Yeah, it is ridiculous how much we have decreased child mortality since then (though not evenly). That's something that really depresses me; that we're returning to an age where dead children are commonplace everywhere (instead of getting to one where it's rare everywhere).

I agree about taking things for granted, but I think it's also... we need to change our dreams. We're not conquering new frontiers now (& the people trying to take us to space are now the enemies of human flourishing), making larger and larger contraptions. In a lot of ways, what we're doing is making things stronger and better and more durable. I'm not sure how we communicate that in a way that captures the imagination. How do we make multi-variant nasal spray vaccines wonderful? Batteries? Alternative fertilizers? Mushroom concrete? The cure for cancer? I think the importance of these things and their majesty is less immediately accessible than, like, a big balloon.

(I have not, I was just thinking about it because it and HIV both have U=U situations where treatment is prevention; it's on the list!)