I do not think that for the west the problem is a lack of technology but a lack of opportunities.
When all growth goes to the top .1% the rest are left disfranchisement. Countries go to war without citizens consent, companies change contracts by sending a simple email and without recourse, draconian surveillance and break of privacy is accepted with a click... people does not just need food and entertainment, we need to be part of society and have a say on it. Inequality has removed that possibility.
We crave freedom and power to change things. Currently, our only freedom is to accept what we are offered or to get nothing.
A better world is possible, unionizing, collective agreements, more accountability from our political representatives, split powerful monopolies...
I like my phone and my computer. I like good movies and video games. But I need to be able to participate in society as an active actor not just as a puppet for the powerful.
But if we go onto larger scales it flips again. Before the rise of cities, smaller societies allowed for a more involved social participation. I doubt that live was better back then, but labor was dependent mostly on one self and immediate family and neighbors. So, autonomy was higher even if the rest of parameters for well being were worst.
Iced drinks have been a thing for millenia.
In Europe they'd cut blocks of ice from glaciers or simply high mountains and cart them down to the cities covered in hay for insulation.
They aren't like chilled completely in the sense of fridges/ice though but they keep water pretty cool.
had to search it up and ancient sites show that pots have been around for 10 thousand years to 7 thousands years as far as I can see.
I am sure that western civilization must also have this concept?
How does one disinfect them?
In the West, if water has to be stored for drinking, large glass pitchers work, but they're not cooling.
In general, though, I find cynical people insufferable, because they find everything insufferable.
It reminded me of wabi-sabi, which essentially says you should appreciate the imperfection and impermanence of things.
This is such a common trope that you can see it everywhere. "Do you remember how the internet was in the 2000s??? with AOL and IRC??".
