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Seems so long ago, things were so simple, laid back and much kinder, gentler and just plain simplier. I am talking bout the times when we were young and had no mortage payments, worries and stress of today. Even though I grew up in a angry dsyfunctional household and was abused in school, the times seem a bit sweeter to me, there were no school shootings, no 911, no illegals taking over, things just seemed to be soooo different. Anyone agree with me?
Last edited by Stonecoldharbours; 05-14-2007 at 08:30 AM..
Reason: Looking for a poll chart!
Personally, I think a lot of it has to do with our 24-hour news culture now. A lot of bad stuff was going on back then too, but not every murder was covered.
Now, if you had said 50 years instead of 30 years ago, I might agree with you. I feel that the years between 1968 and 1980 were a definite low-point in our nations history and I think things are much better, on almost all fronts, now.
From my (albeit conservative) perspective, America was at its best from 1945-1960. If we just could have focused on racial and gender equality, but kept our other values the same, and maybe had today's advances in medical technology- that would probably be the ideal society.
It seems like the baby-boomers, as a generation, were sort of "spoiled brats" due to all their new found prosperity and never knowing real war/depression, and they kind of made things go downhill from 1960 onward. (As you can tell, not a big fan of the hippies). Because of their vast numbers, by 1965 America was a country with a rebellious-teenage majority- and it showed in our culture.
Then, I think we came around as a society and, thanks to Reagan, began to repair our country to what it once was. I'd say by Sept. 10, 2001, we were as close to the 1950's ideal as any time since. Crime, divorce, poverty, unemployment, lack of morale, racism and sexism, and just about every aspect of life were worse in 1977 than 2007, I think.
Of course, I wasn't even around until Reagan, so anyone with first-hand knowledge feel free to correct me.
I don't know. I think you need to add something that is midway between 30 years ago being better and today being better. In some respects things were better 30 years ago, but in some respects things are better now. Obviously, I am nostalgic and long for things from my past, but some things are just better now. Better cars (not that my 70's model muscle cars aren't "all that" - they are!!!), better appliances, homes are designed better than they were 30 years ago, we have the internet now which gives us the ability to look things up in seconds and communicate with people all over the world, people are more hip to second-hand smoke, better advances in medicine, etc. However, there was less traffic 30 years ago, places weren't as crowded as they are now, I was younger , I still had my brother around, less smog, better music, etc.
Funny I should happen upon this thread. Just last night my husband and I were watching a movie about FDR and my husband turned to me and said, people from his generation really did things for our country and people. What have we done for our generation? Gives one pause to think.
I think things are way different and some things are better while others are worse, but looking at the big picture, in my opinion things are much worse.
Yesteryears society was a time when people really knew one another, took time to become good neighbors, etc. It was a slower pace of life that we lack today. In today's society, we are geared with such a fast pace it is literly killing us. Stress in America is more profound and common than in any other time in our history.
It is the 24 hour t.v.; cell phones; easy transportation access to anywhere at anytime; quick divorces if things don't work out, fast food, and lets not forget all the activities our children are involved in to keep us from gathering at family dinners each night.
Younger aged kids are exposed to things we were exposed to in much later years, they have less time being children and mature too quickly.
Cell phones give us accessibility from most anywhere so there is less time to sit down and write a letter, go pay a personal visit or have some downtime for a peaceful afternoon.
It takes less time to cook a meal than it did years ago, same for washing, cleaning, and general household duties. We have become so accustomed to having most things at our fingertips that we cannot function if something is out of order.
Take water. Simple, we want water, we turn on a tap, if we want hot, presto, we have that as well. Electricity is the same, we can stay up and do whatever we want well after dark because we have light to see by, as well as all our technical gadgets to work/play on.
But, what happens when one or both of these are knocked out? Panic, anger and frustration are immediately felt. Oh we are so spoiled.
Yes, technology has improved our lifestyles to the point we have most everything we desire. It is better than hauling water from a pump well well away from the home, and electricity is great in so many areas, I can cook on a wood stove, but will take my gas/electric stove any day simply because of convenience. Phones let me keep in touch with many of my loved ones, it is quicker to pick up a phone than to drive to thier house.
We have to weigh the good with the bad. Modern conveniences are wonderful to have and use. We just need to make sure we use our extra time wisely and maybe slow down enough to keep important the things from our past such as close relationships with family through actual physical visits, take time out to eat together as a family; sitting on the front porch visiting with neighbors etc.
And yes, the violence in our schools tears my heart apart. Have we let technology become so important that we lose touch with our children? So many kids are lonely, so many are made to feel they are a burden, they turn to anger and violence to get the satisfaction of being heard.
Oh, I could go on and on, but will stop here. Life is what we make it, it is our choice to be who we are and we all need to slow down and remember what is important.
Are you really a writer could you turn that into an essay so we can all e-mail/send a snail mail of thatto everyone we have contact with so maybe we can stop and think long enough to listen to that and try to evolve life to include more of the better parts of yesteryear?
Are you really a writer could you turn that into an essay so we can all e-mail/send a snail mail of thatto everyone we have contact with so maybe we can stop and think long enough to listen to that and try to evolve life to include more of the better parts of yesteryear?
Yes, I really am a writer. I will copy and past this out and work on it this week. I can't promise to have it in the next day or so but will try.
I am just glad you could make heads or tails of it, I spoke from the top of my head here and how I felt in my heart.
I was in elementary school then, but I saw how things were. People had much nicer homes, and there was even some wild areas to explore. School wasn't great because I was picked on until I became taller than anyone else, and I was expelled from school for blowing up the janitor's closet, but I would not want to be a child in Miami now. The only good side of living now is the technology we enjoy. Otherwise living standards have taken a significant dive.
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, I still had my brother around, less smog, better music, etc.
I will copy and past this out and work on it this week. I can't promise to have it in the next day or so but will try.
ME LEFT OUT! WAAAHHHH!!! LOL!
