@saab,
Saab, I have read every word you have written (in this thread), and I think I agree-- although I think in this thread-- titled "the news is so depressing" the whole point comparing today's life with previous eras.
If we are agreeing on everything, it makes this a rather pointless discussion, doesn't it?
I accept that people in the 1700s had some form of cultural life; thinking, art and music all existed. But,
21st cultural life is so much richer than people in the 1700s could have ever dreamed of.
I can go to my local bookstore and get music from Bach to Beethoven to Monk. I can even hear music from the 1700s. For less then an hours wage, I can buy a copy of Beowulf or Dostoevsky or Cervantes. My standard city museum has original art from around the world which is open to the public for a couple of hours wage.
And my city provides full time professional dancers and musicians with access to the music of the world that are accessible to the working class. World-class traveling musicians, again accessible to the average working guy, are common.
I am not saying that in the 1700s people didn't have a cultural life. I am saying that in the 21st century, with our additional leisure time, our cheap and easy access to world wide literary and musical masterpieces and or access to world wide artistic talent we have far richer and more accessible cultural life than ever before.
Combine this with access to affordable and quick travel which allows ordinary working class people to travel abroad every year if they like, the 21st century wins pretty handily.