Was life better before the war and in the 50's?

I visited my Grandparents this week and over a very fine bottle of Single Malt Scotch in my Grandfathers special Xmas stash, I sat down and listened to one of his many stories and something struck me.

My grandparents always speak so lovingly and highly of life back in the 50's. The feeling of freedom and elation after winning the war. The sense of community where everybody shared what little they had with each other and there was no greed. Playing on bomb sites, living on the same street as other family members and so much more.

When I look at the world today, the strangers on the trains with their heads buried in their iPhone and the teenagers sitting indoors on their Xbox day in day out, I can't help but think... life sounded so much better then.

As my grandfather put it... back then nobody had anything so you were happy with your lot, there wasn't any greed or selfishness.

a reply to: fusiondoe

a reply to: fusiondoe
remember it was also a time of white only drinking fountains and etcetera.

originally posted by: cancerslug
a reply to: fusiondoe
remember it was also a time of white only drinking fountains and etcetera.

I'm not talking about whether it was all white, that did not even come up in the conversation I had with him.

We was talking about the sense of community and the fact that people were not so greedy, self absorbed and selfish back then

a reply to: fusiondoe

Well employment prospects were better. According to the #ers there were raises, pensions and homes were not as disposable as the workers who get foreclosed on trying to own them.

I'm sure they look back with fondness, but life is life.
Was it better or different?

a reply to: fusiondoe

I was a child in the 50's and imo it was better. Far less crime. People didn't keep door's locked. We could walk to the store at night alone and without fear. Then there was only msm and shows like Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver, etc.

Now shows are sexually explicit and violent. Compared to today it was a fairyland. At the same time we had little access to information.

In the last 8 years many people even some conservative progressives see that an agenda has been pushed to far too fast that much of the country hasn't had a chance to assimilate it, if they ever will.

originally posted by: fusiondoe
The feeling of freedom and elation after winning the war. The sense of community where everybody shared what little they had with each other and there was no greed.

Sounds more like the Flower Power 70s, then the 50s.

The Flower Power years included everyone.

The Happy Days 50s, was "normal", White, Married, Hetero Christians.

The Good Old Days involves very selective memory.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: fusiondoe
The feeling of freedom and elation after winning the war. The sense of community where everybody shared what little they had with each other and there was no greed.

Sounds more like the Flower Power 70s, then the 50s.

The Flower Power years included everyone.

The Happy Days 50s, was "normal", White, Married, Hetero Christians.

The Good Old Days involves very selective memory.

Why does everybody have to make it about race and sexuality... none of these things were discussed in the slightest, only the sense of community and the fact that people were less greedy then. I appreciate that yes back then homosexuality was illegal but that was not the basis of this thread.

Those were the days of hard working people with calloused hands and strong backs. Never afraid to tell it like it is to also sit and have home prepared supper every night with their families. All knew their place. Then it was all destroyed when a certain group got equal/special rights. This was the beginning of the end for this country. I look forward to our new President to Make America Great Again by creating jobs. This special bunch can either pull their pants up and go to work...or go without.

originally posted by: liveandlearn

At the same time we had little access to information.

Important observation.

Good or bad? Why?

The real world exists whether you're protected from it or not.

a reply to: fusiondoe

Life is overpriced. Capitalism has caused this. Earth has enough resources for 7 billion individuals to comfortably survive, yet some individuals have become consumed with consuming.

USA is not alone in this aspect.

Population needs to spread out, there should be a city tax, overpopulated area should be taxed

originally posted by: fusiondoe

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: fusiondoe
The feeling of freedom and elation after winning the war. The sense of community where everybody shared what little they had with each other and there was no greed.

Sounds more like the Flower Power 70s, then the 50s.

The Flower Power years included everyone.

The Happy Days 50s, was "normal", White, Married, Hetero Christians.

The Good Old Days involves very selective memory.

Why does everybody have to make it about race and sexuality... none of these things were discussed in the slightest, only the sense of community and the fact that people were less greedy then. I appreciate that yes back then homosexuality was illegal but that was not the basis of this thread.

Because it was.

We were also ostracized because of a single, disabled mom.

If you didn't fit in that Norman Rockwell "picture", forget it.

Life during the 50's:

soon to be posted by: IIB
There's hardly a better historical example of an over the top piece of doom monger porn than The House In The Middle (1954), or as I like to call it "CLEAN UP AND PAINT YOUR HOUSE OR DIE (1954)". This piece was produced by the "National Clean Up - Paint Up - Fix Up Bureau", and centered around little sheds up against atomic bombs out at the Nevada Test Range. In hindsight, it plays out like slapstick humor as if you pause the shots you can tell the houses not in the middle were designed to ignite into fiery infernos. My favorite scene is where they have big piles of crumpled newspapers all poofed out pinned down with chicken wire up against a dry rotted wood fence. This film short is so remarkable that at least once a year, for a decade now, I pull it up and sit in awe in its absurdity.

originally posted by: CADpro
Those were the days of hard working people with calloused hands and strong backs. Never afraid to tell it like it is to also sit and have home prepared supper every night with their families. All knew their place. Then it was all destroyed when a certain group got equal/special rights. This was the beginning of the end for this country. I look forward to our new President to Make America Great Again by creating jobs. This special bunch can either pull their pants up and go to work...or go without.

Are we talking about women?

originally posted by: CADpro
Those were the days of hard working people with calloused hands and strong backs. Never afraid to tell it like it is to also sit and have home prepared supper every night with their families. All knew their place. Then it was all destroyed when a certain group got equal/special rights. This was the beginning of the end for this country. I look forward to our new President to Make America Great Again by creating jobs. This special bunch can either pull their pants up and go to work...or go without.

Man goes to war. Leaves wife and family at home to take care of everything.

Wife does it all. Wife becomes independent because she has to.

Man comes home from war and wants everything to go back the way it was before he left.

Blame women's independence on who/what is really responsible for it.

Well that escalated quickly...

Better is subjective. Depends on what is important to the individual being asked.

Some will see the community, and hardships that made people tougher as better. Some will see the inequality that existed at the time, and the lack of technology that as we have today. As one person already pointed out, was it better, or just different, and the answer to that depends upon who you are as an individual, and your opinion on what is important.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: liveandlearn

At the same time we had little access to information.

Important observation.

Good or bad? Why?

The real world exists whether you're protected from it or not.

Oh yes, I very good question.

We were protected but didn't have a clue. And the world we lived in was unknown to us and we really did live in a different innocent world. See my original post

Had we had more available information perhaps we could have had our revolution earlier. But in the 50's there was the black revolution, which I believe was subverted by democrats welfare programs. But that is only in hindsight as I was a child/young teen in those days. Only alternative info was from books and you had to have a clue to even explore.
We lived in ignorant bliss. I only had TV and newspaper when I lived with grandparents. Everyone didn't have phones. The US middle class would be poor in this day.

I recall when the school integration issue came up asking my southern grandmother why they didn't want black people to go to school with us. She said 'because we are better than them'. This coming from a woman with a 7th grade education. i was in 6th grade. my response was "Why, they are just people like us". The innocence of the young.

If you weren't there it is hard to understand the lack of info and the massive propaganda that is television and it's effect on life.

Edit to add.

In 1963 I was as senior in high school and watched Kennedy's motorcade pass my school as they went to the airport to go to Dallas. I heard the announcement over the intercom he was shot and had died. After church on Sunday I saw the rerun of him being shot. The papers gave the conflicting information at the time. That was the beginning of my questioning.

My grandmother completely believed Oswald was the lone killer. She never knew that her 1st cousin was married to his brother Robert. Had she known she would have defended Oswald to the end, so attached was family to family. hard to explain old southern loyalty and beliefs.

a reply to: WeowWix
No, but I'll give you a clue. It rhymes with "triggered"

a reply to: cancerslug



Not in Liberia.