LU,
“This is actually the best generation that has ever been”
How do you know any of those things (besides #4)?”
Reb Yidd:
“1 is simple math.”
So are 2 and 3.
I think that I once heard from Rav Leff, Shlita: Someone asked the Chofetz Chaim how we could be deserving of having Mashiach come in our generation since other generations were better, and he said that we have the accumulated zchusim of all the generations.