What is the point of generational progression when it has drawbacks?

With generational progression I mean...progress in inventions, technology, healthcare, infrastructure, arts and ideas...20 years ago life was somewhat different, 100 years ago more different...like this 1000 years ago much more different...but each generation had a drawback....let's say we have made so much progress living in today's time....but the drawbacks are more and more??? we are still going to wars, we still have diseases, we still have all sorts of violent problems.....

How does that mean mankind has progressed over time? What was the productivity all about? Things are less perfect then they were 50 years ago...