[rustyp]

Originally Posted by blueash

Core values still matter. They may not be the values you hold so dear. And there were plenty of people with different values in the 50s but you never heard about it in your community

The majority still matters, but which you might mean white Christian straight people, but we have moved a little bit to recognize that the minority matters also. The Bill of Rights and most of the amendments exist to protect the minority from the majority. Our jury system protects defendants from the will of the majority.

Patriotism still exists. Some are thoughtfully patriotic, some are nativist patriots. Pride, well they have wonderful gay pride parades in every major city. Lots of pride going around

People still are expected to work for money. That's not changed. But we don't let people starve or do without medical care. There were always welfare agencies. Every city had a "poor house". Social workers were a major occupation in the 50s who mostly worked to get social services to needy people.

And "Accomplishment was earned by ability (not one's color or organizational membership/participation)" is complete BS. Do you think Black people were not blocked from jobs because of their color? Do you think women were equally welcomed into high paying professions, or policing, or labor unions? Was it entirely by accident that huge numbers of Irish were cops? Was that all by merit, nothing to do with family members getting you in? Or the same for getting into labor unions? or becoming a dock worker? or getting a bank loan?

Your view of how things used to be merit based is so wrong, unless you mean once you were a white male and from the right church or national origin which got you the job, then making progress might be merit based. But Jews, Blacks, Native Americans, Asians, gays, need not apply.

Those are your good old days, when parents could abuse their children, men could rape their wives and you could call your secretary sweet tits.

Ah the old adage I didn't know we were poor until you told me ! Everything was peaches and cream until someone told me I wasn't a "fortunate son". I was so naive tuck and hide under my student desk was normal. What a wonderful life.