I am always shocked by usage of “back then” and “good old days” and the like. What does it even mean Men were Men. Comparing the past that seemed harder than the hardships of the present day is so one sided and a simpletons way of looking at things. People suffered back then. People suffer today. Rich suffer and poor suffer. Suffering is suffering doesn’t matter the source and if it makes sense or not. You may fall sick eating an apple or eating fish and ce could argue all day long which suffering was more justified but it still dosnt change the nature of suffering a sufferer undergoes. The still feel the suffering despite the source.

Sorry for the digression but just had to make the point about men being men