Life today : Better or Worse?

The NYT has a small piece called Life Is Better; It Isnâ€™t Better. Which Is It? - interesting title, although in my opinion the article just dances around the topic rather than adding great insight. I mean, snow blowers might the high point in someone’s life, but I doubt if that’s going to significantly influence the majority to rate life as better or worse.

But the title did get me thinking, on a personal front. Forget the generation bit; we might be living better than the previous generation, with so many new gadgets that supposedly make life better, but then, you haven’t lived the other way, so you really can’t know. Not to forget the days when Blackberry’s, mobile phones and laptops mean that instead of 8 hours at work, it’s 8 hours at work plus umpteen hours of personal time spent working.

What I did think about, was changes over the last decade. Back then, I was earning about half what I do now. I did save a higher percentage of my income, because expenses were less - but in absolute terms, my savings now are higher simply because I’m earning more.

In between, there was a bad patch when I wasn’t earning too much; compared to that, I guess today is much better.

So am I saying life today is better? Nah! Sure, I’m earning more. And spending more (as well as saving more - nifty, huh?). But I don’t feel like it. Back then, a large part of the spending was discretionary - eating out once in a while, entertaining, travel and hobbies. Today, a larger part goes on the kids - music lessons, clothes (they outgrow the old ones in a jffy), birthday parties and gifts. Not to mention the struggle to coordinate four schedules in a faster paced world, against two earlier. In a money sense, I wouldn’t call it better.

Fortunately, there’s more to life than money. Sure, some things are different - and while more money helps, it isn’t the panacea.
But what value would you place on seeing your five year old walking down the street, pretending that he’s all alone and old enough to head out by himself, and that he doesn’t know Dad’s around keeping an eye on him (That’s just some other guy on the street. Nothing to do with me.)?

Life is better today, for me. Nothing to do with the money. It’s just the family thing.

Written by 2cworth on September 22nd, 2006 with 1 comment.
Read more articles on About 2¢ Worth and Opinions.