1956-2006

[againstthewind]

Fifty years later, in this country...do you think we are better off as people?? Firty years is a long ass time, lots of things have changed...obviously, but how do you feel about our country now as opposed to that era?? I suppose I bring up the fifties because that seems to be an era that most Americans look back upon fondly, we had just won the big war, and enough time had passed to maybe heal the wounds, we had great cars, and all was right in the world. We were moving to the suburbs, learning to barbecue, and prospering as a country, money was rolling in for everyone willing to work. I look back upon that era as a grand era, rock and roll came around to corrupt the kids, and happiness was seemingly available to all who desired it.

Now, fifty years later, it seems as though we are entrenched in nothing but worries, or maybe that is just me and my friends. War is everywhere, or so it seems. Although, our society is growing older, nobody can afford to retire. Middle class incomes are dwindling, and unions are dying along with good middle class wages. Was the world a simpler place back then, or is that just American folklore working on my brain??.... You know, things are/were better in the good ole' days? We have much more TV now, does that make us better? We obviously have the internet now, does that make the world, or our country better?? Information is avail like at no othe time, but what are we doing with it?? There was a time in this country when you could get a decent job, paying decent wages and count on being there for thrity years until you retire, now....who knows?? Seems more important now to farm that job out to somebody in some third world country who is willing to work for 30 cents a day as long as the stock price goes up a bit. You know what? It isn't even the working situation that scares the hell out of me. How many of you out there remember a better America?? None of the PC crap we have to deal with now. We said what we meant, and we worked together because we loved this country. Lawsuites of the absurd were treated just like that, absurd and thrown out. I know this is a rant, but you know what? I don't care....I just feel, and maybe I'm wrong, but this country was a much better place to be at one time....it is still great now, but damn, can we ever get back to those glorious "good old days", or have we lost our innocence to the point of no return? So, the question is...do you think our country is better off fifty years later??

[billy007]

Not having been alive in 1956, I can't really say whether it was better or not. It sounds like it may have been better - a kid could afford to collect baseball cards, rock 'n roll was young and exciting, families were able to get by with only one parent working, we're told people were nicer to one another, things were simpler, athletes weren't on junk, etc. But that's if you were "white". If you were "black", there were still a lot of places where you were treated as a second-class citizen, so they probably don't look back on those times as fondly.

I'm a child of the '70s, and my perspective is that life was better then. A kid could still afford to collect baseball cards, rock 'n roll was getting exciting again (after some doldrums in the early '70s), my family was able to get by with one parent working (because there only was one parent), we were still pretty decent to one another, things were simpler, athletes weren't on junk, etc. But my perspective on life in the '70s is the perspective of one who was 6 years old when 1970 started and 16 years old when 1979 ended - so I don't know what it was like for my mom trying to make ends meet and how things like the gas prices affected her thinking.

I do tend to think that a lot of the advances we've taken have in some instances been a step backward. I love my DVD player and the convenience of being to rent movies when I want, but I also realise it takes power away from me - just today, my 10 year old was telling me about how his friend's sister let them watch "Scary Movie 4". I haven't seen the movie, but from the dialogue I've read from the movie, I don't exactly think it's the type of movie you let a group of 10 year olds watch. When I was a kid, my mom didn't have that problem - any movies I was going to see was going to be at the theatre, and there was a person there to make sure I only saw movies appropriate for my age. Now there's a VCR or DVD player in every home and parents or older siblings can let their kids or siblings watch any movie they choose and if my kid happens to be along for the ride, he gets to see it too. But I can't just lock him away in his room! Other things, like recording technology have made so much of our modern music sound sterile. There's cable with 200 channels of shit to numb one's brain if you let it, and so many folks are content to let it numb not only their brain, but they sit their children in front of it like a big fat electronic babysitter, never once stopping to see if the programming has gone from the benign children's cartoon they started out with to some form of adult anime. Not only are our athletes on junk, but they give all their effort to the almighty dollar and don't stick around long enough for us to root for them and put their posters on our walls (does anybody bother to make posters of baseball and football players anymore, or is it a waste of paper since as soon as you get them in the store, they've moved on to a different uniform?) I know that as an adult paying the bills sucks, and if my wife didn't work, there's no way I could carry the five of us. I definitely feel that people's attitudes for one another has taken a real nosedive - there's just a mean spirit that runs through everything and folks are just not as willing to be helpful as they once were. "Reality" has become entertainment as we watch to see who can make the biggest ass of themselves or sit salaciously on the sidelines waiting to see who's going to have sex with whom.

So whether the good ol' days were any better, I don't know, but I find it hard to see how they could've been any worse...

[WinterlessIceness]

2006 is a 50th Anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, which didn't exist back then. In 1956 people have been learning the fastest way to hide from the cruise nuclear missiles. It was just one year for Vientam war to begin, and it was only three since Korean war finished. And war is everywhere now?
Out of all things, the one I can't understand is the willingness of people to condemn the very time they live in.

[willy4pres]

Im not sure how anyone could think this country (or the world for that matter) is worse off now then anytime before. From 1936-1945 approx 40+ million people died in WWII, since then the human cost of war has gone down dramatically. And it's not like WWII just sprung up, people were killing each other every day during the build up from WWI (and prior).

I hate how people try to pretend the world is more fucked up now then some time before just because they disagree with the shit that's going down.

I would guess that 100,000 people have died since Sept 11th because of some kind of conflict, that is horrible but it's a drop in the bucket when compared to other TRULY difficult times in history.

[Axxman300]

Well, black people can use the same restroom as me. That's gotta be a plus.
I remember seeing "Colored Restroom" signs in Kansas in 1968.

It's actually a great time to be around, I wish I was 21 today, so much oppertunity. The world is wide open. If you turn off the TV the world becomes a great place.

[againstthewind]

2006 is a 50th Anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, which didn't exist back then. In 1956 people have been learning the fastest way to hide from the cruise nuclear missiles. It was just one year for Vientam war to begin, and it was only three since Korean war finished. And war is everywhere now?
Out of all things, the one I can't understand is the willingness of people to condemn the very time they live in.

Communists/Eastern block people...well, they think differently. I'm quite certain you think the wrong side won WWII!!

[MikeL]

Ah, the good old days...

Unemployment hit something like 7.5% in 1958, so I wouldn't exactly say that anyone who wanted work had it. Poverty was rampant enough that it led Johnson to launch his Great Society programs. High school dropout rates were much higher than today. Travel wasn't nearly as cheap. If an unmarried girl got preggers, she was hidden and the baby adopted (and not always into a great home/situation!). Domestic abuse, if not more common, certainly didn't get treated as it does today. Communists were everywhere, or so someone said.

I wouldn't say that life was idyllic in the 1950s, or that it fit neatly into The Nelson or Leave It To Beaver. Compared to what we have available today, music wasn't all that great. Neither were the record players you needed to hear it.

Then there was war. First the long, expensive Korean Conflict, then the beginnings of the Cold War. Nuclear war was still a new idea then. The concept of a missile dropping a warhead on your city without any warning was brand spanking new, and everyone thought that the Soviets had more bombers and missiles than we did--and that they'd use them. They crushed the Hungarians in 1956, and soon after that they beat us into space. The Suez Crisis brought us into opposition with our European allies, and nearly led to armed conflict between us. Good times, indeed.

Right now, the world is as good as it has ever been. The cynical side of me says that fifty years from now, people will see this as the good old days. They'll probably only look at a tiny part of the picture, too.

[WinterlessIceness]

Communists/Eastern block people...well, they think differently. I'm quite certain you think the wrong side won WWII!!

So what else you could pick on when 3 ouf of 4 of your fellow citizens concured to my point ?

[againstthewind]

So what else you could pick on when 3 ouf of 4 of your fellow citizens concured to my point ?

LOL, lighten up seeet pea. It's not a right or wrong answer, I never said at any point that this era sucks, it simply was a question to ponder, and I even said maybe I was just buying into American folklore. I just felt like pushing your buttons 'cuz you're such a sensitive lil' pup.

[SeriousDooDoo]

Fifty years later, in this country...do you think we are better off as people?? Firty years is a long ass time, lots of things have changed...obviously, but how do you feel about our country now as opposed to that era?? I suppose I bring up the fifties because that seems to be an era that most Americans look back upon fondly, we had just won the big war, and enough time had passed to maybe heal the wounds, we had great cars, and all was right in the world. We were moving to the suburbs, learning to barbecue, and prospering as a country, money was rolling in for everyone willing to work. I look back upon that era as a grand era, rock and roll came around to corrupt the kids, and happiness was seemingly available to all who desired it.

Now, fifty years later, it seems as though we are entrenched in nothing but worries, or maybe that is just me and my friends. War is everywhere, or so it seems. Although, our society is growing older, nobody can afford to retire. Middle class incomes are dwindling, and unions are dying along with good middle class wages. Was the world a simpler place back then, or is that just American folklore working on my brain??.... You know, things are/were better in the good ole' days? We have much more TV now, does that make us better? We obviously have the internet now, does that make the world, or our country better?? Information is avail like at no othe time, but what are we doing with it?? There was a time in this country when you could get a decent job, paying decent wages and count on being there for thrity years until you retire, now....who knows?? Seems more important now to farm that job out to somebody in some third world country who is willing to work for 30 cents a day as long as the stock price goes up a bit. You know what? It isn't even the working situation that scares the hell out of me. How many of you out there remember a better America?? None of the PC crap we have to deal with now. We said what we meant, and we worked together because we loved this country. Lawsuites of the absurd were treated just like that, absurd and thrown out. I know this is a rant, but you know what? I don't care....I just feel, and maybe I'm wrong, but this country was a much better place to be at one time....it is still great now, but damn, can we ever get back to those glorious "good old days", or have we lost our innocence to the point of no return? So, the question is...do you think our country is better off fifty years later??

"...entrenched in nothing but worries"?

you and your friends are a bunch of malcontents. you've bought into a pile of pop-culture nonsense that has nothing to do with reality. you think you have "real troubles" when you forget to program your Tivo.

here's the truth:

you live in a time of unprecedented luxury. your every whim is virtually at your fingertips, whether it's pizza or porn.

you've never gone hungry or thirsty and day in your life.

you have unlimited educational opportunities and income potential.

you can live anywhere you want with anyone you want in any place you want.

you have access to the best health care system in history.

you can worship any God you choose or none at all.

your Rights to pursue your happiness, protect yourself and be fairly represented in your government and by your courts are guaranteed by the Consitution of the United States of America.

you have a Welfare State that even protects you from the consequences of making your own stupid, degenerate decisions.

and you are protected from outside enemies by the mightiest military machine ever assembled in human history.

the least you should be is GRATEFUL.

[janthraxx]

If it weren't for the correct use of diction, I'd swear that was the Prez talking.

[againstthewind]

"...entrenched in nothing but worries"?

you and your friends are a bunch of malcontents. you've bought into a pile of pop-culture nonsense that has nothing to do with reality. you think you have "real troubles" when you forget to program your Tivo.

here's the truth:

you live in a time of unprecedented luxury. your every whim is virtually at your fingertips, whether it's pizza or porn.

you've never gone hungry or thirsty and day in your life.

you have unlimited educational opportunities and income potential.

you can live anywhere you want with anyone you want in any place you want.

you have access to the best health care system in history.

you can worship any God you choose or none at all.

your Rights to pursue your happiness, protect yourself and be fairly represented in your government and by your courts are guaranteed by the Consitution of the United States of America.

you have a Welfare State that even protects you from the consequences of making your own stupid, degenerate decisions.

and you are protected from outside enemies by the mightiest military machine ever assembled in human history.

the least you should be is GRATEFUL.

Don' ever, and I mean ever....think you are in a situation to tell me how to feel about anything you ass. Do I worry, yeah, sometimes, but then again, I'm not living in my mothers basement with hair down to my knees hitting the bong one more time before I yell to momma' Meatloaf....we want the Meatloaf!!!

I started this thread simply as a honest question, and I thought at the time I made it clear that I wasn't saying times are worse or better now....I was just putting it out there to the people of this forum for their opinion. Looking back at my post, I can see how some (especially simple mided fools such as yourself) could take it as I was degrading the times we live in now compared to the 50's. I did state that maybe I was buying into American folklore....gee, guess you skipped over that part of the post eh?? I know, you are the type of person who judges a book by it's cover and read what he wants between selected lines.

Fact is, things never are competely rosey. We face a lot of problems in todays world. The middle class and middle class wages are being shipped across the pond as we speak. I work for a company that made huge profits last year, but they decided to lay off 3k people this year, why?? Not enough profit for the fat cats, so I personally know folks who have 20+ years in this company and are now out of a great paying job. I'm quite certian you are the type of person who would say, hey, that is their problem, not mine, I got mine so to hell with them, they should have educated themselves more or been in a better situation to deal with it....yeah, you also are an arrogant ass. Nuclear war is more of a profound threat to this country at this time than ever, hell we can't even fly anymore without being naked. The UAW, which is a great supporter of the middle class in our society...it's membership is dwindling like a.....hmmmm how do I put this, you hear that giant sucking sound....south of the border?? Remember that quote sparky?? No I doubt you remember anything but the address of the last Acid dealer you visited.
Health care, are you kidding me?? How much does an asprin cost at a hospital now.....seriously what ten, fifteen dollars?? My wife and I avoid the doctor as much as possible becasue of the outrageous co-pays we have to deal with. Perscriptions are so expensive that a ton of seniors in this country simply can't afford to buy their medicine.....see, they don't buy from the same drug dealer you do cheech. Terrorism runs rampant, and instead of going after the leader of the terrorism, we invade a country that had nothing to do with the biggest terror to strike this country, just so we can piss of even more folks from the middle east. Oil prices are obviously outrageous, and we all will be paying 4$ a gallon at the pump before the end of next year.

I could go on and on, but by now I figure you have spaced out and said to yourself......"wow.......uh what were we talking about??" Party on Cheech!!

[seenbad]

A good topic, with great discussion. No need for telling people what they should or shouldn't be feeling/thinking or name calling. Perspectives differ depending on , guess what? The perspective. It's all good. Peace be with you and shalam shalomy n' shit.

[Guitar Shark]

Ah, the good old days...

Unemployment hit something like 7.5% in 1958, so I wouldn't exactly say that anyone who wanted work had it. Poverty was rampant enough that it led Johnson to launch his Great Society programs. High school dropout rates were much higher than today. Travel wasn't nearly as cheap. If an unmarried girl got preggers, she was hidden and the baby adopted (and not always into a great home/situation!). Domestic abuse, if not more common, certainly didn't get treated as it does today. Communists were everywhere, or so someone said.

I wouldn't say that life was idyllic in the 1950s, or that it fit neatly into The Nelson or Leave It To Beaver. Compared to what we have available today, music wasn't all that great. Neither were the record players you needed to hear it.

Then there was war. First the long, expensive Korean Conflict, then the beginnings of the Cold War. Nuclear war was still a new idea then. The concept of a missile dropping a warhead on your city without any warning was brand spanking new, and everyone thought that the Soviets had more bombers and missiles than we did--and that they'd use them. They crushed the Hungarians in 1956, and soon after that they beat us into space. The Suez Crisis brought us into opposition with our European allies, and nearly led to armed conflict between us. Good times, indeed.

Right now, the world is as good as it has ever been. The cynical side of me says that fifty years from now, people will see this as the good old days. They'll probably only look at a tiny part of the picture, too.

What was the federal budget deficit in 1958? Was there one? I haven't really looked into this, but it seems to me that a significant percentage of the improvements we enjoy today have been paid for on borrowed money, making an accurate comparison difficult.

[Axxman300]

How many of your friends and how many babies born this morning will get Polio or Small Pox?

None.

How many Linkers are, or have family members who are cancer survivors?

In 1956 there was no such thing.

On the flip side:

Children never talked back to their teachers.

Most high school graduates had fantastic handwriting (check out your parent's yearbooks some time).

People had manners.

If you wanted to build an extension on your house you didn't need permission OR it took about 2 hours and $20 down at the city hall to get a permit.