Was life better in the past or is it just that people have become more negative?

If you could substitute living in the past or living now what would you choose? Apparently in the past people cared about each other more, they were less obsessed with money, they chose to meet up more, family were more like family, people have become more separated as we have become more concerned about wealth. Also was their much more freedom in the past? Because now it seems like the world is becoming more like a police state, we are always being watched. Were people more laid back in the past?