My Life in the 50's & 60's

[Michael G.]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

[thevillages2013]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

Well said. I am a little younger than you and grew up a little further south ( In Atlanta, Ga) . I still say yes sir and ma’am to most everyone. No one would let their kids go off on a bike (like we did) in this day and time

[manaboutown]

My family moved from NJ to Albuquerque, NM in 1945 when I was three so I do not remember anything about NJ. Thankfully my parents took a few snapshots of my brother and me there. I remember not having a car for the first few years. We took the bus. We had gas rationing for a while as well as food (I think meat) rationing. I also remember sticking stamps in a book for savings bonds. 11/11 was still Armistice Day. Polio was a HUGE problem until the vaccines came out. No penicillin, kids got boils, ringworm and such. We all had chicken pox, red measles and mumps. My mother did not believe in vitamin pills and only a few were available anyway. She cooked almost everything from scratch as that was all we could afford. Looking back that was a good thing! My parents never had more than one car that they bought used and we definitely had less money than 80% of my childhood friends' families.

I did feel SAFE as a child and rode my bike everywhere I wanted to go after I finally got a bike.

[Debfrommaine]

And we wrote thank you notes.

[rustyp]

A-parent-ly a lot of people from our generation did not pay it forward.

:boom:

[Mrprez]

I didn’t get my first pair of shoes until I was 10 and I wore them our real fast walking back to look at my tracks.😂

[MartinSE]

I walked uphill both ways in the snow to go to school in S. Florida.

[Velvet]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

Yup! Same here. Different country but similar upbringing. Except since I am a female my father would look at my skirt when I sat down and he would say, “Your knees are showing”. Same dad who took my 5 year old self on country roads on his motorcycle. Same dad who had me play goal in soccer (I was an only child those days). Happy days!

[davem4616]

sounds like my upbringing....welcome to TV

[Stu from NYC]

Interesting post. Parents worked very hard taking care of me and my three sisters.

Not much money but who knew?

[Worldseries27]

Those were the days my friend
those were the days.
Time to get back to my powerball, lotto, mega millions selections
so i can dream my livin la vida loca.

[rustyp]

Those were the days my friend
those were the days.
Time to get back to my powerball, lotto, mega millions selections
so i can dream my livin la vida loca.

Our view of the outside world was from our favorite Saturday evening TV family show Ozzie and Harriet. Somehow mysteriously we the same generation hits puberty and were now watching the number 1 family show on Sunday evening - All In The Family. "Those were the days".

[Carolynphelps]

Well said! Thanks

[jwwbmw]

I also grew up in Wisconsin… except on a farm, so you can add into the mix milking cows, fieldwork and barn chores. It was a great life. Everything you said I could identify with so well. What part of Wisconsin? Chilton and Sheboygan area here.

[Black Beauty]

Those were the best years 55-60. We had the first TV in our hood in Fargo,ND. Makes me feel like a bad parent with things the way they are now. Gratitude is an attitude..

[dewilson58]

The clothes line was the social media board.

[ManyTrees]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

I'm from Wisconsin too.
I think many of us were low income because our mothers didn't work, they were home taking care of the family. My mother made my school clothes and I didn't have a lot of them. We had to be home when the street lights went on. Luckily I never got the bar of soap. I remember going to the store for a pound of hamburger to feed 5 people.

[YeOldeCurmudgeon]

One step forward, two steps back -- seems like progress often works that way.

[Bay Kid]

Manners and respect. I grew up in rural Virginia in a country store and a small farm. Church, Country and Family.

[Captainpd]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..

[Queenie504]

I'm really glad I didnt have to live through the 1950's with sexism, racism and inequality. I'm quite okay with living in the here and now. The past is gone and it's not coming back, thankfully.

[Boomer]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..

I'm really glad I didnt have to live through the 1950's with sexism, racism and inequality. I'm quite okay with living in the here and now. The past is gone and it's not coming back, thankfully.



Geez.

All the guy did was try to start a little conversation.

Nostalgia is in the air right now — wonder why.

As William Wordsworth said, “ The world is too much with us.”

Any time we think in nostalgia-mode, it is always in juxtaposition to now.

Boomer (and all that entails)

[Bill14564]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..

Because that line was at the bottom of the post he copied and pasted from another source. Other than the word Wisconsin, that exact post can be found word-for-word on several other social media sites.

I like the sentiment in the seven paragraphs but I'm uncomfortable with the trend of reposting in a way that implies the words are original.

[billethkid]

When;

core values mattered!
Discipline and enforcement was expected.
Majority mattered.
Patriotism and pride were ever present.
One was expected to work for monies received.
Accomplishment was earned by ability (not one's color or organizational membership/participation).

To name a few.

[HRDave]

Exactly how we grew up in Southern Illinois. We were so lucky to grow up in the best period in American history!
The best times. The best music. The best TV. The best education. The best cars. The best movies. Et al.

[KMGraham]

Well said!
I didn’t get any behind whipping but I certainly got a fair share of a good spank here and there. Let’s not forget being grounded. 😩
But the end result is you grow up to be respectful, kind and helpful to others. 👍🏻

[rustyp]

‘I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.’ It’s a quote from Andy Bernard, a character from The Office, that resonates with a lot of people. For one reason or another, we often perceive that our past is better, or was more enjoyable than our present is. But truthfully, more often than not, the past wasn’t actually better or more enjoyable; it’s just that we seem to remember it that way, and this occurs for a variety of reasons.

You look to the past with a sense of certainty that the present can’t provide

[art32163]

Amen

[MrFlorida]

I also grew up in the 50's and 60's, I wish those days were here again, had a wonderful time growing up.

[coralway]

this post is a word for word paste and copy from some 50’s Facebook group.

[manaboutown]

this post is a word for word paste and copy from some 50’s Facebook group.

It did look familiar. I recall receiving something like this in one or more emails. Drinking Kool-Aid and water out of the hose rang a bell.

[Stu from NYC]

this post is a word for word paste and copy from some 50’s Facebook group.

True but did appreciate the words expressed. OP should have mentioned he took it from someplace else.

[Cyndee@twc.com]

Long Island NY is far from Wisconsin but it all sounds just about right. We had the same TV shows we had chores to do we had to be in when he street lights went on . WE had respect for adults and did not use bad language. We had more time outside then in . Never ever played computer games we did not have them yet. We had censorship on what you could see and hear. things that were censored Movies, TV shows, Music, Books and News papers. even the TV commercials. We the country let all that go. Now nothing is censored except some of our rights. It's a different world today.






I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

[retiredguy123]

I'm really glad I didnt have to live through the 1950's with sexism, racism and inequality. I'm quite okay with living in the here and now. The past is gone and it's not coming back, thankfully.
I'm sure glad we don't have sexism, racism, and inequality today.

[MartinSE]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..

Not everyone, almost maybe.

I don't look back favorably, not such a good time. I look forward to my grandkids having a better life.

[jimjamuser]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!
I can't wax THAT poetic about my childhood. It was just something that happened. It was neither terrible nor super wonderful - just somewhere in the middle, just average.

[jimjamuser]

My family moved from NJ to Albuquerque, NM in 1945 when I was three so I do not remember anything about NJ. Thankfully my parents took a few snapshots of my brother and me there. I remember not having a car for the first few years. We took the bus. We had gas rationing for a while as well as food (I think meat) rationing. I also remember sticking stamps in a book for savings bonds. 11/11 was still Armistice Day. Polio was a HUGE problem until the vaccines came out. No penicillin, kids got boils, ringworm and such. We all had chicken pox, red measles and mumps. My mother did not believe in vitamin pills and only a few were available anyway. She cooked almost everything from scratch as that was all we could afford. Looking back that was a good thing! My parents never had more than one car that they bought used and we definitely had less money than 80% of my childhood friends' families.

I did feel SAFE as a child and rode my bike everywhere I wanted to go after I finally got a bike.
Right about all that stuff. I also remember S+H green stamps put into books. I had forgotten about ringworm.

[Stu from NYC]

I'm sure glad we don't have sexism, racism, and inequality today.

The more things change the more they stay the same, as a wise man once said

[Michael G.]

Here's a scary thought when we mention here about our childhood, making history, and commenting on how people and the world changed since the 50's 60's.

"What will this generation say about being raised in the year 2022 in the year 2087?"

I hope to god in the year 2087, there will be happy memory's about 2022 for those kids to look back on.
That is if the world doesn't destroy itself before hand.

[Bilyclub]

We prefer original content here, not regurgitated FB crap.





I grew up in Wisconsin, but never thought I was raised by low income parents during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group.
We drank Kool-Aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar.
We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, pot pies, but mostly homemade meals consisting of mainly dough, meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, red rover, dodge ball, run with siblings, and friends & played hide and seek. We drank tap water from the water hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke -it was in a glass bottle ... and we didn’t break the bottle when finished …
We watched TV shows like Bonanza, Leave It To Beaver, Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Little House On The Prairie, and I Love Lucy. After school, we came home, and did homework, and chores before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and what time we'd be back.
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!!!
When the sun was starting to set you had better be home. In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem, and listened to our teachers.
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked.
You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth, and had to stand in the corner. “Please, Thank you, yes please no thank you yes ma'am no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
You grew up to respect the Nation, and the flag.

Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood, and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from!

[jimjamuser]

I also grew up in Wisconsin… except on a farm, so you can add into the mix milking cows, fieldwork and barn chores. It was a great life. Everything you said I could identify with so well. What part of Wisconsin? Chilton and Sheboygan area here.
Small farms were part of making America strong. They guaranteed nutritious local food for most people. Today not so much. It might be good if we incentivized small farms and NOT giant corporate farms.

[jimjamuser]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..
I enjoyed that thread-starter. I had forgotten about some of those things from those by-gone eras. Like bologna sandwiches, sleds, and clotheslines. It was nice to remember them. "Tne child is father to the man"!

[Weezylou77@aol.com]

We lived in the BEST of times

[blueash]

When;

core values mattered!
Discipline and enforcement was expected.
Majority mattered.
Patriotism and pride were ever present.
One was expected to work for monies received.
Accomplishment was earned by ability (not one's color or organizational membership/participation).

To name a few.

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.

[Bogie Shooter]

We prefer original content here, not regurgitated FB crap.

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

[manaboutown]

The 1950s and early to mid 1960s were good times in many ways. Our standard of living was gradually improving. The country and indeed the world were recovering from WWII (Marshall Plan in Europe). The GI Bill provided college education opportunities for veterans. I recall reading somewhere that the marriage age in 1958 was the youngest it had been in 200 years, one working parent could support a family and that 12-1/2% of one worker's income provided housing. Young families were moving into newly built suburban housing. Children walked or rode their bikes to and from school where they were safe and well educated by qualified and devoted teachers who were backed up by caring parents. Highways were being built. Life got better and better.

However SAT scores peaked in 1965. Thereafter many aspects of life became increasingly troublesome and difficult. I no longer feel safe from violent personal or property crime; many school systems if they can still even be called that are just awful. I'll stop there as it would be too depressing to continue.

[Stu from NYC]

We prefer original content here, not regurgitated FB crap.

Thank you for deciding for all of us. Happen to agree but think we all get a choice.

[GOLFER54]

It saddens me to say this, but the world we all grew up with is Long Gone.

[jimjamuser]

I'm really glad I didnt have to live through the 1950's with sexism, racism and inequality. I'm quite okay with living in the here and now. The past is gone and it's not coming back, thankfully.
I hate to break bad news to people, but today, right now, in the US of A we have mass quantities of racism, sexism, and much MORE wealth inequity than in the 50s and 60s. I will give some examples although none are needed.
........Inequity......Mostly caused by the lowering of the TAX RATE for the high earners from 1950 to today (look it up) and with small doses of technology, outsourcing, and poor public education.
......Racism........if there were less racism - why are there MORE white supremacists today as opposed to the 1950s. Granted there was a lot of racism in many geographic parts of the US. It has gone underground for a few recent past years, but the LARGE number today of white supremacist organizations proves that it THRIVES today.
......sexism..........Granted sexism was large in the 50s, but it has not gone away despite many gains in that area. The US is one of the only democratic countries to NEVER have a female President or other-titled top leader. Very few US large corporations have female CEOs. Covid has set back many female executives more than males.

[jimjamuser]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..
Those that refuse to remember and learn from History are doomed to repeat it. We are seeing this today in the Ukraine conflict. And its potential worldwide disruptions. History is full of good and evil. It is on full display today!

[jimjamuser]

Exactly how we grew up in Southern Illinois. We were so lucky to grow up in the best period in American history!
The best times. The best music. The best TV. The best education. The best cars. The best movies. Et al.
True and just look to the tax brackets and the tax percentages to glean a major reason for that being such a strong era.

[jimjamuser]

‘I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.’ It’s a quote from Andy Bernard, a character from The Office, that resonates with a lot of people. For one reason or another, we often perceive that our past is better, or was more enjoyable than our present is. But truthfully, more often than not, the past wasn’t actually better or more enjoyable; it’s just that we seem to remember it that way, and this occurs for a variety of reasons.

You look to the past with a sense of certainty that the present can’t provide
Good post.

[jimjamuser]

Not everyone, almost maybe.

I don't look back favorably, not such a good time. I look forward to my grandkids having a better life.
I hate to bear bad news, but with each generation after about 1970, the middle-class disappeared more and greater inequity developed in society. There are many reasons for this - too numerous to go into - I have in the past. Just as an example, we all have heard about the greater number of MILLIONAIRES that have been minted in the US in recent years. The money left the middle-class and flew upward!

[JMintzer]

We prefer original content here, not regurgitated FB crap.

"We"? Who is this "we" you speak of?

[JMintzer]

I hate to break bad news to people, but today, right now, in the US of A we have mass quantities of racism, sexism, and much MORE wealth inequity than in the 50s and 60s. I will give some examples although none are needed.
........Inequity......Mostly caused by the lowering of the TAX RATE for the high earners from 1950 to today (look it up) and with small doses of technology, outsourcing, and poor public education.
......Racism........if there were less racism - why are there MORE white supremacists today as opposed to the 1950s. Granted there was a lot of racism in many geographic parts of the US. It has gone underground for a few recent past years, but the LARGE number today of white supremacist organizations proves that it THRIVES today.
......sexism..........Granted sexism was large in the 50s, but it has not gone away despite many gains in that area. The US is one of the only democratic countries to NEVER have a female President or other-titled top leader. Very few US large corporations have female CEOs. Covid has set back many female executives more than males.

So much to unpack...

But I'll only comment on one thing... If you compare "actual" (marginal vs effective) taxes paid in the 50's, today's high earners pay MORE that they did in the 50's...

That 90% tax rate was NEVER paid, due to a myriad of deductions that no longer exist...

[JMintzer]

True and just look to the tax brackets and the tax percentages to glean a major reason for that being such a strong era.

I disagree with this post...

[retiredguy123]

I hate to break bad news to people, but today, right now, in the US of A we have mass quantities of racism, sexism, and much MORE wealth inequity than in the 50s and 60s. I will give some examples although none are needed.
........Inequity......Mostly caused by the lowering of the TAX RATE for the high earners from 1950 to today (look it up) and with small doses of technology, outsourcing, and poor public education.
......Racism........if there were less racism - why are there MORE white supremacists today as opposed to the 1950s. Granted there was a lot of racism in many geographic parts of the US. It has gone underground for a few recent past years, but the LARGE number today of white supremacist organizations proves that it THRIVES today.
......sexism..........Granted sexism was large in the 50s, but it has not gone away despite many gains in that area. The US is one of the only democratic countries to NEVER have a female President or other-titled top leader. Very few US large corporations have female CEOs. Covid has set back many female executives more than males.
So, racists are only white, and sexists are only men?

[JMintzer]

I hate to bear bad news, but with each generation after about 1970, the middle-class disappeared more and greater inequity developed in society. There are many reasons for this - too numerous to go into - I have in the past. Just as an example, we all have heard about the greater number of MILLIONAIRES that have been minted in the US in recent years. The money left the middle-class and flew upward!

You are assuming that money is a finite thing. Just because someone gets rich doesn't mean someone else gets poor...

[JMintzer]

So, racists are only white, and sexists are only men?

Of course! Didn't you get the memo? :icon_wink:

[manaboutown]

"Lost In The Fifties Tonight". Ronnie Milsap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRwYLcVAs8

[jebartle]

When;

core values mattered!
Discipline and enforcement was expected.
Majority mattered.
Patriotism and pride were ever present.
One was expected to work for monies received.
Accomplishment was earned by ability (not one's color or organizational membership/participation).

To name a few.

Sure wish "cleaning your mouth with soap" punishment for lying was a trend, we could sure use it in this day and age.

[MartinSE]

It saddens me to say this, but the world we all grew up with is Long Gone.

I m very happy it is long gone.

[billethkid]

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.

YOUR view is duly noted!

[MartinSE]

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.

Good post. I agree.

[jebartle]

I hate to break bad news to people, but today, right now, in the US of A we have mass quantities of racism, sexism, and much MORE wealth inequity than in the 50s and 60s. I will give some examples although none are needed.
........Inequity......Mostly caused by the lowering of the TAX RATE for the high earners from 1950 to today (look it up) and with small doses of technology, outsourcing, and poor public education.
......Racism........if there were less racism - why are there MORE white supremacists today as opposed to the 1950s. Granted there was a lot of racism in many geographic parts of the US. It has gone underground for a few recent past years, but the LARGE number today of white supremacist organizations proves that it THRIVES today.
......sexism..........Granted sexism was large in the 50s, but it has not gone away despite many gains in that area. The US is one of the only democratic countries to NEVER have a female President or other-titled top leader. Very few US large corporations have female CEOs. Covid has set back many female executives more than males.

Technology and social media puts a magnifying glass on this now, hasn't changed just well publicized.

[zenwaltz]

Although I have read many of the comments to the original post, the author describes perfectly how I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. It was inconceivable to me that I would talk back to my parents. Mores required that you be polite, said please, held doors and addressed adults as "sir or ma'am." When a woman entered the room, you stood. I feel blessed that I grew up during the 60's when we created civil rights litigation, enjoyed the folk music and had the courage to protest a hideous and useless war. We respected teachers, police and authority. There has been no other generation like ours, and probably never will be. Kudos to the author of this post.

[zenwaltz]

yep!

[jimjamuser]

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.
Outstanding post. The secretary thing was icing on the cake

[jimjamuser]

So, racists are only white, and sexists are only men?
Yes, that is true..... with some small % of exceptions. That is the rule, but ALL rules have some exceptions.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Why would you "challenge" people to repost your post?? 7 paragraphs long, isn't that enough. Pretty much all of us had a great time in the 50-60's. I'm not sure what you post is supposed to do. Those times are gone forever and it's fine to have those memories but DON'T challenge people with it..

He isn't doing any such thing. It's a copy-paste meme from facebook that's been going around for over a decade. It's just spam.

[jimjamuser]

You are assuming that money is a finite thing. Just because someone gets rich doesn't mean someone else gets poor...
The facts and figures tell the story of increasing wealth disparity (inequities) increasing from about 1970 on. Use the Google machine.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

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.

Let us not forget the Irish and Italians when THEY immigrated to the USA (many of whom had no documentation). Those with rose-colored glasses for the past might want to remove the cataracts before wasting a dime on a new pair.

[rustyp]

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.

[Velvet]

Well, I loved the old days. They were not perfect but some things were great. Today things are not better, they are just different.

[MartinSE]

Well, I loved the old days. They were not perfect but some things were great. Today things are not better, they are just different.

I think some things are worse today, and some things are better. We need to be careful to not fall into the trap of thinking what we grew up with is RIGHT and change is bad.

Change is just change - it can be good or bad, that is up to us.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

True but did appreciate the words expressed. OP should have mentioned he took it from someplace else.

That requires integrity, honesty, all the things he was taught back in Wisconsin in the 50's and 60's. But he's old now - maybe he forgot :)

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The 1950s and early to mid 1960s were good times in many ways. Our standard of living was gradually improving. The country and indeed the world were recovering from WWII (Marshall Plan in Europe). The GI Bill provided college education opportunities for veterans. I recall reading somewhere that the marriage age in 1958 was the youngest it had been in 200 years, one working parent could support a family and that 12-1/2% of one worker's income provided housing. Young families were moving into newly built suburban housing. Children walked or rode their bikes to and from school where they were safe and well educated by qualified and devoted teachers who were backed up by caring parents. Highways were being built. Life got better and better.

However SAT scores peaked in 1965. Thereafter many aspects of life became increasingly troublesome and difficult. I no longer feel safe from violent personal or property crime; many school systems if they can still even be called that are just awful. I'll stop there as it would be too depressing to continue.

Gee - who were the adults in 1965? The answer: the people born in the 1940's and 1950's.

If you want to know why a society is horrible, turn and ask the parents of that society. They're the ones that raised it.

[JMintzer]

Yes, that is true..... with some small % of exceptions. That is the rule, but ALL rules have some exceptions.

I completely disagree with the content of this post...

[JMintzer]

The facts and figures tell the story of increasing wealth disparity (inequities) increasing from about 1970 on. Use the Google machine.

One can have nothing to do with the other...

[JMintzer]

Let us not forget the Irish and Italians when THEY immigrated to the USA (many of whom had no documentation). Those with rose-colored glasses for the past might want to remove the cataracts before wasting a dime on a new pair.

You mean the signs that said "Irish Need Not Apply"?

Hmmm... Maybe that's why so many became cops... It was one of the few jobs they could get...

[JMintzer]

That requires integrity, honesty, all the things he was taught back in Wisconsin in the 50's and 60's. But he's old now - maybe he forgot :)

Oh, please... Who care where it came from?

[JMintzer]

Gee - who were the adults in 1965? The answer: the people born in the 1940's and 1950's.

If you want to know why a society is horrible, turn and ask the parents of that society. They're the ones that raised it.

Don't blame me... I turned 8 in 1965... The only thing I was raising was my goldfish...

[manaboutown]

Gee - who were the adults in 1965? The answer: the people born in the 1940's and 1950's.


???

Most of the high school students taking the SAT in 1965 were 17 years old plus or minus a year and so were born around 1948. Most of their parents reached adulthood prior to or during WWII and were therefore born between 1910 and 1930. 1965 was the peak SAT score year reached as scores rose during the 1950s and early 1960s. Thus parents of children raised during the 1950s and early to mid 1960s did an incredible job or raising their children as did society as a whole. The 1950s were wonderful years in which to grow up and obtain a good education for many reasons.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Most of the high school students taking the SAT in 1965 were 17 years old plus or minus a year and so were born around 1948. Most of their parents reached adulthood prior to or during WWII and were therefore born between 1910 and 1930. 1965 was the peak SAT score year. Sat scores rose during the 1950s and early 1960s. Thus parents of children raised during the 1950s and early to mid 1960s did an incredible job or raising their children as did society as a whole. The 1950s were wonderful years in which to grow up for many reasons.

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.

[manaboutown]

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.

The mothers of some of my close friends also worked. Some mothers had to as they had lost their husbands in the war. Some classmates had mothers who were physicians, nurses, teachers, worked at or managed retail stores and restaurants, you name it. My mother was a teacher but my parents elected to live on less income so she could stay home and take care of my brother and me. We squeaked by. My father worked long hours on commission in retail yet earned little. Several of the children in my class were fatherless, not because they were illegitimate but because their fathers had been killed in combat.

From what I have read illegitimacy has a lot to do with childhood poverty, regardless of race or ethnicity. Children in groups having the highest illegitimacy rates suffer the highest poverty rates. The percentage of children raised in traditional two parent nuclear family units since the 1950s has diminished over the years. IMHO this has created many of the problems we now experience such as higher and higher rates of crime, poor schools and substance abuse.

[Topspinmo]

I'm really glad I didnt have to live through the 1950's with sexism, racism and inequality. I'm quite okay with living in the here and now. The past is gone and it's not coming back, thankfully.

I’m afraid it will soon all be gone…

[Topspinmo]

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.


True today also. Life is not fair for most of us. But most work hard and get through it without medication or crutch to get though day.

[JMintzer]

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.

https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/73400469.jpg

[Bay Kid]

Wow, what happened to this post???

[Stu from NYC]

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.

Hard work does pay off.

[MrFlorida]

It was a good post, until some people turned it as usual.

[Bogie Shooter]

Wow, what happened to this post???

It was a good post, until some people turned it as usual.

Which post? Oh wait, you mean thread....right?

[Michael G.]

this post is a word for word paste and copy from some 50’s Facebook group.

Post or thread, I think it just jumped the tracks.

[Two Bills]

In the UK. the 50's sucked, though not as much as the 40's.
The 60's were the start of better things, and every decade after was better than the last.
Life is great now.

[Topspinmo]

In the UK. the 50's sucked, though not as much as the 40's.
The 60's were the start of better things, and every decade after was better than the last.
Life is great now.


I was in England in late 80s and early 90s in my area it was blast back to 50s and early 60’s in USA. Cheaper New cars still have carburetor’s and manual chokes, 50 and 60s music on lot of radio stations, narrow two lane roads, and families seems to gather. Loved the country side with fields of yellow and red poppies? popping through.

[Topspinmo]

I hate to break bad news to people, but today, right now, in the US of A we have mass quantities of racism, sexism, and much MORE wealth inequity than in the 50s and 60s. I will give some examples although none are needed.
........Inequity......Mostly caused by the lowering of the TAX RATE for the high earners from 1950 to today (look it up) and with small doses of technology, outsourcing, and poor public education.
......Racism........if there were less racism - why are there MORE white supremacists today as opposed to the 1950s. Granted there was a lot of racism in many geographic parts of the US. It has gone underground for a few recent past years, but the LARGE number today of white supremacist organizations proves that it THRIVES today.
......sexism..........Granted sexism was large in the 50s, but it has not gone away despite many gains in that area. The US is one of the only democratic countries to NEVER have a female President or other-titled top leader. Very few US large corporations have female CEOs. Covid has set back many female executives more than males.

I hear it lot better around the world, that why everybody want to come here illegally to get away from prefect world.

[Topspinmo]

Which post? Oh wait, you mean thread....right?


Thanks for the correction Professor. :MOJE_whot:

[Stu from NYC]

I hear it lot better around the world, that why everybody want to come here illegally to get away from prefect world.

Makes you wonder why people here like to bash us. Must be doing something right.

[Bogie Shooter]

Thanks for the correction Professor. :MOJE_whot:

It’s a never ending task………

[Two Bills]

I was in England in late 80s and early 90s in my area it was blast back to 50s and early 60’s in USA. Cheaper New cars still have carburetor’s and manual chokes, 50 and 60s music on lot of radio stations, narrow two lane roads, and families seems to gather. Loved the country side with fields of yellow and red poppies? popping through.



By the 80's and 90's UK had talking films and some were even in color.
Some houses had refrigerators, and washing machines, and dish washers were on the horizon!:icon_wink:

[jimjamuser]

???

Most of the high school students taking the SAT in 1965 were 17 years old plus or minus a year and so were born around 1948. Most of their parents reached adulthood prior to or during WWII and were therefore born between 1910 and 1930. 1965 was the peak SAT score year reached as scores rose during the 1950s and early 1960s. Thus parents of children raised during the 1950s and early to mid 1960s did an incredible job or raising their children as did society as a whole. The 1950s were wonderful years in which to grow up and obtain a good education for many reasons.
And why and how did those parents in the 1950s and 60s get the wherewithal to do such "an incredible job of raising children as did society as a whole"? They could do that because the US THEN had a wealthy and vibrant middle-class (not now). The main reason that the US middle-class gradually disappeared after about 1970 was changes in Tax brackets and tax % that favored the wealthy and SUCKED the life out of the middle-class. Also, outsourcing to foreign countries helped those countries and made wealthy people wealthier. There are also several other reasons like the destruction of unions, factory farms, oil subsidies, and etc. By about 1990, the middle-class was gone.
.......So, that answers the question as to WHY the 50s and 60s were so good relative to the 70s onward.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The mothers of some of my close friends also worked. Some mothers had to as they had lost their husbands in the war. Some classmates had mothers who were physicians, nurses, teachers, worked at or managed retail stores and restaurants, you name it. My mother was a teacher but my parents elected to live on less income so she could stay home and take care of my brother and me. We squeaked by. My father worked long hours on commission in retail yet earned little. Several of the children in my class were fatherless, not because they were illegitimate but because their fathers had been killed in combat.

From what I have read illegitimacy has a lot to do with childhood poverty, regardless of race or ethnicity. Children in groups having the highest illegitimacy rates suffer the highest poverty rates. The percentage of children raised in traditional two parent nuclear family units since the 1950s has diminished over the years. IMHO this has created many of the problems we now experience such as higher and higher rates of crime, poor schools and substance abuse.

Reading this post of yours, it makes me curious if you understand the meaning of the word "wonderful." Because what you describe is pretty far from "wonderful years." It sounds like a lot of sadness, tragedy, heartbreak. A dad who is rarely home to be with his family because he has to work "long hours on commission" doesn't sound like a dad who would refer to these as "wonderful years." A kid who has to grow up without a father because he died in the war doesn't sound like a kid who would refer to them as "wonderful years."

[jimjamuser]

Only if your parents were fortunate enough to have been born white, had both parents married to each other and living at home with each other, and of /enough/ means that your mother could stay home and not have to work for a living.

If you were black, or your mother had to work for a living, or was a single parent, then no - it wasn't "wonderful years" for many reasons.
So, very true.......truthteller!

[JMintzer]

And why and how did those parents in the 1950s and 60s get the wherewithal to do such "an incredible job of raising children as did society as a whole"? They could do that because the US THEN had a wealthy and vibrant middle-class (not now). The main reason that the US middle-class gradually disappeared after about 1970 was changes in Tax brackets and tax % that favored the wealthy and SUCKED the life out of the middle-class. Also, outsourcing to foreign countries helped those countries and made wealthy people wealthier. There are also several other reasons like the destruction of unions, factory farms, oil subsidies, and etc. By about 1990, the middle-class was gone.
.......So, that answers the question as to WHY the 50s and 60s were so good relative to the 70s onward.

I've shown you, on multiple occasions, why you are completely WRONG about the tax brackets. Yet you keep posting the same tripe, time and time again...

It does make one wonder why...

[manaboutown]

Reading this post of yours, it makes me curious if you understand the meaning of the word "wonderful." Because what you describe is pretty far from "wonderful years." It sounds like a lot of sadness, tragedy, heartbreak. A dad who is rarely home to be with his family because he has to work "long hours on commission" doesn't sound like a dad who would refer to these as "wonderful years." A kid who has to grow up without a father because he died in the war doesn't sound like a kid who would refer to them as "wonderful years."

My father who was born in 1898 had been a grocer during the Great Depression. Customers he knew had no pets were buying dog food to eat themselves as they could not afford more. I assure you, he was happy to have a job back then as many did not. He also had lived through both WWI and WWII. He had contracted and survived the Spanish Flu. I can assure you he was happy during the 1950s. Surprise, surprise! Some people enjoy working. Warren Buffet is 91 and still working, Charlie Munger even older. I am 80 and still working because I enjoy it.

People were optimistic in the 1950s. Life was improving year by year. It is all relative. The Great Depression and WWII were in the past. Life was good and getting better. Of course there was not much money around for most folks but people as a whole were happier than they seem to be today which feels pretty dismal to most folks I know. People today are depressed by lack of personal safety, high crime rates, poor schools. Most see things are getting worse by the day. In the 1950s people felt things were getting better by the day - and they were!

The 1950s: Happy Days [ushistory.org] (https://www.ushistory.org/us/53.asp)

[jimjamuser]

The mothers of some of my close friends also worked. Some mothers had to as they had lost their husbands in the war. Some classmates had mothers who were physicians, nurses, teachers, worked at or managed retail stores and restaurants, you name it. My mother was a teacher but my parents elected to live on less income so she could stay home and take care of my brother and me. We squeaked by. My father worked long hours on commission in retail yet earned little. Several of the children in my class were fatherless, not because they were illegitimate but because their fathers had been killed in combat.

From what I have read illegitimacy has a lot to do with childhood poverty, regardless of race or ethnicity. Children in groups having the highest illegitimacy rates suffer the highest poverty rates. The percentage of children raised in traditional two parent nuclear family units since the 1950s has diminished over the years. IMHO this has created many of the problems we now experience such as higher and higher rates of crime, poor schools and substance abuse.
That's true about "illegitimacy", but the use of the word says a lot about the user. No human being should ever be weighed down with such an idea or concept. The real TRUTH is that individual women (always they blame the women for the man's mess up).........individual women are NOT to be blamed . Look further back to see that the real problem is a societal problem - basically a disappearing MIDDLE CLASS since about 1975. And funny thing, society was controlled mainly by old white men then (and now). Put that into your cranial calculations and smoke it!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

What's the solution to "illegitimacy" in children? I know: mandatory vasectomies for all males within the first 6 months of the onset of puberty, not to be reversed until the day after the wedding and ONLY with the consent of the woman.

Why the men? Because while a woman is spending 9 months not "getting" pregnant again, while she is currently pregnant, a man can easily impregnate thousands of other women.

Also, the chance of successful reversal of a vasectomy is significantly higher than the chance of a successful tubal ligation.
In addition, vasectomy is a minor office visit procedure, while a tubal ligation requires hospitalization and a greater chance of complications, that can include death.

Science and practicality.

[jimjamuser]

Hard work does pay off.
Only one factor. And imagine if your IQ was 70 and you worked intensely hard - you would still not rise up the social ladder. That proves that "hard work" is merely like icing on a larger cake. You have to have a cake in order to put icing on it. And this is the case whether it is 1950 or whenever.

[jimjamuser]

I hear it lot better around the world, that why everybody want to come here illegally to get away from prefect world.
Because it is even worse there. I have been trying to compare the 1950s IN THE US to subsequent eras IN THE US. Rut, it is interesting, to me, to know about countries like the UK then. They suffered greater losses than the US in WW2 so it would take years to struggle back economically.

[Stu from NYC]

Only one factor. And imagine if your IQ was 70 and you worked intensely hard - you would still not raise up the social ladder. That proves that "hard work" is merely like icing on a larger cake. You have to have a cake in order to put icing on it. And this is the case whether it is 1950 or whenever.

But hard work is a very large factor. Lets not have the tail wag the dog.

[jimjamuser]

I've shown you, on multiple occasions, why you are completely WRONG about the tax brackets. Yet you keep posting the same tripe, time and time again...

It does make one wonder why...
If someone with real knowledge were to dispute my point about tax bracket laws changing and decimating the strong middle class from the 1950s (which I doubt) - they could just refer to the other reasons that I gave for the missing middle-class. There are other candidates for the MAIN reason (that others may prefer). But, it is just a fact (google it) that the middle-class is gone now. It is now known by the term, wealth INEQUALITY. Which did not exist in large magnitudes in the 50s AND 60s. Tax brackets being the main reason is my opinion.

[jimjamuser]

But hard work is a very large factor. Lets not have the tail wag the dog.
Is it, .........really. I am NOT so sure. Try this example then.........suppose your goal is to be a world-class sprinter. You WORK and you WORK, trying everything. You are reasonably good in high school at sprinting and OK in College at sprinting. But, through NO fault of your own, because you are lacking genetically in fast-twitch muscles, you don't even ever get a tryout for the Olympic Team. What then is the MAIN factor in lack of success in that example - where plenty of WORK happened. That makes me think.......And this example can be extrapolated to the societal reasons that our US society failed miserably to succeed at creating an environment (like the fast-twitch muscles in the example) AFTER THE 1950s and 1960s for the MIDDLE CLASS to survive.

[manaboutown]

What's the solution to "illegitimacy" in children? I know: mandatory vasectomies for all males within the first 6 months of the onset of puberty, not to be reversed until the day after the wedding and ONLY with the consent of the woman.

Why the men? Because while a woman is spending 9 months not "getting" pregnant again, while she is currently pregnant, a man can easily impregnate thousands of other women.

Also, the chance of successful reversal of a vasectomy is significantly higher than the chance of a successful tubal ligation.
In addition, vasectomy is a minor office visit procedure, while a tubal ligation requires hospitalization and a greater chance of complications, that can include death.

Science and practicality.

The USA is a free country last I heard. This sounds like something they could readily do in the PRC (China). Here it would be a no-no and considered genocide.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The USA is a free country last I heard. This sounds like something they could readily do in the PRC (China). Here it would be a no-no and considered genocide.

Something something "free country" something something pro-life something something George Carlin.

[VApeople]

I haven't followed this thread but I do want to express an opinion.

I was born five days after the Japanese surrendered, so I know the 50's and 60's very well. Our family was a middle income non-religious Republican farming family in Ohio.

Except for some of the music, I have no nostalgia for the 'good old days'. I think everything is better these days and we have much more freedom. Everything was so conformist in those days and people were judged by the clothes they wore and their hairstyle. Now we can be whatever we want.

I love our modern American society.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I haven't followed this thread but I do want to express an opinion.

I was born five days after the Japanese surrendered, so I know the 50's and 60's very well. Our family was a middle income non-religious Republican farming family in Ohio.

Except for some of the music, I have no nostalgia for the 'good old days'. I think everything is better these days and we have much more freedom. Everything was so conformist in those days and people were judged by the clothes they wore and their hairstyle. Now we can be whatever we want.

I love our modern American society.

Amen.

[JMintzer]

If someone with real knowledge were to dispute my point about tax bracket laws changing and decimating the strong middle class from the 1950s (which I doubt) - they could just refer to the other reasons that I gave for the missing middle-class. There are other candidates for the MAIN reason (that others may prefer). But, it is just a fact (google it) that the middle-class is gone now. It is now known by the term, wealth INEQUALITY. Which did not exist in large magnitudes in the 50s AND 60s. Tax brackets being the main reason is my opinion.

Here is a simplistic explanation...

Were taxes really higher in the 1950s? | American Enterprise Institute - AEI (https://www.aei.org/economics/public-economics/were-taxes-really-higher-in-the-1950s/)

And a more nuanced explanation...

Why we can’t go back to sky-high, 1950s tax rates | American Enterprise Institute - AEI (https://www.aei.org/economics/public-economics/why-we-cant-go-back-to-sky-high-1950s-tax-rates/)

[MartinSE]

I haven't followed this thread but I do want to express an opinion.

I was born five days after the Japanese surrendered, so I know the 50's and 60's very well. Our family was a middle income non-religious Republican farming family in Ohio.

Except for some of the music, I have no nostalgia for the 'good old days'. I think everything is better these days and we have much more freedom. Everything was so conformist in those days and people were judged by the clothes they wore and their hairstyle. Now we can be whatever we want.

I love our modern American society.

Absolutely agree.

[MartinSE]

Here is a simplistic explanation...

Were taxes really higher in the 1950s? | American Enterprise Institute - AEI (https://www.aei.org/economics/public-economics/were-taxes-really-higher-in-the-1950s/)

And a more nuanced explanation...

Why we can’t go back to sky-high, 1950s tax rates | American Enterprise Institute - AEI (https://www.aei.org/economics/public-economics/why-we-cant-go-back-to-sky-high-1950s-tax-rates/)

"AEI is an independent nonprofit organization supported primarily by contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Founded in 1938, AEI is commonly associated with conservatism and neoconservatism but does not support political candidates."

They may have a horse in this race.

[Topspinmo]

Only one factor. And imagine if your IQ was 70 and you worked intensely hard - you would still not rise up the social ladder. That proves that "hard work" is merely like icing on a larger cake. You have to have a cake in order to put icing on it. And this is the case whether it is 1950 or whenever.

Obviously IQ has nothing to do with it… Most wealth is handed down. Some people have never worked day in their life. Wealth has several meanings, not just money.

[Topspinmo]

The USA is a free country last I heard. This sounds like something they could readily do in the PRC (China). Here it would be a no-no and considered genocide.


“free country”
Yet, some still hate it.

[Topspinmo]

Is it, .........really. I am NOT so sure. Try this example then.........suppose your goal is to be a world-class sprinter. You WORK and you WORK, trying everything. You are reasonably good in high school at sprinting and OK in College at sprinting. But, through NO fault of your own, because you are lacking genetically in fast-twitch muscles, you don't even ever get a tryout for the Olympic Team. What then is the MAIN factor in lack of success in that example - where plenty of WORK happened. That makes me think.......And this example can be extrapolated to the societal reasons that our US society failed miserably to succeed at creating an environment (like the fast-twitch muscles in the example) AFTER THE 1950s and 1960s for the MIDDLE CLASS to survive.

Again you elect to live is such a failure country.

[Topspinmo]

It’s a never ending task………

You’re wasting you’re time, but you knew that….:)

[Topspinmo]

By the 80's and 90's UK had talking films and some were even in color.
Some houses had refrigerators, and washing machines, and dish washers were on the horizon!:icon_wink:

Don’t forget the 128 computer….:)

[Topspinmo]

If someone with real knowledge were to dispute my point about tax bracket laws changing and decimating the strong middle class from the 1950s (which I doubt) - they could just refer to the other reasons that I gave for the missing middle-class. There are other candidates for the MAIN reason (that others may prefer). But, it is just a fact (google it) that the middle-class is gone now. It is now known by the term, wealth INEQUALITY. Which did not exist in large magnitudes in the 50s AND 60s. Tax brackets being the main reason is my opinion.

Middle class gone cause they figured out the disability scam. No need for millions to work.

[Topspinmo]

And why and how did those parents in the 1950s and 60s get the wherewithal to do such "an incredible job of raising children as did society as a whole"? They could do that because the US THEN had a wealthy and vibrant middle-class (not now). The main reason that the US middle-class gradually disappeared after about 1970 was changes in Tax brackets and tax % that favored the wealthy and SUCKED the life out of the middle-class. Also, outsourcing to foreign countries helped those countries and made wealthy people wealthier. There are also several other reasons like the destruction of unions, factory farms, oil subsidies, and etc. By about 1990, the middle-class was gone.
.......So, that answers the question as to WHY the 50s and 60s were so good relative to the 70s onward.

Something I can agree with except iMO it was CEOs, lobbyist, and poli——-. That sold out middle class all for greed. Every government on earth becomes corrupt at one point in time. IMO we will go way of Roman Empire in few more decades.

[JMintzer]

"AEI is an independent nonprofit organization supported primarily by contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Founded in 1938, AEI is commonly associated with conservatism and neoconservatism but does not support political candidates."

They may have a horse in this race.

When you cannot debate the topic, attack the source...

BTW, I can give several other sources, if you'd like...

[manaboutown]

Obviously IQ has nothing to do with it… Most wealth is handed down. Some people have never worked day in their life. Wealth has several meanings, not just money.

"Stanley and Danko point out that only 19% of millionaires had received money from a trust fund or estate, and 91% never received any ownership of a family business; a substantial percentage are "self-made" millionaires."

From: 5 Unexpected Facts I Learned From 'the Millionaire Next Door' (https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/the-millionaire-next-door-unexpected-facts-i-learned)

"The overwhelming majority (79%) of millionaires in the U.S. did not receive any inheritance at all from their parents or other family members. While 1 in 5 millionaires (21%) received some inheritance, only 3% received an inheritance of $1 million or more."

From: The National Study of Millionaires | RamseySolutions.com (https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/the-national-study-of-millionaires-research)

CNBC: 68% of worldwide wealthy are self made. Access Denied (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/majority-of-the-worlds-richest-people-are-self-made-says-new-report.html)

[jimjamuser]

Middle class gone cause they figured out the disability scam. No need for millions to work.
Domestic propaganda!

[Stu from NYC]

"Stanley and Danko point out that only 19% of millionaires had received money from a trust fund or estate, and 91% never received any ownership of a family business; a substantial percentage are "self-made" millionaires."

From: 5 Unexpected Facts I Learned From 'the Millionaire Next Door' (https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/the-millionaire-next-door-unexpected-facts-i-learned)

"The overwhelming majority (79%) of millionaires in the U.S. did not receive any inheritance at all from their parents or other family members. While 1 in 5 millionaires (21%) received some inheritance, only 3% received an inheritance of $1 million or more."

From: The National Study of Millionaires | RamseySolutions.com (https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/the-national-study-of-millionaires-research)

CNBC: 68% of worldwide wealthy are self made. Access Denied (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/majority-of-the-worlds-richest-people-are-self-made-says-new-report.html)

Hard work does pay off

[MartinSE]

When you cannot debate the topic, attack the source...

BTW, I can give several other sources, if you'd like...

I did not "attack the source", I simply pointed out some background for anyone not familiar with AEI. I am sorry you feel having the AEI's background factually pointed out is an attack.

I didn't say they lie, I didn't say the article you referred to was wrong, I did say they have an interest, based on their background in leaning to one interpretation vs another. I think that is fair. Sorry if you don't.

[Michael G.]

I did not "attack the source", I simply pointed out some background for anyone not familiar with AEI. I am sorry you feel having the AEI's background factually pointed out is an attack.

I didn't say they lie, I didn't say the article you referred to was wrong, I did say they have an interest, based on their background in leaning to one interpretation vs another. I think that is fair. Sorry if you don't.

I just wish you people would learn how to get along.
I'm getting those nightmares again.

[JMintzer]

I did not "attack the source", I simply pointed out some background for anyone not familiar with AEI. I am sorry you feel having the AEI's background factually pointed out is an attack.

I didn't say they lie, I didn't say the article you referred to was wrong, I did say they have an interest, based on their background in leaning to one interpretation vs another. I think that is fair. Sorry if you don't.

You gave no evidence of said bias. You gave no evidence they were wrong. So why point out some "possible" bias, based on some boogeyman of some "possible" interest (which you also gave no evidence of)?

The only reason I can see was to disparage them...

[MartinSE]

You gave no evidence of said bias. You gave no evidence they were wrong. So why point out some "possible" bias, based on some boogeyman of some "possible" interest (which you also gave no evidence of)?

The only reason I can see was to disparage them...

Maybe that ia the ONLY reason you can see. That doesn't make it true. I posted a direct quote from the Wiki on AEI, if that is not acceptable, here is the Britanica - which you may or may not accept also. Whatever, I did NOT say they were wrong, I said they had a political leaning. So, enough back and forth, believe what you want, it interests me not.

"From its founding the AEI played a prominent role in politics in the United States, and people affiliated with the organization have served in influential government positions. Its influence grew stronger during the administration of Pres. George W. Bush, in which Dick Cheney, an AEI member, served as vice president of the United States. Also, because most of the AEI’s board of directors are typically CEOs of major U.S. companies, the organization can also exercise considerable influence through its connections in the business world."