We are wealthier (as a society) and more comfortable now than we've ever been.
Aside housing*, pretty much everything else is cheaper and better quality than decades before.
Thanks to improved efficiencies in production, offshoring and globalisation, the real cost of living has been driven downwards.
Yes, there are people on low incomes struggling to make ends meet, and others who live beyond their means, but on the whole, we're doing ok.**
It's been said that China lifted 800+ million of its people out of poverty. It's less well acknowledged that China improved the lives of many more around the world by being a manufacturing hub and trade.
So, yes the increased petrol prices will bite, and the energy prices will hurt, but these are short term.
* Housing is distorted by supply not keeping pace with demand. We've had several population surges - post 1945 and post 2004.
** In an earlier life I worked frontline for a large financial organisation. I saw many low earners with tens of thousands in savings and many six figure earners relying on their overdraft to see them to the next payday.