10 thousand years ago people celebrated when a big kill was brought home from the hunt.
5000 years ago people celebrated the seasonal harvests.
100 years ago you put in a good days work at a factory turning a screw but you helped make a car.
today if it's not novel or unique it's not celebrated or valued.
But still I dont think there is so much special and unique to humans
Yet let those things go by the wayside (any country where they experienced hyperinflation or went into decline) and the shortcomings become readily apparent.
Even just refuse pickup service -soon you get vermin and contagious diseases. Actual things to worry about.
Electricity and hospitals (neo-natal units and ER, for example).
From the Oakland warehouse fire people realized Fire Marshall safety checks have meaning and impact.
Mundane stuff makes the world go round and allows people to make mountains out of their personal molehills.