Is Bonhomie a thing of yesteryear?

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
Back in the day, people seemed much kinder to each other even though they did not have two shillings to rub together
Seeing someone in a ditch, even if drunk, they would not walk by and leave them.
If neighbours were in trouble, or down on their luck, they would rally round and bring food and look after the children, or clean the house.
These days, many people shun their neighbours.
Walk down the main street late at night and what do you see? Gross behaviour in town centred on Saturday Nights.
People urinating, being sick, and copulating in doorways.
I miss the good old days where Bonhomie was the norm.
Now days it seems that Bonhomie's antonym is more to the fore.
Aloofness and coldness towards one's fellow man abounds.
 

Bretrick said:
If neighbours were in trouble, or down on their luck, they would rally round and bring food and look after the children, or clean the house.
These days, many people shun their neighbours.
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I imagine that was before cars. Or in any case, the only time in my own life that I remember much of that was when I didn't have a car and my neighbors also didn't have cars.
 
Bretrick said:
Back in the day, people seemed much kinder to each other even though they did not have two shillings to rub together
Seeing someone in a ditch, even if drunk, they would not walk by and leave them.
If neighbours were in trouble, or down on their luck, they would rally round and bring food and look after the children, or clean the house.
These days, many people shun their neighbours.
Walk down the main street late at night and what do you see? Gross behaviour in town centred on Saturday Nights.
People urinating, being sick, and copulating in doorways.
I miss the good old days where Bonhomie was the norm.
Now days it seems that Bonhomie's antonym is more to the fore.
Aloofness and coldness towards one's fellow man abounds.
Click to expand...
Those things were depicted in old movies and TV shows, or maybe small towns. And perhaps neighborhoods where there were several familial generations living in the same area where family members and close friends of the family looked after each other. Actually, that was probably the biggest difference. These days, families don't live in the same area as much. People move wherever their careers or jobs lead them.

Perhaps with more remote work where people can pretty much live wherever they want, families will remain in close proximity to one another again, and there will be more sense of community like there once was, even if only in movies. :ROFLMAO:

That said, if anyone wants to come over and clean my house, I'll cook dinner. I'm making Moroccan Fish Tagine (stew). :)
 
HoneyNut said:
I imagine that was before cars. Or in any case, the only time in my own life that I remember much of that was when I didn't have a car and my neighbors also didn't have cars.
Click to expand...
I grew up in a small town where neighbours did look out for each other. Helped those that need help. Tasmania in the 70's
 
We really knew none of our neighbors in South Florida. Now we live in what I can only call an idyllic neighborhood in Dallas where we know many of our neighbors and we look out for each other. I was using a leaf-blower to remove the acorns from my elderly next-door neighbor's driveway late last week. In our previous neighborhood in South Florida, that would be considered intrusive. She was so appreciative. Someone brought my garbage can up to my garage door after it had been emptied.

We have a nucleus of friends here, mostly in their 60's, who are straight and gay. In the fall, during the height of Covid, we had outdoor "movie nights" where we would rent big screens by the lake and watch movies like Mama Mia and Indiana Jones while social distancing. We had morning coffee outside just to catch up with some of our friends.

We've had cookies delivered to our door during the holidays, and my next door neighbor has made authentic enchiladas for us.

I was carrying in my groceries this afternoon, and one of my neighbors drove up to ask me if I would look after her house over the holidays. Every time we have thought of other places we would like to retire (or downsize) we can't think of anything more ideal.

This is the definition of Bonhomie. ♥️
 
dseag2 said:
We really knew none of our neighbors in South Florida. Now we live in what I can only call an idyllic neighborhood in Dallas where we know many of our neighbors and we look out for each other. I was using a leaf-blower to remove the acorns from my elderly next-door neighbor's driveway late last week. In our previous neighborhood in South Florida, that would be considered intrusive. She was so appreciative. Someone brought my garbage can up to my garage door after it had been emptied.

We have a nucleus of friends here, mostly in their 60's, who are straight and gay. In the fall, during the height of Covid, we had outdoor "movie nights" where we would rent big screens by the lake and watch movies like Mama Mia and Indiana Jones while social distancing. We had morning coffee outside just to catch up with some of our friends.

We've had cookies delivered to our door during the holidays, and my next door neighbor has made authentic enchiladas for us.

I was carrying in my groceries this afternoon, and one of my neighbors drove up to ask me if I would look after her house over the holidays. Every time we have thought of other places we would like to retire (or downsize) we can't think of anything more ideal.

This is the definition of Bonhomie. ♥️
Click to expand...
Totally idyllic in the later stage of life
 
Bretrick said:
Back in the day, people seemed much kinder to each other even though they did not have two shillings to rub together
Seeing someone in a ditch, even if drunk, they would not walk by and leave them.
If neighbours were in trouble, or down on their luck, they would rally round and bring food and look after the children, or clean the house.
These days, many people shun their neighbours.
Click to expand...
Check out what's going on in Kentucky, post-tornado. There's a lot of good-neighboring going on there right now, just as there is after any major catastrophe. And sometimes small ones....hundreds of people showing up to find a missing person, for example.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I use a wheelchair, and I really don't need assistance. But people are constantly coming up, and asking to help. I'm thankful so many offer to help, it makes me feel good about human nature.
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That is something I have noticed as well.
At the moment I have a broken ankle and am getting around on crutches.
The amount of women (only women) who have asked me if I need help has amazed me.
 
Murrmurr said:
Check out what's going on in Kentucky, post-tornado. There's a lot of good-neighboring going on there right now, just as there is after any major catastrophe. And sometimes small ones....hundreds of people showing up to find a missing person, for example.
Click to expand...
Yes, disasters always bring out the best in people.
It would be nice to see this camaraderie throughout the community.
 
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