Except for the medical advances, most of what the article discusses are not an issue, really.
It tries to assuage the advancing subjugation of individuality and freedom people experience today by poo pooing an era where grit and determination and hard work could take you anywhere.
“Go back to your iPhones and Cheetos people for in days of yore ye suffered the consequences of your decisions and the state was not yet fulminant enough to promise [emptily] to always come to your rescue”...