[kp1234321]

> We happen to be living through a period of some of the fastest changes in human history

Couldn't this have been said accurately at just about every point in human history? I'm not asking to try and refute what you said - I think that supports the first point you made. The world is always changing at an exponential rate and we are always on the curve, so people will continue to lament loss of the past until the end of time.

[elliotec]

Not necessarily - before the industrial revolution the pace of change was very very very slow comparatively. In fact, our rate of change now is pretty slow and minor compared to the changes during the time that Victoria was the queen of England.