it was different mega corps running every facet of your life.

It is a completely different ball game in 2024 and you'd have to be blind to not see it. The power and influence companies have in 2024 dwarfs what any company had in the '70s. Especially with the adevnt of the Internet. So I'm sorry there's just no comparison here. It may have been tough for a lot of people, but like you said, they had a chance to rebuild. People barely even have a chance to get started these days.