It has become a lot easier to survive physically as our society has progressed over time. This is not to say society has become easier to survive in. I find the mental pressures of living are a lot more demanding than the phsical pressures (of surviving).

With the majority of our physical survival needs taken care of it gives more of an opportunity to advance our knowledge as a civilisation (People in our society are able to specialise in particular fields instead of surviving on their own allowing for more of a focus and advancement in their particular feilds). This is one of the reasons why our society has progressed and will continue till (until our demise ).