> Life expectancy, abolishment of oppression (slavery, debtor's prisons, serfdom, involuntary servitude, military conscription in many countries), educational attainment, and even standard of living have all improved

What fancy measures you have. How about "cost of owning a house", "cost of getting an education", "cost of getting health care" instead of those banal measures you got there?

Nobody cares that life is comparatively better than during Roman times. Our fathers and our grandfathers lived a better easier life. In particular they had much better economic opportunities. People are upset about those opportunities evaporating.