(disclaimer: there are no lasers in this post. The laser is a symbol of the general awesomeness of modern science. Sorry for getting your laserhopes up).
Nostalgia can creep up on anyone at anytime and inflict upon them a yearning for an idealized version of the past that has little resemblance to the actual events. At the risk of alienating any renaissance faire/ SCA readers, I have to tell you that the past stinks. Instead of dreaming of days of yore, you should revel in the ridiculously fantastic things that are a part of your everyday life.
We all agree that the internet is great (bewbs!), modern medicine is marvellous, and on and on. But let’s take a quick look at three small, simple things that make modern living top-notch.
1)On-demand heating and cooling. When I stand on one of the floor registers and the furnace turns on and it hurtles warm air up to encase me like a body slipper, I melt with delight.
2) water flosser. I have always hated flossing my teeth. Sawing my poor gums with a waxy, minty piece of thread left me with a sore mouth and bloody saliva. Now that I have this aqua-jackhammer of cleanliness, I feel like I have healthy gums for the first time ever. I look forward to using it: “Its time to floss, WHEEE!)
3) Sanitation. Whenever you find yourself in a historical recreation of some sorts, like ye olde village, think “What part of this experience isn’t authentic?” The answer is the smell. I shudder to imagine living so close to other human beings if there were no sewer pipes magically taking the piles and piles of poop magically away and out of sight.
Chris Loblaw, Author 