To discuss the fact that by almost every metric things are better now than they were in the past is often to position yourself in opposition to those around you. To steel-man the pessimism I imagine it comes from a genuine compassion for those who are struggling; using food banks to feed themselves and their family for example. It can appear patronising to suggest that they should be happy because on average almost everything has improved.

However, while recognising those things that should be fixed we would benefit from simultaneously taking pleasure in how far we have come. When asked “do you have it better than your grandparents?” effectively 0 people would answer in the negative.

It’s a lovely conversation to have - talking about for what it is we are grateful - there is a lot of research showing the benefits it has for our mental health. We need not take the improvements for granted, and in fact I would implore people to recognise there is no rule in the universe that says things should always get better. This is even more reason to celebrate what we have achieved!