Y'got that right, Vis. This is a big problem in California and to a less extent throughout America. The livin's so easy that the people cannot imagine a fall, even when, with such an enormous economy, they can't afford to fix the pockmarks in the roads.
In the Midwest, where the climate is harsher, people tend less to be distracted by luxury, though even there enormous wealth has provided ample luxury and distraction.
In the South, despite wealth, luxury, and a climate of abundance equal to any, there's more cynicism and insistence on facing unpleasant realities. The South knows what a fall is like--and that the greatest wealth and easiest livin' cannot assure against it--and that, in fact, to be distracted from reality by wealth, luxury, and easy livin' provides a clear pathway to a fall.
One of the problems is this touchy feely attitude in our culture. The idea that life is not supposed to contain any pain. Basically a generation of 40 and 50 year old children.
Thank you for a strong and historically-informed post - that includes history from before the day you were born. These are rare indeed, even on FR.