[JohnFen]

It's a normal human tendency to consider our own particular situation as representing the "average" or "normal". It's quite common for people who live privileged lives (such as most people here) to not recognize that they are living privileged lives.

It's very good to remember how lucky most of us are, and how unusual our circumstances are.

[skinkestek]

I think of it many times a year, how lucky I am to no longer need to showel manure or move wet grass using a pitchfork to earn a fraction of what I do today.

And even back then I was lucky.

[asdff]

There are pros and cons of course. I am noticing my health declining somewhat since working inside versus physically. I am not as strong especially in weird muscle groups. I am more sore, prone to injury, and inflexible. I don't get as much sun exposure. My eyesight is declining quite a lot since I am bad about getting up off my desk and staring at something far away a few times an hour. My hands and wrists are going from spending a lot of time typing. Maybe I am monetarily richer, but certainly not physically richer. Maybe mentally I am poorer too considering the stresses of work follow me home now versus staying at the job site.

It makes sense. We evolved to be laboring outside, staying in shape with physical work, keeping our bodies active, constantly moving, sleeping with the sun versus an alarm clock. Even elders in tribes that still practice traditional hunting are remarkably active compared to elders in the west. We didn't evolve to be troglodytes, unmoving in an artificial cave for 95% of the day, but ironically these are the types of work our society disproportionately rewards.

[yamazakiwi]

Last time I saw this mentioned on HN, someone had a mental breakdown and told people to stop bringing it up because they were tired of hearing "sob stories".

[JohnFen]

Strange that it would be interpreted that way. When I reflect on my good fortune, it's celebratory, not sad.