Have improvements really resulted in improving society?

Old cities died when they pulled out the electric trolleys that had been there for years.  People wanted modern, convenience and shiny.  Once the arteries were torn out the blood of activity could no longer flow. The bustling cities were abandoned to the malls.  The cancer of ignored property moved in slowly eating away at the heart until the fires started its more rapid decent. People moved out to newer shiny modern houses but the cancer crept out to the burbs too.  So the people keep on moving but look back in their memories to the past that was.