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Yep. But millions of excuses. Can't move there. Too far from family. Blah blah. What do you think our ancestors did? They moved across the ocean to unknown parts. Hard to feel sorry for some folks. Some I can, but some I can't.
I don't feel sorry for anyone in the US. But it is an undeniable fact that economic conditions have declined for the great majority of the population over the last 40 years, and that ain't right...
I started to read the postings in this thread, and the above is what came to my mind as well.
I was born in 1938, and I think, as ER does, that being close to the cusp was the best. My various cousins born at the beginning of the Silent Generation are nothing like me or my age peers in their attitudes or their life trajectories. Life was far more difficult for them.
This captures the sentiment pretty well. If you were born in the late 1930s, you don't have any memories of the Great Depression, you didn't serve in WW2, Korea, and most likely, didn't serve in Vietnam either. You were in high school and college at the height of America's postwar power, with almost unlimited potential, especially if you were a white male.
If you want to discuss differences in people in the Silent Generation ( roughly 1928-1945), they certainly exist. Someone born in 1929 is MUCH different, and had much different life experiences, than someone born in the late 30s and early 40s. Someone born in 1929 has childhood memories of the Depression, had older brothers who served in WW2, and possibly served in the Armed Forces during the Korean War ( 1950-53). He is also quite likely the parent of several Baby Boomers, too.
Someone born in 1929 very likely never had long hair in his life, either.
This seems to be the golden era of being an average American in many aspects. Like my grandparents, born in a depression and childhood was hard, but after WW2 ended that ended quickly as well. The biggest boom in mankind followed, coupling with a generation growing up in the sweet 50's. Cars, freedom, soda fountains, etc. Move on to employment where retirement is at 55 and with a pension, that many are still collecting today. They get to spend their golden years coming off the Internet boom of the 90's, use tech to stay in touch with Grandkids, and yes there were some hard times and stress but not like today's under 40 somethings.
Full disclosure - By all means every generation had something good. Many say today's kids have it too easy, and in some ways they do, but in others they dont. $100k of student loan debt is not nice. Many people today are propped up by social services, while others partake in activities considered quite debaucherous. I'm not saying the silent generation was perfect by any means, but as far as opportunity, rapid increase in standard of living due to us winning WW2, etc, they would probably have to be considered the golden generation for the average American. For the exceptionally rich American, I would say there is no better time than now post-globalization if you have the money to travel the modern world.
It depends. Where did those members of the Silent Generation grow up and/or live?
My parents, for example, both born during WWII, grew up in the UK, which was greatly affected economically by the War, both during and after. Though the UK wasn't completely decimated like Germany was, it did have lots of rebuilding to do. There was a significantly lower standard of living throughout Europe, as compared to the US, which probably lasted up to the 1980s (one could argue that the differences in standard of living between western Europe and North America is minimal to non-existent now). So, I don't think the European Silent Generation had it quite as easy as their American counterparts.
I will say, however, that as immigrants with no education beyond high school, my parents and other immigrants of their generation who emigrated primarily in the 1950s and 1960s, did FAR better economically in their adopted countries (US/Canada) than the vast majority of immigrants of similar socioeconomic background do today.
I'm not so sure if my white grandfather and black grandmother would agree 1928-1944 was an era of luck for them. I would imagine things were worse for blacks, if things were bad for whites.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 909er
This seems to be the golden era of being an average American in many aspects. Like my grandparents, born in a depression and childhood was hard, but after WW2 ended that ended quickly as well. The biggest boom in mankind followed, coupling with a generation growing up in the sweet 50's. Cars, freedom, soda fountains, etc. Move on to employment where retirement is at 55 and with a pension, that many are still collecting today. They get to spend their golden years coming off the Internet boom of the 90's, use tech to stay in touch with Grandkids, and yes there were some hard times and stress but not like today's under 40 somethings.
Full disclosure - By all means every generation had something good. Many say today's kids have it too easy, and in some ways they do, but in others they dont. $100k of student loan debt is not nice. Many people today are propped up by social services, while others partake in activities considered quite debaucherous. I'm not saying the silent generation was perfect by any means, but as far as opportunity, rapid increase in standard of living due to us winning WW2, etc, they would probably have to be considered the golden generation for the average American. For the exceptionally rich American, I would say there is no better time than now post-globalization if you have the money to travel the modern world.
No vaccines except smallpox---lots of childhood mortality
No antibiotics until WWII
FDR had a B/P of 300/220 when he died---no decent treatments for heart disease until 1960's, not to mention other illnesses
People were old and worn out at 50
Women had few career options until the late 1960's
Homosexuals, blacks, or anyone who was not conformist was suppressed or punished
In 1940, more than half of adults had an 8th grade education or less: https://nces.ed.gov/naal/lit_history.asp
Last edited by nightlysparrow; 05-03-2015 at 04:27 PM..
My mother would laugh at the original post. All she remembered growing up during this period was her parents worrying themselves sick. Now you could make a case for 1948-1968 if you were white and middle-class and up. But during the Great Depression and World War II? No.
Exactly, talk to anyone who grew up during the Great Depression and even if their family had jobs they still have a life long fear of losing everything that stayed with them from what they witnessed as children. Even if they went on to live successful lives financially it was still a part of their makeup.
And does the OP know that in 1942 this country came very close to losing the war? That Americans lived under the fear of attack(kind of like today).
yea because we are wasteful trillions on war we cannot win.
eyeb's basic argument still stands. Pick your issue or cause. People today don't cooperate as much as previous generations did. We all know it's the truth.
The point is their lives were (almost) continually getting better. They started life at rock bottom, had the benefits of WWII without having to fight it, though some went to Korea, and came of age when workers, not jobs, were in short supply. And it might be mentioned they didn't miss cellphones, the web, or video games because those things didn't exist. Many didn't have medical insurance, true. But hospital costs were more reasonable. When my brother was in for a week in 1966 the bill was only $260 (my parents showed me for some reason) and the hospital would allow payments of $5 a week over a year. Another factor that may have improved the silent generations luck (though it might have hurt as well) immigration was sharply restricted from the 1920s to the 1960s.
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