Chris, I dont think anything has changed since humanity first discovered fire: if you think back just to the last century and the terrible loss of life in two bloody world wars: not to mention Korea and Vietnam, which was followed by the killing fields; Stalin alone caused the death of millions - many through forced starvation and then before that: back to slavery, poverty, childhood mortality: I could go on for ever. Through it all,mankind perseveres - as we are called to do. Nothing changes under the sun. I cannot say that I am optimistic, but we really are the lucky generations - brought up in an era of comparative western peace. Things are certainly not worse than they have ever been: it's just a continuation of the same story.
Anyhow Chris: I know you are wrong: if you had been straight you would certainly have had a family - however bad the world might seem - ;)
I suspect CBLF will linger on - and maybe come back into its own in time . . . .