Choices

This is from John Gardner's biography of Chaucer. It comes from Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales: Selected Works and Related Readings. [Nevill Coghill, trans]. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2002.

271: “After careful thought, if we were given the choice of living then or now, we might well decide to scrap out modern world. . . .”

Really? Are there people who would really prefer to live in the 1300s? I mean, even if one was in favor of the religiousness of it, or the patriarchy, what about the sanitary conditions (or lack there of), the poor medical care, the great disparity between the rich and poor, the shortened life span.

More to the point, every history class I have sat in, with a few exceptions, have been teleulogical in nature. That is to say, human history is seen as drive towards perfection -- the best time to be alive is right now (or perhaps the near future) -- the past has been striving to reach this point.

Which isn't to say that's not entirely correct. I am not about to suggest that 2007 in America is the Best Thing/Place/Time Ever!!!!, but it's pretty darn good. I like that even though I am a lower-class (socio-econmocially speaking) female I can attend university. I like that I don't have to worry about the Black Death -- though AIDS is worse, so. Etc Etc.

Anyway, I just think that's an odd claim, working on a lot of faulty warrants.