social media misinformation.
• The hijacking of societal models, i:e Xi and Vlad, 'capitalism' the erosion of fair competition by groups / individuals - not in the spirit of capitalism.
• Autocrats like Xi, Vlad and Trump.

 

[royale with cheese]

Antibiotic resistance is a looming reality which is pretty scary. Up in PNG they have 100 percent antibiotic resistant tuberculosis which if it becomes the norm will set us back to the middle ages.

not really, TB is pretty easy to avoid if you are in a wealthy country. Very much a disease of poor communal living.

 

[JyeDye]

This is quite a good thread idea, kudos.

Worse: Connectivity/sense of belonging within a local community. People today have far greater feelings of isolation/loneliness imo, no one seems to know their neighbours etc.

This is purely anecdotal though, so happy to be challenged and proven wrong (would hope to be tbh).

For me in the suburbs I find this is because of how car dependent we are here. I don't see any of my neighbours unless they're driving in or out of their garage. Not many people are just out walking or riding a bike. Kids rarely walk to school together. No local shops or cafes to walk to and meet up, most drive 15 minutes to a shopping center or district. You just don't see anyone unless you force an interaction knocking on their door.

Online though there are way more abilities to find groups with similar interests. I've made a heap of pretty good friends without ever meeting them all across the world.

 

[#23 Hill]

Economically worse. No doubt about it.

 

[evolved2]

Economically worse. No doubt about it.

I wonder where we currently sit under Ray Dalio's 'economic machine' modelling.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

i think there are pros and cons. To play devils advocate:

You can access 90s movies and music much more easily today then you could in the 90s. Plus tv was absolute garbage in the 90s. Both in terms of access and content. And there was no internet to read at night.

people were much more racist and homophobic in the nineties And transphobia was so rampant there wasnt even a word to describe it

food quality was poorer.

costs for basic services were so much higher. Most people couldnt afford flights domestically let alone internationally. Phone calls were expensive. Post office and bank queues were awful.

workplaces were still highly discriminatory against women.

violence rates were higher in the nineties. Mental health problems went undiagnosed.

we remember what is better about the past but tend to ignore what was worse. Trump has a created a whole political movement that idolizes a fake past.

Was the food quality poorer or was there just less variety when you demanded it?

Fruit and vege are seasonal. We now have out of season fruit and vege imported 365 days a year which has been irrigated with sewerage.

We export our good seafood and import inferior quality seafood which is farmed in filthy water. Seafood that we do keep, we pay through the nose for in comparison.

Did having someone else book your international travel for you 30 years ago really make your holiday poorer quality?

Poverty? From a domestic point of view, the economy is completely stuffed, working people living in cars and tents in parks. Greedy builders backed by horrible federal and state government incentives going broke, taking people's life savings with them and sending people to the wall. Desperate families about to be made homeless, doing anything they can to buy a home because they can't get a rental are now going to lose those homes as interest rates rise.

The rise of Airbnb and other short term rentals apps sucking the life out of the long term rental market.

 

[Seeds]

Was the food quality poorer or was there just less variety when you demanded it?

Fruit and vege are seasonal. We now have out of season fruit and vege imported 365 days a year which has been irrigated with sewerage.

We export our good seafood and import inferior quality seafood which is farmed in filthy water. Seafood that we do keep, we pay through the nose for in comparison.

Did having someone else book your international travel for you 30 years ago really make your holiday poorer quality?

Poverty? From a domestic point of view, the economy is completely stuffed, working people living in cars and tents in parks. Greedy builders backed by horrible federal and state government incentives going broke, taking people's life savings with them and sending people to the wall. Desperate families about to be made homeless, doing anything they can to buy a home because they can't get a rental are now going to lose those homes as interest rates rise.

The rise of Airbnb and other short term rentals apps sucking the life out of the long term rental market.

Food quality is better because we have learned and shared betters ways to combine and cook food Plus we have access to more varieties of food to combine.

and on holidays 100 percent yes. Companies that booked holidays 30 years ago decided what you did and shunted you off into the hotels that were paying them and give you little choice of what you could do. now you can research where you want to go no matter how obscure or random, figure out how you want to get there, what you will do while you are there and how long you will stay. You have complete freedom now. You had virtually none in the past.

airbnb is having no impact on the long term rental market. Thats hotel propoganda you have just fallen for.

poverty was worse 30 years ago. All those things that happening now were happening in worse degrees in the past. gees 30 years ago we had that horrific early nineties recession. Do you know what sort of horrible stuff was happening back then.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Food quality is better because we have learned and shared betters ways to combine and cook food Plus we have access to more varieties of food to combine.

and on holidays 100 percent yes. Companies that booked holidays 30 years ago decided what you did and shunted you off into the hotels that were paying them and give you little choice of what you could do. now you can research where you want to go no matter how obscure or random, figure out how you want to get there, what you will do while you are there and how long you will stay. You have complete freedom now. You had virtually none in the past.

airbnb is having no impact on the long term rental market. Thats hotel propoganda you have just fallen for.

poverty was worse 30 years ago. All those things that happening now were ha1ppening in worse degrees in the past. gees 30 years ago we had that horrific early nineties recession. Do you know what sort of horrible stuff was happening back then.

Airbnb is having a massive impact on the long term rental market, only a nuffie would think otherwise. You're the first person I've ever heard or read who says it's hotel industry propaganda. I've heard hotel industry complaining about Airbnb early days but not in relation to the long term rental market.

I was in my early 20s during the recession we had to have, I had a couple of mates lose their houses to mortgagee auctions and a number of friends parents lose their life savings in Pyramid. We might have record low unemployment but everything else is ****ed

 

[Big Papa Ted]

Airbnb is having a massive impact on the long term rental market, only a nuffie would think otherwise. You're the first person I've ever heard or read who says it's hotel industry propaganda. I've heard hotel industry complaining about Airbnb early days but not in relation to the long term rental market.

I was in my early 20s during the recession we had to have, I had a couple of mates lose their houses to mortgagee auctions and a number of friends parents lose their life savings in Pyramid. We might have record low unemployment but everything else is ****ed

I hate AirBNB as a concept, but the data suggests that in capital cities it isn't a major issue.

'Crying crocodile tears': The impact of Airbnb as Australia's rental crisis bites

Exclusive data shared with the ABC shows the number of short-term rentals such as Airbnb in Australia has dropped dramatically. But experts say it is still a major problem in some areas.

www.abc.net.au

 

[TheEscapeClub]

I hate AirBNB as a concept, but the data suggests that in capital cities it isn't a major issue.

'Crying crocodile tears': The impact of Airbnb as Australia's rental crisis bites

Exclusive data shared with the ABC shows the number of short-term rentals such as Airbnb in Australia has dropped dramatically. But experts say it is still a major problem in some areas.

www.abc.net.au

Did you read the story in it's entirety? It definitely says it's an issue, but moreover regional which is where I live. State and local governments trying to put caps on it.

The issue then folds into small businesses complaining that they can't get workers. Workers won't move for work because there's nowhere for them to live or that they can afford for a minimum wage job, as a result businesses are operating on restricted hours or shutting completely. I've never seen anything like it in Australia.

 

[evolved2]

Did you read the story in it's entirety? It definitely says it's an issue, but moreover regional which is where I live. State and local governments trying to put caps on it.

The issue then folds into small businesses complaining that they can't get workers. Workers won't move for work because there's nowhere for them to live or that they can afford for a minimum wage job, as a result businesses are operating on restricted hours or shutting completely. I've never seen anything like it in Australia.

Businesses should offer a competitive salary package if they want to attract workers. Why would anyone move for a minimum wage job?

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Businesses should offer a competitive salary package if they want to attract workers. Why would anyone move for a minimum wage job?

You completely missed the point of the post.

 

[Big Papa Ted]

Did you read the story in it's entirety? It definitely says it's an issue, but moreover regional which is where I live. State and local governments trying to put caps on it.

The issue then folds into small businesses complaining that they can't get workers. Workers won't move for work because there's nowhere for them to live or that they can afford for a minimum wage job, as a result businesses are operating on restricted hours or shutting completely. I've never seen anything like it in Australia.

Yeah I get that, but when you say it's a "massive issue", that needs to be contextualised.

Most people will assume (I'd say rightfully do) that a "massive issue" is something that is affecting the majority of the rental market.

Not trying to attack you, and again I despise AirBNB and the concept of commercialising residential housing. But this context is important imo.

 

[FireKrakouer]

I think overall it's "better" but there are some significant drawbacks.

I'm not anti technology but I'm concerned about the mental health consequences of all these cheap dopamine hits you can get now from tiktok, youtube shorts etc. I'm not a psychiatrist but it seems like it must be horrible for a child / teenagers developing brain, and could rewire the reward circuitry in their brain to continue craving this instant gratification stuff and lead to addiction and other mental health issues. pr0n would be similar, and gaming to an extent. I feel like my own attention span and focus have gone to s**t since smartphobes came out, hopefully we're not producing a generation of ADHD suffering zombies.

Then again, people said the same crap when I was a kid but about free to air TV, walkmans etc. I feel like this time is different though because endless entertainment is on offer 24 7 now, right there in our pocket. It's important to live mindfully in the moment sometimes but now people won't even take a dump without doom scrolling socials.

The shift towards unstable gig economy type jobs isn't great.

Stuff like self checkouts mean less working class jobs available and requires extra effort from the paying customer (for no discount or other benefit).

Some significant pros are:
Less discrimination overall
Less poverty
Better medicine
Less war (and violence in general... I think?)
Safer vehicles

 

[Blue1980]

That’s a proven physiological fact. We remember positive stuff more than negative stuff.

We forget whatever worries we’ve had that never eventuated.

Thats hightened again, as the most powerful memories we form are usually from your teens until your mid 20s.

So forgetting the worries of the times, plus the powerful good memories. This is why people glorify that time in their lives, even if the external realities don't exactly match up.

 

[owen87]

Businesses should offer a competitive salary package if they want to attract workers. Why would anyone move for a minimum wage job?

How do small businesses in regional areas offer a 'competitive salary package'?

They have to charge more right, to have more money, to pay more salary.

The money to pay more doesn't appear out of the ether, and unlike the giant corporates that generate truckloads of profits, small businesses don't have a top line of billions of dollars in revenue to work with.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Worse for sure. Internet has become worse with the cesspit of social media. Back in the 90's/ 2000's the Internet was more of an information resource. Today it's flooded with misinformation and I feel we are becoming dumber as a result of it. Scientific facts and science in general has been hijacked by political groups and narcissists online and on social media. Crime and just general disrespect in society is far worse. Division in society both racially and politically (especially as more people gravitate to the extremes of both sides) is becoming worse. Kids are dumber, more disrespectful and entitled. Global instability is worse and will continue to become so.

 

[footyfan1978]

Worse for sure, sadly.
I'm not sure why but when look at politicians these days it pathetic the type of options we have.
Media is worse, Football and cricket commentators are worse.
Movies worse.
It is hard to tell if general society is worse or about the same.

 

[evolved2]

How do small businesses in regional areas offer a 'competitive salary package'?

They have to charge more right, to have more money, to pay more salary.

The money to pay more doesn't appear out of the ether, and unlike the giant corporates that generate truckloads of profits, small businesses don't have a top line of billions of dollars in revenue to work with.

A business doesn't need billions of dollars to pay their workers a competitive salary. They can compete or lose workers to businesses that are willing to pay more.

It's a good thing to see power in the hands of workers, isn't it?

 

[owen87]

A business doesn't need billions of dollars to pay their workers a competitive salary. They can compete or lose workers to businesses that are willing to pay more.

It's a good thing to see power in the hands of workers, isn't it?

So you've not answered the question whatsoever I see.

'Pay workers more'
'How?'
'Just do it'

 

[evolved2]

So you've not answered the question whatsoever I see.

'Pay workers more'
'How?'
'Just do it'

Yeah, those extra few dollars an hour will really hurt small business. Pfft.

Why do you want workers to accept minimum wage when they can get more elsewhere?

 

[owen87]

Yeah, those extra few dollars an hour will really hurt small business. Pfft.

Why do you want workers to accept minimum wage when they can get more elsewhere?

Who said I 'want' them to accept minimum wage?

You're making the argument that regional businesses should simply 'pay more' but as often happens, people completely ignore the other side of the equation - where that money comes from?

Owning a business doesn't just suddenly allow one to print money, plenty of small businesses (I've expect most regional businesses to be small businesses) don't have huge bottom lines to offer compelling salary packages to.

I'm sure your next argument will be 'well they shouldn't run a business' because that's always the next argument.

In order to pay staff more the money has to come from <somewhere>. In a large multi-billion dollar business, sure they can simply find it. In a small locally owned business like we see in many regional locations, they don't necessarily have extra money in the business, so have to charge more for their products or services to support paying a higher wage.

There's nothing wrong with wanting workers to be paid more, but at least take a moment to think through 'how' that happens.

Same as the award wage increases each year, that money has to actually come from somewhere, such as the customers. Same as the increase in superannuation contributions.

People often have these discussions assuming all businesses are like your multinationals with staggering amounts of revenue and profits but completely ignore the rest of the business environment, especially in regional areas which you brought up where I'd expect many would fall in to the micro-business category.

Small business sector contribution to the Australian economy

th[align="right"], td[align="right"] { text-align:right !important; } th[align="center"], td[align="center"] { text-align:center !important; } 7 January 2020 PDF version [344 KB] Geoff Gilfillan Statistics and Mapping Executive summary Just under 5 million peop

www.aph.gov.au

There were just under 5 million people employed in small businesses at the end of June 2018, composed of just over 3 million employees in ‘micro firms’, and around 1.9 million employed in ‘other small businesses’

• micro‑businesses (businesses employing between 1 and 4 people including non‑employing businesses)
• other small businesses (businesses that employ between 5 and 19 employees).