The "Good Old Days"

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I frequently see people express the view that society is going to hell in a basket, that we have lost our way, that we have abandoned the wholesome moral principles that guided us in the past.

So I am curious what people generally consider the best society we’ve ever had, and whether people, if given the choice, would prefer to live back then.

Votes and comments are both welcome 🙂
 
flyingfish said:
I frequently see people express the view that society is going to hell in a basket, that we have lost our way, that we have abandoned the wholesome moral principles that guided us in the past.
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I think this is something that will be perpetually said, regardless of the time period we live in. In 20 years people will be saying how it would be great if things were like the 90s.

I voted ‘Modern USA’.

Even though I am old fashioned and would probably fit right in, in the 1950s, it just wouldn’t be a time period I would want to live. Sure families may have been closer knit, more people attending church, more conservative as a whole, but there were less opportunities for women, black/white equality wasn’t there yet, and many other things that would bother me.

I like the technological advancements, the quality of living for everyone has gone up a lot, education opportunities are much better, etc. A time period won’t dictate whether or not you have a good life. It is up the the individual/family to be proactive and live the way they feel they should. If you have a good life now that you are happy with, chances are you’ll be fine in another time period. However, if you are miserable now, there is no reason to think that you’ll magically do better in another time period.

Life is what you make of it. Live well.
 
Jay82 said:
I think this is something that will be perpetually said, regardless of the time period we live in. In 20 years people will be saying how it would be great if things were like the 90s. ,
… A time period won’t dictate whether or not you have a good life. It is up the the individual/family to be proactive and live the way they feel they should. If you have a good life now that you are happy with, chances are you’ll be fine in another time period. However, if you are miserable now, there is no reason to think that you’ll magically do better in another time period.

Life is what you make of it. Live well.
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Very well said Jay, -took the thoughts right out of my mind. I’ve got it good right now. Canada, land of peace, (14 Olympic gold LOL), freedom to practice my faith, and many ETCs. But if I had been born in Africa, the numerous genocides there over the past 40+ years, or born in numerous other areas in the world, I’d be suffering a lot. With the good here, is abortion, flourishing gay rights, and this past week -a step much closer to ‘assisted suicide’. Many people of past centuries would be shocked to see the negatives of today. Less than half the population going to church than when I was a kid (in the 50s). So, no matter which age, I agree with you totally, it’s what/how you make it. Joseph.
 
Well, these are the “Good Old Days”

All of the other time periods have considerable drawbacks.
 
IMHO this is a wonderful time to bring back those that have fallen away into the fold - for the Kingdom of Heaven rejoices more for the return of one sinner than the piety of 99 followers. Although I know I messed up that quote.
 
I voted “Modern USA” and agree with what the others have said about this same choice.

Sin and evil have been in this world for as long as man has… it’s appearance and facade may change, but it’s always been there.
We’re given the proper gifts by God to battle the evils of this world at the times we need them… we just need to make that choice to use them.

Hindsight is 20/20… knowing what we know now, it sometimes *appears *like the past would have been easier or less aggressive toward our beliefs. But we wouldn’t have had today’s modern knowledge back in the past. We still would have had to use our gifts to battle the evils of the world at those times.

I don’t think there are any “good old days”… the “GOOD” days are still to come, when Christ returns. 🙂
 
Jay82 said:
I think this is something that will be perpetually said, regardless of the time period we live in. In 20 years people will be saying how it would be great if things were like the 90s.

I voted ‘Modern USA’.

Even though I am old fashioned and would probably fit right in, in the 1950s, it just wouldn’t be a time period I would want to live. Sure families may have been closer knit, more people attending church, more conservative as a whole, but there were less opportunities for women, black/white equality wasn’t there yet, and many other things that would bother me.

I like the technological advancements, the quality of living for everyone has gone up a lot, education opportunities are much better, etc. A time period won’t dictate whether or not you have a good life. It is up the the individual/family to be proactive and live the way they feel they should. If you have a good life now that you are happy with, chances are you’ll be fine in another time period. However, if you are miserable now, there is no reason to think that you’ll magically do better in another time period.

Life is what you make of it. Live well.
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I voted the 1950s. We were not afraid of speaking about GOD in public. And the so-called ‘problems’ have been a bit overstated.

I will always inquire: Opportunities for women to do what? Become imitation men? Work at ‘careers’ just because a group of malcontents spits upon the holy vocation of wife-and-motherhood?

That ‘oppression’ was never, ever real. Today we have gone beyond a tepid romance with death; we have run into his scaly arms and thrown our babies at his cloven feet.
 
Rome, first few centuries A.D. even though I would likely be persecuted for my faith. I’ve always been facinated by Rome. I doubt I would partake in the games, but it’d be nice to take everything in… Before being martyred on a flaming cross in Nero’s palace anyway 😛
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
I voted the 1950s. We were not afraid of speaking about GOD in public. And the so-called ‘problems’ have been a bit overstated.

I will always inquire: Opportunities for women to do what? Become imitation men? Work at ‘careers’ just because a group of malcontents spits upon the holy vocation of wife-and-motherhood?

That ‘oppression’ was never, ever real. Today we have gone beyond a tepid romance with death; we have run into his scaly arms and thrown our babies at his cloven feet.
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Opportunities for women to do *as they want. * Back in the 1950s there were limited job opportunites for women and little potential for advancement. To have the choice is what is important. Back then a man could be ‘anything’… a woman didn’t have those same options. What if a woman was in an awful marriage and had to get a divorce… What if her husband died or became really ill where he couldn’t work? what would she do to support the family?

The racial divide/equality was real and a major issue in society back then. I have a diverse set of friends and to think about how things would change if we all went back to the 1950s would be very disheartening. For them/me or anyone.

Other things like the film code which put restrictions on hollywood/film was not good in my opinion. I am not a proponent of censorship of any kind.

Life may have been simplier back then, less tv, no video games, more family time, more active life styles. But education, medicine, technology, etc can’t even compare to what we have today. Plus as I stated, it is up the individual/family to convey proper values, ensure adequate family time is spent, proper childcare and so forth.
 
*I grew up with a mom who stayed at home, and my dad worked. My mom was not well, though–she was clinically depressed. Both died by the time I turned 10. But, I remember those days, and maybe it just seems this way…but despite my mom being ill, it seemed like things were more innocent, and calmer. We are all going at 100 mph these days…it seems like kids are involved in so much, are being entertained by so much, have so much thrown at them…adults are sometimes passing ships in the night.

This thread is ironic, because yesterday, I took the day off and my dh, kids and I went to a place literally called ‘‘Old Town.’’ My dh and I went there a lot years ago when we were first married. Looking in the shops, it mirrors the 50’s, I’d say? Probably the 50’s…

They were selling candied apples for 50 cents…had old fashioned ice cream stores…people sitting on benches, just chatting and watching people go by. My kids loved it…it’s funny, how simple those times ‘‘seemed’’ to be.

I will say though, that on my Italian side, my aunts (my dad’s sisters) were not treated well by their husbands, and women didn’t feel like they had much of a say back then. They did whatever was asked of them, and stayed often in abusive marriages…for the sake of the kids, what it looked like to outsiders, etc. I dunno, I don’t think it’s idealic for all women and men back then…there’s good and bad in every generation. *
 
whatevergirl said:
This thread is ironic, because yesterday, I took the day off and my dh, kids and I went to a place literally called ‘‘Old Town.’’ My dh and I went there a lot years ago when we were first married. Looking in the shops, it mirrors the 50’s, I’d say? Probably the 50’s…

They were selling candied apples for 50 cents…had old fashioned ice cream stores…people sitting on benches, just chatting and watching people go by. My kids loved it…it’s funny, how simple those times ‘‘seemed’’ to be.*
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The one down in Kissimmee? I haven’t been there in years… fun place! 🙂
 
Em_in_FL said:
The one down in Kissimmee? I haven’t been there in years… fun place! 🙂
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Yep that’s the one! lol It should be called Old & Weird Town…lol It’s gotten a little strange over the years, but it still has that same 50’s feel. Old old music playing…before our time, EM. But, it reminded me of the movie Back to the Future. Make a trip there soon…you’ll get a kick out of it. 🙂
 
Well, definitely not the older times in which there were nasty wars, the risk of getting captured and sold into slavery etc. Not to mention there was little fun for those born as serfs in the middle ages, after all. So I guess something more modern, nope? The fifties of the US weren’t that bad, I think, though I’m sure there could be many, many arguments against, of which I’m oblivious simply because of the fact that, well, I’ve never been to the US. Or in the fifites.

Heh, so as much as I complain about things going downhill, I do have to point out that the present is the only option anyway and this is where we have to live. And somehow make it. Kinda difficult sometimes because I’m both 1) a dood that owns a sword, talks old-fashioned, has old-fashioned manners, knows a dead language (aka the past) 2) a dood that loves the tech and a sci-fi nerd (aka the future).
 
chevalier said:
Kinda difficult sometimes because I’m both 1) a dood that owns a sword, talks old-fashioned, has old-fashioned manners, knows a dead language (aka the past) 2) a dood that loves the tech and a sci-fi nerd (aka the future).
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Sounds like you would enjoy M41.
 
I know, I know…I am of a pretty romantic nature, so I love medieval Europe…
But I am also a historian who studies the period quite a bit, and I think I would have enjoyed a mainly Catholic society, where I knew where I belonged and contrary to popular belief may have been quite educated (my ancestry is a bit of the nobility though…:)) I would not have enjoyed the Black Plague though and many of the wars probably would have annoyed me…😛
 
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