Life Then, Life Now

Is there any real difference in the quality of life in the past, let's say, a couple of decades ago, compared to what we experience today? I said this because, looking back to when I was a young child and comparing it with what we now see, I can categorically say that there is a huge difference in both the quality of life and people’s general approach to life and living conditions. In those days, people seemed more like their brother’s keeper than they are now. I can say emphatically that there was a stronger sense of community responsibility, and shared concern for others than what we now see nowadays as many of these values appear to have eroded significantly.

It is no gainsaying that the cause of this shift can be traced to the erosion of core values and the overwhelming focus on material wealth. It is even more prevalent in the dominant pursuit of modern society on how to acquire more money and live a flamboyant lifestyle. While this may not apply to everyone, a larger percentage of society appears to be caught in this web of materialism. The people's obsession with wealth has become so intense that it now influences even children. Many young people today have their attention sharply focused on how to make money quickly, rather than on acquiring skills and building core values and character that can lead to sustainable financial freedom in the future.

This raises an important and worrying question: should we be comfortable with the way society has glorified material wealth without bothering about how individuals acquire it? This trend is quite disheartening. In the past, people asked questions. Wealth was often scrutinised, and character mattered as people asked questions before they shared in the 'fortune'. Today, in this era of technology and the internet, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between honest wealth and fraudulent gains, especially when judgment is based largely on lifestyle and appearances. Of course, many individuals leverage the internet to earn an honest living, so it would be unfair to point fingers indiscriminately. Still, the absence of moral inquiry remains a serious concern which is a serious issue we face today as a society.

Another important aspect of quality of life is the food we eat. This too, significant changes have occurred. The market is now flooded with processed foods, many of which are poorly produced and lacking in nutritional value. This shift in dietary habits has had serious consequences. Many of the diseases and illnesses we experience today are often attributed to the consumption of unhealthy, over-processed foods. In the past, meals were largely natural, home-prepared, and less chemically altered. What we now see is that the convenience comes at a high cost to our health.

Family structure and roles have also evolved. Traditionally, especially in many African societies, the woman was known as the keeper of the home, the caregiver and nurturer of the family. Today, many women are compelled to chase what we might call a “better living,” largely because it has become increasingly difficult for a man to shoulder the financial responsibilities of the family alone, except in certain privileged circumstances. While this shift has empowered many women economically, it has also altered family dynamics and introduced new pressures into the home.

The truth is, life never really gets better in a simple, linear sense, it only changes. I once had a conversation with an older boss at work, asking whether there was any noticeable difference between the quality of life then and now, particularly considering the salaries people earned in the past compared to what we earn today. I asked whether they were more satisfied back then and whether their salaries could afford them more. He responded by saying that, at the time, his monthly salary could not even buy a television. So, in reality, people were not necessarily wealthier in terms of purchasing power.

What has truly changed is our orientation. Many people are now driven by material wealth acquisition in such a way that it affects our social lives and communal values. Everyone wants to be seen driving an expensive car and live a “soft” or glamorous life, which in itself is not wrong. The problem lies in the methods used to achieve these things and the values sacrificed along the way. In a typical African setting, communal interest once took precedence over individual ambition. Today, that sense of collective responsibility is fading.

In the end, all we can do is remain hopeful. Hopeful in the sense that there will be a shift in our focus on what matters such as having a mentality of long-term growth over quick gains. We must begin to think more about our society as a whole and stop chasing after the wind.