(November 14, 2012 at 2:57 pm)Rhythm Wrote: No Vinny, lol, I'm saying that I don't think your appraisal of the relative level happiness of people from 500 years ago (especially for the reasons you offered) was anywhere close to accurate or well researched. Those "artificial pressures" you seem to think didn't exist are clearly and obviously present.
Way to miss the forest for the trees, Rhythm.
The point was that no matter how much civilization improves, well-being is relatively stagnant, providing the changes in civilization are gradual and not sudden (like the stock market crash in the 20s).
The net value of artificial pressures remain the same. Sometimes, they get worse than a civilization gets better.
Therefore, well-being is relativistic, and therefore the well-being of "weak people" is not an objective measure when it comes to eugenics.
