“How did our ancestors survive without government coercion and experimental vaccines? Amazing, isn’t it?”
They did die. Our modern expectations surrounding mortality and quality of life are much higher. Alot of people walking around today who would have not made it this far in 1918 for any number of reasons. However the improvements in technology have been balanced by a vastly more mobile population that makes it harder to control a contagious disease.
They absolutely did die. And the period of time that I grew up in was a rare thing, per Mark Steyn, and I love that quote in one of his books but I would have to go find it...
Anyway the 50s to the 70s maybe were very unusual in the way we prospered and enjoyed life in the US.
DNg NIW I need to find that quote...