@ Biiviz, I was talking more about the individual every day, person...more than the events that occured, because you could add the "Great depression" and Germany's economical problems along with many others to your list also... even so, considering all the events, i'm not sure we're better off today, with our current economy, conflicts globaly especially terrorism, and also the support for extreme ideologies, like evolution, global warming and "New World Order" for an example...there is more violence in the world today
Funny if you think that way, the world get less frequent war than it was during the old times.
In the ancient Greek (probably during Oedipus Rex's era), any man you see on the street is enemy and you'll try to settle it with duel to the death. Think of it as more cultured and less barbaric as it shows symbolist gesture of "we are more manly arrrrr..."
You read too much historical books, which is heavily biased. In the ancient Chinese history, they also write it in a way that make you so impressed that the past was full of peace, serenity, and awesomeness, before you know that the Emperor selects as many wife as he could and so does every rich man. The sons obey his father with utmost obedience, even his father is a no-good guy. Not to mention how women was terribly oppressed. Or you would like to live in England, where the king can point you for treason without a reason and proper investigation and sentenced you to disembowelment, oh the justice.
20's,30's,40's,50's, sure, one of the most corrupt era of US. You'll know if you live in Chicago. Then, I wouldn't call criminals and their lackeys partying over worn-out prostitutes, people induced in alcoholism and gambling problems "greed". Police bribery? More common than today. And in case for my country, it is the era of zeal nationalism and extreme ideology develops. And in Europe, it is the era of the racism, hatred, suspicion, etc etc...
My view for today, the morality standards is getting more universal, there is more understanding and less ignorance. But there are just several cavemen around the world who just don't accept it, the way, the west and most of other people understands it. And we're getting more reliant on our needs, that we have too much to lose and we feel the need to protect something, thus we become "good".
What worries me about today is extreme tree-hugging movements, crazy animal loving groups who value trees and animals above human life. That's just a LOL, but strikes me no fear for the future. Terrorism, there should have been a common enemy to fight on, otherwise, it will be another cold war with another civilization. We need an enemy to keep us strong, alert, and remind us that we have something to protect.