You can only speak about the economy of your location because, in some countries, the situation might be the opposite. In my country, the economy has become worse. I remember those days when there were foods/feed that were reserved for animals because we had enough supply of food. Currently, those foods are now consumed by even the middle class. It was difficult to hear news of people who died of hunger, but today thousands are dying because of starvation. The problem is the gap between the poor and the rich has widened, and the middle class is non-existent.
In terms of education, technology and health care, there has been a massive improvement. Painfully, only the rich can access the best services. They are now very expensive. We used to have free public quality healthcare and secondary school education, but today, they are poorly equipped and funded. Only the rich can afford good hospitals and schools. I prefer to go back to the past because life has become hard, fearful and unpredictable.
I agree with your opinion, because I can relate as well. Every year that passes is progressively worse for the economy; we're moving backwards instead of evolving. However, from what I understand, the OP is referring at a global level. I recall seeing a short documentary a few months ago that showed with statistics that the world is actually getting better (at least up to 2021–2022), even though the media doesn't portray it that way. On the one hand, I agree, the evolution of medicine and technology has broadened our horizons, but on the other hand, I've come to believe that the past few years after Covid have gotten progressively worse.
In fact, our world is getting better, not worse as many people think . But I feel like the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger, which is why many people feel like the economy is getting worse . Furthermore , it seems that the goods and products produced today are also more focused on serving the middle and upper classes rather than mass producing for the lower classes . Therefore , low-income people will feel their lives increasingly suffocated when earning money becomes very difficult due to competition while the prices of goods are too high compared to their income .
Not to mention the development of technology is bringing convenience to humanity but it also directly threatens the lives of the uneducated, whose income depends on manual labor. So it is understandable that they feel life is getting more and more difficult .
Definitely, the world is getting better. But many times, economic progress leaves the impoverished behind. Luxury goods over necessities? That is the market serving the rich, not an accident. Everybody should gain from our system, not just the top one percent. Technology is transforming everything; we cannot simply observe from here. We have to change our whole economic framework. How might we guarantee everyone gains? How can individuals be trained and educated for roles of the future? These are the true enquiries. The path forward is not fixed. We can mould it. Still, it will call for courage, knowledge, and a readiness to fight for a better system. Let us ensure that everyone, not just the affluent few, benefits from the future economy