Better Off Than Ever Before?

We are always told by politicians that we are better off today that at any other time in our history! Our ancestors would look at our world with envy and wonder at why we could have any cause to grumble?
Its a good question after all we have just had another budget from our Government where they have said we are well off!

I got to thinking that if my ancestors would look at us with envy, then surely the young me living a number of years ago, must be shaking his head and thinking I wish I was as well off as you, not only that then the young ASBO gardener aka papa must be looking from his time in total disbelief!!
That being the case will the wee one in years time think of us as being poor, will she think my god how did they live like that?
Well I for one am not so sure, now I know fine well we all look backwards and tend to remember only the good times as they tend to stick in our memory banks with far greater clarity than any sad days we may have suffered unless it was one of a truly traumatic experience.

 You know what I mean-we can all remember the sunshine holidays, having fun on the beach and the like, but try recalling the argument you had when it was time to go home or back to the hotel.
So with that in mind I spent a wee moment or two reflecting on the past me and wondering if indeed- 'I have never had it so good'.
When I started out in adult life I never wanted for very much I always had money in my pocket and could afford to go out on the town more than once a week and still have a few pence left over for my wants in life. So that part is not too far removed from the young single adults I know today who if anything probably have a few more luxury toys such as mobiles and ipads but they do not seem to be streets ahead of where I was, in fact unlike them I had a car that I could afford to put petrol in and ok I had no mobile phone but guess what? We spoke to our friends while being out and about in the car or down at our local working club! Now there is a thing, a working club with young folk in it- that's right most young people had jobs or apprenticeships!
So on reflection it is one up to the past.
So I moved my thoughts on to when I had been lucky enough to meet my long suffering wife!
There must have been a struggle or two because as we know everybody has them, but again the memory banks would only remind me of the good times, Like being able to get a house we could call ours without too much fuss- no homeless hostels or temporary accommodation for a year or two. We had no real money worries and often went on holiday or away for romantic weekends or now more commonly known as the dirty weekend lol.

That will be two nil to the past!
So on to having our family that must have been tough if we are all living the good life now! Nope yet again there were times when we needed help and support from family, however we managed fine, we could afford the occasional holiday and we ran a car for pleasure rather than necessity. We even managed to go out when a baby sitter could be found. Shopping was a necessity but was not a burden and the house was always cosy. No nothing there has me looking at the new me with envy!
Three nil to the past!
 With that quick potted history, That takes me right up until now. So I am sure the politicians are right because they could not have it wrong could they? Sadly yes they have got it very wrong, we now live day by day , week by week a story that is repeated in many households and backed by the witness statements of the many!
We may have a gadget for everything let alone a mobile phone, but does that increase our quality of life or does it just add stress as we speed up every activity we do?

Shopping is still a necessity but is also now a burden on household finances, A car if you are lucky enough to own one(thinking of our young adults) costs so much to run that you have to decide between fuel and other essentials
Our young starting out on there adult journeys have virtually no hope of housing and in many areas have no hope of meaningful work!. Resulting in a stay at home generation!
A holiday is a nice thought, sadly that is the start and the finish of our vacation.
That makes the result a resounding four nil thrashing to the past!
A return match is called for as this is not the cup final but an on-going league fixture that will be subject to many more elements.
So what does the future hold for the wee one, will she have people telling her she never had so good? Well that is where there is a bit of hope because surely as we advance as humans, we will become more aware of what we are doing and what we have done, surely we will eventually conquer poverty and allow people to live life's that are not hampered and stopped by Governments that can not see the present is not better than our past- but the future could be!