I think another factor is the type of Jobs. Joiner and Seamstress are jobs which create something useful.
Many jobs today do not create such obvious value, people see numbers on a system change and are in constant competition with their peers - opposed to "enough work for everyone.
I write code for a college and manage their MIS - there are days that are great where I see the value I am providing and problem solving.
Then there are days where I feel so powerless and trapped by the system and I can do nothing about the issues I have with this job (lazy co-workers, managers not including target audience in the development, no technical specs/generic wire frames I need to fill out to an entire project, project manager having 0 technical proficiency) all because this place is a minefield of regulation over performance.
> trapped by the system and I can do nothing about the issues I have with this job
You've been given just enough autonomy to take psychological responsibility for how the thing turns out, but not enough autonomy to actually make it happen. A common route to misery and self-blame.
At first I was shocked about how my grandfather could finish up his work as a joiner, and then spend another week going around shipyards, factories and other places looking for work.
When my granny had my mum she only took two weeks off to look after her. Then started working part time as a seamstress.
I asked them if they ever felt sad or depressed and they flat out said no. They said they didn't have the time to be like that.
I wonder if I would have been the same if I time travelled back to that era.