The purpose of economic progress is for future generations to live better, easier lives. This means your grandchildren's baseline lifestyle will seem indulgent or "spoiled" by today's standards. This isn't a moral failure; it's the definition of successful progress over time.

Our brains are wired to measure success relative to our peers, not in absolute terms. Even if future generations live with technology and medicine we can't fathom, they won't feel happier because their baseline expectations will have shifted, and they'll still be comparing themselves to others.

Existential angst is a luxury problem. A century ago, life's purpose was clear: survive. The comfort and freedom of modern life have removed physical struggles but introduced complex psychological ones, like finding meaning and identity, which are a hidden cost of progress.

The ultimate personal financial goal should be contentment. Paradoxically, economic and technological progress is driven by influential people who are never content and constantly strive for more. This creates a necessary tension between individual wellbeing and societal advancement.

The argument that we shouldn't lock in our values to allow for future "moral progress" is flawed. We judge the past by our current values, so it always looks less moral. By that same token, any future moral drift will look like degradation from our present viewpoint. There is no objective upward trend to defer to.

Providing children with a high standard of living inadvertently sets that lifestyle as their baseline expectation. This becomes a curse, as they may feel like a failure if they can't replicate it or be prevented from pursuing a fulfilling but less lucrative career.

Happiness is the gap between reality and expectations. Even in a world of immense progress in wealth and health, people may not feel better off if their expectations rise faster. Appreciating nothing despite objective improvements is, as Morgan Housel describes, a tragic way to live.

Unprecedented global prosperity creates a vacuum of real adversity, leading people to invent anxieties and fixate on trivial problems. Lacking the perspective from genuine struggle, many complain about first-world issues while ignoring their immense privilege, leading to a state where things are 'so good, it's bad.'

Society is experiencing a 'generational whiplash' in parenting. A reaction against strict methods led to a culture of 'eighth-place trophies,' producing adults ill-equipped for real-world consequences. A counter-movement is now emerging where parents are reintroducing competition and accountability to better prepare their children for life's challenges.