Yet there are measurable changes in health, lifestyle and behavior. Obesity; neighborliness; attention span; entitlement. Where once only the ruling class could afford to be snooty and entitled, now most everybody can do it.
Even access to the outdoors - a century ago everyone lived in nature, to a degree unthinkable today. Sure, some tiny fraction still take their GoPro out and record it for the rest of us. But while parks, camps, outdoor programs have growing participation they have not kept up with simple population growth. Which means outdoor activity has dropped precipitously per capita.
I blame computers and games, for the pandemic of couch-potato twitch gamer culture. Not seen since the rise and fall of the opium dens.