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Originally Posted by SAMIAM
Many of us remember times when we were worry free. Dad worked and mom ran the home and managed the family. Kids played outside until dark, getting dirty, eating sweets and riding bikes without helmets. They called adults "sir" and "ma'am" and had respect for police. The only time flags were flown at half staff was was for the death of a president senior official or member of SCOTUS....not for hollywood stars and and professional athletes. Republicans and democrats had different points of view back then as they do now but respected each other and always found common ground when it involved the good of our country. I could keep going but some will remember those times and for those that don't, I wish they could have, because it was a different world
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I have the same memories as you do and often long to go back to those days (1950s and 60s). But also consider what Newbiesaukee wrote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newbiesaukee
2. Nostalgia is the biggest lie of all.
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I grew up in a small, all white northern town after World War II. It was a prosperous era for many (GI Bill etc.). We didn't know our neighbors' politics and politics didn't divide us. On the other hand, racial segregation was still legal in the South and racial tensions would soon come to violence, but we children and teenagers knew nothing about that. We were on the verge of the catastrophe across Southeast Asia. We hid under our desks during air raid drills and had nightmares of being bombed by the Russians. Women's choices of education and careers were pretty limited and women had no place in politics.
Yes, I'm very nostalgic for that era and feel very fortunate to have grown up then, as you say. But at that time, much was hidden beneath the surface because---unlike today---it was considered anti-social to protest unsavory things like discrimination or to let anyone see certain parts of one's life, like if you had an alcoholic in the family or someone who was disabled, or even a divorce! Unwed mothers were sent away on vacation. There are many things I'd like to return to, but not all.
Except for the hardships of World War II and the Korean War, we didn't face anything like what's happening today. 400,000 US soldiers died in WW II; 80,000 Americans have died from COVID-19
so far. Unemployment during WWII was 1.2%. Not sure anyone had heard of a climate crisis then.