[refurb]

Measured by the amount of labour required to live a comfortable life?

How do you define a "comfortable life"? I'm thinking the goal posts are constantly moving and that's why people think things were better back in the 1970's. Not blaming anyone for it, it's the human condition to always want things to be better.

Let's see: 1940's - WW2, America is just coming out of a 15 year recession 1950's - Constant threat of nuclear war, Korean War, economically things are looking up 1960's - Numerous race riots, economy is still doing relatively well 1970's - Rampant inflation, rather stagflation, gas shortages

I've asked my family (older generations) and they agree things are way better now. And they aren't what you'd even call middle class.