[toolcombinator]

Techno optimism wasn’t just a sci-fi thing, it was the spirit of the times to a large extent in the Western World and Eastern Block alike.

All the “Better living through chemistry” and dreams of tiny nuclear power reactors in every car and house, providing virtually free energy to all.

And to a certain extent THEY WERE RIGHT!

The green revolution in the 60ies revolutionized agriculture, and made a world with more than a few billion people possible.

Folks growing up in the 60ies were the first generation in Europe, the USSR and US (Heck, in many countries around the world) who grew up never having seen famine or real hunger.

Things that were once unobtainable luxuries, like cars or airplane travel, became something within reach of regular people.

The techno optimism might appear quaint today, but likewise we have forgotten just how much life has been transformed for the better.