March 8, 2024

What should life be like? I want to see the difference between the past and the present.（5）

From the perspective of clean water, good air, and fresh food, the environment has deteriorated, but I think it is great that we are becoming a society where all people have a variety of opportunities. I think the important thing is to think about how to take care of our health and respond to it while taking advantage of the good things.

『(In the past) It felt good to play outside. The air was fresh, and the well water was always cold and tasty. Vegetables sometimes had bugs on them, and sometimes they were irregular in shape, but they were fresh. We took what was fresh at the time. They were rarely stored for long periods of time, and the daily routine was to shop and eat them on the same day.
(Today) Photochemical smog and PM2.5 pollution are sometimes observed outside, and the air is not always clean. Water is also more often purchased and drunk from mineral water. Vegetables are sold in stores in almost the same shape, and most types of vegetables, including foreign ones that were not available before, are always available regardless of the season. However, there are some vegetables that are in season and delicious, but it’s no longer easy to tell what they are. Frozen foods are now easily available anywhere, and convenience has improved, but on the other hand, it seems that opportunities to eat fresh food have drastically decreased. However, it can be said that it is good that the idea of gender equality has begun to take root, technological innovation has progressed to support dual-income households, and economic growth has progressed along with it.』

『Unfortunately, it seems that the days when we were surrounded by clean water, fresh air, and fresh food have disappeared somewhere, out of reach in cities. On the other hand, it is very good that we now live in a society where all people have a variety of opportunities. In any case, I think it’s time to consider what our priorities need to be.』