Has the world changed since you were a kid, or is it just more of the same?

I remember it seemed quiet and life was a bit slower back when I was a kid. It definitely was a lot less crowded. The town I grew up in had a population around 3,500, now there are 91,000 living there. I remember riding my bike everywhere and it felt safe, which might have been just an illusion, but I don’t remember my parents worrying about me when I was gone.

I attribute the high price of everything to the cost of Technology. I believe a lot of the gadgetry we call technology, is just a gimmick or fad that most people could do without.
 

Rosemarie said:
One thing which has changed drastically is the way people dress. Everyone used to take much more pride in how they looked. Even during the 60s and 70s, there was a great interest in the new fashions. Now, nearly everyone looks scruffy...and those leggings don't look nice on anyone, even young, slim girls.
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Leggings got a long history, though, even men (including Robin Hood!) used to wear 'em:

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saltydog said:
I remember it seemed quiet and life was a bit slower back when I was a kid. It definitely was a lot less crowded. The town I grew up in had a population around 3,500, now there are 91,000 living there. I remember riding my bike everywhere and it felt safe, which might have been just an illusion, but I don’t remember my parents worrying about me when I was gone.

I attribute the high price of everything to the cost of Technology. I believe a lot of the gadgetry we call technology, is just a gimmick or fad that most people could do without.
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You are so right, life was more slow, more laid-back and relaxed (back in the day) compared to today, and I attribute the bulk of that to the "much wants more" mentality.

I, too, grew up walking and riding my bike everywhere, and there wasn't much in the way of worry. A big part of that (back in the day) was that everywhere one knew everyone, so help wasn't far, unlike today where not only the neighbours don't know one another, but parents don't know the parents of their children's friends.

There's a major disconnect today, where aside from technology being at the brunt of the blame, society in itself has changed. With more people in the world comes more stress... more violence, and it only stands to get worse as the population increases.
 

I believe the world today is not like my days growing up. Some changes were good and some were bad. I had wonderful parents that put their kids wants and needs before their own. I lived in the city were most of the moms were home with the kids. Many dads worked 2 jobs so the wives could be at home. We played outside and felt safe. In today's world, I worry about my grandchildren's safety.
 
I think that both the world and our perceptions of it have changed. There was generally a larger feeling of individual safety and security in the past, and threats to it were external; societal fears were that the Soviets were going to initiate WWIII, and we practiced "duck and cover" drills in schools. Today, schools have "active shooter" drills, and acts of domestic terrorism large and small scale are all too real and common. Perhaps it is as Walt Kelly observed, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."

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Aunt Marg said:
The world has definitely changed.

  • Weekends actually stood for something when I was growing up as a young child. Weekends meant family time, neighbourhood time (get-togethers, barbecues, parties).
  • Sundays were a day of rest, nothing was open. Gosh, what I'd give to go back to those days.
  • People were more friendly, more open to helping others and one another.
  • Kids were allowed to be kids. We ran, we roamed, we explored, we lived, I mean we truly lived.
  • There was less pollution... less waste.
  • People possessed better morals and standards.
  • People had nothing to prove. Today, YouTube (in addition to other sites) is the magnet that attracts some of the highest levels of stupidity I have ever seen, and all for attention, nothing more.
  • When I was a young child, worldly travel was (for the most part) safe. Well, news flash, not anymore.
  • Back in the day people worked to live... today people live to work.
  • Back in the day family-time actually stood for something. For instance, families gathered around the table for meals.
  • Back in the day people were real, today, people have fake butts, fake boobs, fake this, fake that. What a put-on this world is, and how shallow and small-minded it's become.
  • Yesteryear, people lived within their means, today, it's all about greed and materialism. Bigger and better and more, more, more... and at any cost... beg, steal, or borrow, whatever it takes to call out to the world, look at me!
  • Today, it's as if people today have turned into children, so many looking for attention.
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Beautifully stated, Aunt Marge, and so so true. We were so proud to be Americans and our flag was honored. In my family, at least, we as kids didn’t want. We were so thrilled with whatever we were given or had. And it wasn’t all that much, but it was enough for us. We respected and loved our parents. Respected and looked up to our teachers and other adults. Our “hero’s,” Hank Aaron for instance, wasn’t making millions of dollars a year for playing a game he loved. He wasn’t hauled into court for drugs or assault and batter charges every other month. The world was real and so were we.
 
Rosemarie said:
This question is interesting because most of you on here are American, just a few are British, so life for you might not have changed as much as it has for us.
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Thanks for posting, Aunt Marg. I tend to agree with you and I don't think I could have said it better. Technology has made communications better and faster but I wonder if "better and faster" leads to a better life. I don't think so. I'm from Canada where we have a lot of rocks, rivers, lakes and cottages are being built all over the place. Over the last weekend, my brother and I drove into the cottage country. Almost everyone is driving a brand new 4X4 truck with half the trucks carrying a ATV on the back. Some are pulling trailers with 2 ATVs on it. There is one for the man and another one for the wife. The changes in this country have come hard and fast without the support system to have those changes. There is a lot of anger since many people are living with maxed out credit cards and huge debts. We no longer have a lot of freedom of speech. It seems that the politically correct here are working hard to make sure that you support the politically correct view. Many people are drowning in massive consumer consumption. Three car garages, 4 cars in the driveway, a TV in every room in the house, expensive holidays (before Covid), cell phones for everyone in the family including very small kids. House prices are sky rocketing. I don't think anyone in this country remembers what happened during the "roaring Twenties" when everyone thought the party would never end but it did on Black Tuesday in 1929. Also, no one here seems to remember what happened with our good neighbours to the south, the USA when the bubble burst in the housing market. People were stuck with house mortgages that were higher than the value of the house. Anyway, thanks Aunt Marg, for saying your piece and not being politically correct and seeing everything through those proverbial rose-coloured glasses. It's a breath of fresh air to read something that is true instead of something that just goes with the crowd.
 
Kathleen’s Place said:
Beautifully stated, Aunt Marge, and so so true. We were so proud to be Americans and our flag was honored. In my family, at least, we as kids didn’t want. We were so thrilled with whatever we were given or had. And it wasn’t all that much, but it was enough for us. We respected and loved our parents. Respected and looked up to our teachers and other adults. Our “hero’s,” Hank Aaron for instance, wasn’t making millions of dollars a year for playing a game he loved. He wasn’t hauled into court for drugs or assault and batter charges every other month. The world was real and so were we.
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I love your closing words, Kathleen, "the world was real and so were we".

Nothing is more true.
 
Packerjohn said:
Thanks for posting, Aunt Marg. I tend to agree with you and I don't think I could have said it better. Technology has made communications better and faster but I wonder if "better and faster" leads to a better life. I don't think so. I'm from Canada where we have a lot of rocks, rivers, lakes and cottages are being built all over the place. Over the last weekend, my brother and I drove into the cottage country. Almost everyone is driving a brand new 4X4 truck with half the trucks carrying a ATV on the back. Some are pulling trailers with 2 ATVs on it. There is one for the man and another one for the wife. The changes in this country have come hard and fast without the support system to have those changes. There is a lot of anger since many people are living with maxed out credit cards and huge debts. We no longer have a lot of freedom of speech. It seems that the politically correct here are working hard to make sure that you support the politically correct view. Many people are drowning in massive consumer consumption. Three car garages, 4 cars in the driveway, a TV in every room in the house, expensive holidays (before Covid), cell phones for everyone in the family including very small kids. House prices are sky rocketing. I don't think anyone in this country remembers what happened during the "roaring Twenties" when everyone thought the party would never end but it did on Black Tuesday in 1929. Also, no one here seems to remember what happened with our good neighbours to the south, the USA when the bubble burst in the housing market. People were stuck with house mortgages that were higher than the value of the house. Anyway, thanks Aunt Marg, for saying your piece and not being politically correct and seeing everything through those proverbial rose-coloured glasses. It's a breath of fresh air to read something that is true instead of something that just goes with the crowd.
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I'm with you on the technology factor, Packer. I don't think so either, and from all that I'm seeing, your words ring true.

I used to think my opinion and take on matters such as this was out of step with the times, but hearing from yourself and Kathleen this morning, is a welcome reminder to me that I'm not alone in my view of how good it used to be compared to how flat and cookie-cutter it's become today, and it's refreshing to say the least.

Our world is full of pretenders, but it's the real people in this world that stand-out to me and garner my admiration and respect.
 
Fuzzybuddy...

The world is 4.5 billion years old...what makes you think it would not have changed since we were kids 😲

I love a changing world..I love technology, I love all the new inventions, I love our brave new world. The only thing I would like to see more of, is people stopping to help each other more often, sharing their slice of bread with others and stepping in when they see someone being hurt.

🦋🦋
 
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I am not at all convinced that those who posted here a perspective that maybe things weren't so rosy back when they were growing up, or that they see good things in current times, are simply going along with the crowd, are not "real", are being politically correct, or whatever some here are claiming.

Remember that everybody has his or her own perspective, based on his or her own life experiences. Remember, too, that each generation looks at the next wondering what the world is coming to. That is something that has not changed.

Just because somebody else's view does not coincide with our own, does not make it wrong. Such a view leaves no room for other people to be who they are, to view the world based on their own perspectives as formed by their own personalities and life experiences.

Just something to consider...

Tony
 
We have developed a lot more technology type advancements, but as to humans and civilization; I'd have to say yes. Not in that there aren't people actively trying to kill others, but there has been a more even distribution of economic wealth. Yes, there are horrible places with poverty and disease, but those areas have shrunk down, and are pretty regionalized. And the majority of our national "enemies" is rather tamed since the 1930s/40s/50s.
 
Pretty much the same.. as kids we looked at life totally different as we do now as adults. We have access to more information through technology; social media, Google, etc.. but IMO pretty much the same.
 
It's gotten bigger for...
Lord, this time you gave me a mountain
A mountain I may never climb
It isn't a hill any longer
You gave me a mountain this time.
 
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