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I miss being able to get food without all the added chemicals at regular grocery at regular prices.
When we were growing up is when all the chemicals were ADDED to foods, lol. All the preservatives in canned and other foods, the colorings etc in Jello and puddings and sugar drinks, g-d knows what in Spam and hotdogs, Hostess cupcake crap, tons of commercial cookies and muffins, white "Wonder" Bread, white pasta, colorings in meats, pesticides on crops, etc etc...
They set an example that, sadly, seems to have been lost by succeeding generations. Hard work, loyalty to friends, caring for your fellow man all seem to be of little matter these days. One by one we are losing them and our nation is poorer for it.
Yes, I agree that we all have learned a lot from our parents' generations. From what I have seen and experienced, all the lessons of working hard, being loyal to your friends and caring for your fellow man have been passed on and preserved to many people in my generation and our children's generation.
Charity, community and volunteer organizations both religious and non-religious are populated with people of all ages. We have high school/college friends in the Peace Corps. We have many young friends and relatives who are involved in church missions or volunteer groups in developing countries. My younger brother and my daughter had spent many summers working for free medical/veterinary clinics in Guatamala and Mexico. Several parents in my rowing group have gone to Haiti with their children to work in orphanages. My 15 years old nephew who is aspiring to be a missionary medical doctor has been on a number of summer missions and will go to Haiti in July.
Being pilots, we have volunteered and know of many volunteer pilot organizations (Angel Flight, Wings of Mercy, Light Hawk, Young Eagles, Pilots and Paws, Civil Air Patrol, The Flying Doctors of Mercy, Southwings etc) and pilots who regularly donate their flights.
Good will and volunteer spirit are still thriving in the US and many parts of the world. I am no Pollyanna and certainly not blind to many societal problems. However, I have faith in the basic goodness of mankind and believe that there are still a lot more good than evil in the world that I live.
I have to wonder whether sensational or provocative media is responsible for inducing the pessimistic outlook of many folks in this country. Reporting or chronicling the life of everyday law-obedient, God-fearing, hard working average Joe or Jane Doe is not 'news'. It's not a surprise that the big headlines are all about crimes, corruptions besides accidents, natural disasters. Reality TVs are all about very unrealistic people and situations etc!! All together, the media gives us a very distorted view about the majority real people and life in America.
I miss the 'free' oranges out the backdoor in the orange grove. Ice cream cones at 5 cents a scoop. Marie Calendars had a drive thru where you could purchase pies. Kids could safely visit friends or explore outside all day or all afternoon long, just tell mom where you'd be. Walking across a street without getting run over by an adult cyclist going 20 miles an hour. Parks and reservoirs that are now housing developments and theme parks. Gas wars and 25-cent per gal gas. Pleasant sunday drives with the parentals. Grocery stores with behaving children (today shopping venues are more like places for children to excercise). Drivers ed classes for everyone when you reached 15. Respect and self-imposed discipline.
And, at different ages, the Mickey Mouse Club. the Ed Sullivan Show.
I wouldn't want to turn back the clock either, but I don't see that as the point of this thread. It should be clear that some things were better and some things were worse in the "old days".
Escort Rider,
My post was in response to the 'wishing-to-return-to-the good old days' tone expressed in several posts. My observation is that when we put the sentimental nostalgia gauze over our eyes, we tend to romanticize the past, amplify the good and ignore the bad even when the latter was figuratively the other side of the same coin.
The anonymous author of the viral email eulogising the good old days seems to have a very bad memory
Of course, not all changes are for the better but generally, from my POV, our society has made tremendous progresses in many fronts. Yes, there are some trade offs but generally the life of people in many segments of the society (women, children, senior citizens, immigrants, minority groups etc) have improved tremendously in the last 50 years or so.
My post was in response to the 'wishing-to-return-to-the good old days' tone expressed in several posts. My observation is that when we put the sentimental nostalgia gauze over our eyes, we tend to romanticize the past, amplify the good and ignore the bad even when the latter was figuratively the other side of the same coin.
Yes, I believe there is a tendency to romanticize the past. Less commonly, one can also demonize it. We have seen both tendencies in this thread. Lest it be thought that I am engaging in the former, let give a partial list of things I would NOT willingly go back to:
-- the state of dentistry and medicine as it was practiced (There have been many advances in the past 60 years).
-- the racial inequality (and the lack of equality of opportunity for other groups such as women)
-- the lack of auto safety (lack of seat belts, lack of automatic braking systems, etc.)
-- the ubiquity of smoking
I look forward to reading your link when I have a bit more time.
Yes, I believe there is a tendency to romanticize the past. Less commonly, one can also demonize it.
I think that demonizing the past is worse than romanticizing it. This is why I love learning about actual real historical facts. I also enjoy reading biographies where the biographers have no agendas, research well, try to stay unbiased and portray historical or notable people as they were with all the goods and the bads, virtues and vices, moments of triumphs and weaknesses.
For my personal life, the way that I see that, it's nice to remember good memories, it's good or even important to reflect, to learn lessons from the past, but it is more important to accept life the way it is, just enjoy the moment and prepare for the future
Quote:
You can't do anything about the past, it's done and can't be mended. But the future is different, if you just think what you really want and reach out and take it.Lesley Pearse, Trust Me
IMO, there is no point of wasting time and effort lamenting about the things that you can not change! I'm not advocating "If you can not beat them, join them", but there is some advantages in thinking that the glass is half full and not half empty ;-)
Yes, I agree that we all have learned a lot from our parents' generations. From what I have seen and experienced, all the lessons of working hard, being loyal to your friends and caring for your fellow man have been passed on and preserved to many people in my generation and our children's generation.
Charity, community and volunteer organizations both religious and non-religious are populated with people of all ages. We have high school/college friends in the Peace Corps. We have many young friends and relatives who are involved in church missions or volunteer groups in developing countries. My younger brother and my daughter had spent many summers working for free medical/veterinary clinics in Guatamala and Mexico. Several parents in my rowing group have gone to Haiti with their children to work in orphanages. My 15 years old nephew who is aspiring to be a missionary medical doctor has been on a number of summer missions and will go to Haiti in July.
Being pilots, we have volunteered and know of many volunteer pilot organizations (Angel Flight, Wings of Mercy, Light Hawk, Young Eagles, Pilots and Paws, Civil Air Patrol, The Flying Doctors of Mercy, Southwings etc) and pilots who regularly donate their flights.
Good will and volunteer spirit are still thriving in the US and many parts of the world. I am no Pollyanna and certainly not blind to many societal problems. However, I have faith in the basic goodness of mankind and believe that there are still a lot more good than evil in the world that I live.
I have to wonder whether sensational or provocative media is responsible for inducing the pessimistic outlook of many folks in this country. Reporting or chronicling the life of everyday law-obedient, God-fearing, hard working average Joe or Jane Doe is not 'news'. It's not a surprise that the big headlines are all about crimes, corruptions besides accidents, natural disasters. Reality TVs are all about very unrealistic people and situations etc!! All together, the media gives us a very distorted view about the majority real people and life in America.
If you can improve the life of a single, disadvantaged person it is worth the effort, and your family and friends are to be commended for aiding many others here at home and abroad. Your point about everyday people not making the news is well-taken, as I was aware of but two of the volunteer pilot organizations you mentioned, while I am very informed about crime and corruption in my community.
I wish that I could agree with you when you say good will is thriving in America, or that there is more good than evil. This is one time it would be nice to be wrong. Best wishes to you and your family in your humanistic endeavors.
Occupant Traffic Death Statistics, by Restraint Use
1. Restraint Used
New Hampshire: 30.8%
New York: 54.9%
2. Deaths Where No Seat Belt Used
New Hampshire 68.1%
New York 30.4%
3. Restraint Use Unknown
New Hampshire 1.1%
New York 14.7%
It's too bad that this site does not have the stats on the % of maimed, injured vehicle occupants with or without seatbelts.
My husband's life had been plagued by a broken/fused ankle resulted from a car accident when he was in college (he was not wearing a seatbetl!). A friend of the family got thrown out of a truck (the door popped opened) and has been in a wheelchair since he was 15. The son of my nephew died in a car crash along with several friends after a party. None was wearing seatbelt!
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When we were growing up is when all the chemicals were ADDED to foods, lol. All the preservatives in canned and other foods, the colorings etc in Jello and puddings and sugar drinks, g-d knows what in Spam and hotdogs, Hostess cupcake crap, tons of commercial cookies and muffins, white "Wonder" Bread, white pasta, colorings in meats, pesticides on crops, etc etc...
