> The triple scourges of drug abuse, mental illness and family breakdown have produced anomie and derangements far deeper than those seen in the 1930s

Completely unsourced nonsense. As if there were no homeless families or mental illness in the great depression. Even drug abuse isn't a modern thing, though the chemicals have changed.

I mean it doesn't even pass the basic (heh) smell test of "would you rather walk the streets of San Francisco in 1931 or 2019? I mean, come on.