Six thousand years ago, one of the primary modes of transportation was the oxcart. By the time of America’s founding, the ride to the market or church wasn’t much different. Ancient Babylonians and early Americans both lit their dark homes with oil lamps. If you were a parent in medieval England, chances are you would bury half of your children before they became adults. In the generation of America’s founders, these grim realities were little changed.

But the quality and duration of human life, especially in the West, have changed more in my lifetime than in the preceding 500 years combined.

Read more in the Washington Post here.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.