Thus far I've largely focused on the many disadvantages that those of us in the modern western world labor under. Since we no longer rely directly on the support of others, we often struggle with loneliness and isolation. Most of us are not born into a coherent culture. We are deeply divided over such questions as abortion and universal health care, political questions that often relate to broader religious differences. Unlike the great majority of other people in the history of the world, we are required to work out our own answers to fundamental religious, philosophical, and practical questions.
That said, we have two major advantages in that work.
First, we have unprecedented freedom and access to information. The great majority of us have the time and opportunity to learn a great deal about a wide range of topics. To be sure, the great majority of us are more likely to watch TV and play video games or otherwise divert ourselves than to, say, learn Arabic or conduct a serious comparative study of Hinduism and Christianity. But it needn't be so.
Second, we have a tremendous amount of freedom to shape our world. For a few dollars a day we can provide a mosquito net a day for a family. We can write letters to our elected officials. Or start a political-action committee. Or a non profit. Again, very few of us make these choices. But a few people do, and some of them have improved or at least shaped the lives of hundreds or thousands or even millions of people. For most people in the history of the world, such an influence has been utterly inconceivable.
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