px_eliezer_
Appreciate the perspective, thank you.
I should also clarify that my issues aren’t at all partisan, it’s simply based on the experiences I have when travelling and talking to the people. I’m a big people-talker, I immerse myself in the population even if I don’t speak the language (although sometimes I try).
I can honestly say that almost every single first world country I’ve been to in the past 15 or so years feels remarkably worse today than they felt back in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Crime, illegal immigration, and a lack of opportunity are the largest complaints that I hear from people.
But even overall in the world, I would be hard pressed to tell you a country that feels better today than it felt ‘yesterday’. I lived for many years in Egypt, now I can hardly breath because of the pollution, ‘new’ Cairo just is just as disgusting as ‘old’ Cairo. Don’t get me started on India… And look at some of the Caribbean countries, the people are now struggling with rampant obesity. If it weren’t for the Rastas saving their dining culture Jamaica would be fat too.
But of course it circles back to a lot of third world countries which remained relatively unchanged, moderately poor nations are still moderately poor nations but the people seem okay with it (which is easier to do in a warmer climate than somewhere like Canada).
Actually thinking more on it I feel like the Scandinavian countries have remained relatively unchanged, I haven’t spent a lot of time there but the vibe I got during summer this decade felt similar to what I felt in the 80s. Poland too, I was there a few years ago and it felt similar to how it felt for me in the 90s.
The only places I can think of off the top of my head which feel better today than they felt ‘yesterday’ are probably UAE and Russia, both countries a very far cry from what they were like 30+ years ago. Unfortunately I had to sell my flat in Dubai about a decade or so ago because it was getting too costly to maintain, the cost of living has skyrocketed since the city has modernized (electricity too) and of course Russia is probably not the ideal place to go if you’re not Russian (I haven’t been since early 2000s).