You ever read anything from the 1800s? Technological and cultural advances have obviously taken place, but tons of dumbing down has occurred as well.
Idiocracy is in full effect. The dregs of society out-reproduce our best and brightest, test scores keep falling, and most people have the attention span of a gnat. It shows in the pathetic political discourse and in the people we are willing to let lead our country.
Zero percent chance the 1800s guys wouldn’t be appalled by the shit show we have today.