Depends on your metric.

I would say that the 1950s were better economically, at least in the US. If you were working class, you could make a living, and offer your children a better life than you had. That led to optimism.

But if you look at health, there were still a bunch of diseases that hadn't been conquered. Today is much better... if you can afford health insurance.

Technology? Today. No question.

Culture? They weren't on the 24th Marvel movie in the 1950s. Sure, there was a lot of schlock, too, but the original stuff was still original, not retreads of the same old stuff.

I like life now. But I'm not working class...