Well, I can travel around most of Europe without a passport right now? ID card will do just fine, even though, really, nobody ever asks me for that either.

Meanwhile, my life expectancy is, like at least twice that 'prior to WW1' and my disposable income at least 20 times my take-home pay in 1917.

Bloody EU, innit...

And much before that there were no passports. Maybe you have a point. Say Columbus et cetera :D

There also wasn't socialized healthcare

Bismarck introduced socialised healthcare in 1883.

Everything but lifespan I think. So Expected Value of life remains flat over time.

I think I’d pick a shorter high-quality life over a longer low-quality one given the choice.

uff that's a brave opinion in most circles

Apart from medicine, travel speeds, cost of travel, life expectancy, hot showers, central heating, cars, dentistry, sanitation, civil rights, and fewer childbirth deaths... you're absolutely right

> travel speeds

Based on my experience on L.A.'s "Pacific Surfliner", I'm pretty sure American train speeds have been on the decline since 1926.

I hear planes are pretty fast