The story of Noah is a parable used to illustrate what happens when people don't follow god's law (or those who seggest they speak for it). Regarding if society is a fundamentally better or worse place than a few thousand years ago, I'd say that is irrelevant. Societies evolve, and ours is just another version - albeit one with cooler tech.
Are we a fundamentally more evil place, I guess that depends on your circumstances and what you consider to be evil. If anything we are a safer, more law abiding and tolerant race, and that is attributable in my opinion to our increased understanding of our place in the universe - not god.
