30's and 40's fan here. Why is there so much admiration for those years? Especially in the media. [I'd Rather Get To Know You Than Small Talk]
I like the style and cars.
Top | Newest First | Oldest First
drymer · 56-60, M
It's easy to glamorize stuff most contemporary people never experienced... If by "media" you mean "film", note that virtually every "period film" focuses on high society, the rich, the elite... So it gives people the impression that in the "old days" everyone had a great, glamorous life... Even cars... Cars nowadays are for rich and poor alike, but back then they weren't as affordable as they are not, comparatively. Also, cars in period movies are typically shiny, with that "brand new" look. Most cars in mint condition look great, particularly if they look "different" to what we are used to... I bet that if you were able to go back in time you'd be disappointed by the amount of poverty and run-down cars, houses and buildings around...
View 15 more replies »
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@MethDozerI think the phrase most commonly used then was "planned obsolescence" where there was the feeling that US auto manufacturers were less concern about the quality and dependability of the vehicles than for the pazzass of the next model year. Probably accounts for the near demise of the US auto manufacturing industry.
CestManan · 46-50, F
Things were never better nor worse, just different.
I used to work with this guy recently who was in his 70's. I once asked him - "So in the 50's and 60's, did families act like they did on "Leave it to Beaver"? and he said - "F^ck no."
I grew up in the 80's and yeah the nostalgic things you see make it look like it was great but there isn't much talk about the bad things like how we were afraid the USSR could decide to nuke us.
I used to work with this guy recently who was in his 70's. I once asked him - "So in the 50's and 60's, did families act like they did on "Leave it to Beaver"? and he said - "F^ck no."
I grew up in the 80's and yeah the nostalgic things you see make it look like it was great but there isn't much talk about the bad things like how we were afraid the USSR could decide to nuke us.
CestManan · 46-50, F
@Heartlander When I was a little kid in the early 80's and watching Leave it to Beaver reruns, I used to wonder why mine and my friends' parents were not so understanding like Ward Cleaver (the dad).
No matter how bad Beaver messed up it was always, "Now Beaver, your mother and I are very disappointed..."
And that was as bad as it got.
I am guessing family problems may have actually been worse back then since divorce was more rare and not as many laws protecting families from abuse?
No matter how bad Beaver messed up it was always, "Now Beaver, your mother and I are very disappointed..."
And that was as bad as it got.
I am guessing family problems may have actually been worse back then since divorce was more rare and not as many laws protecting families from abuse?
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@CestManan
I don't think reality was worse than what was depicted on TV. Just very different. In general, parents were too busy working to spend much personal time with their kids; so we kids were like "free range" kids and were governed more by what we though was expected of us than by person to person contact with our parents. Like my dad's involvement with my school work pretty much narrowed down to about 2 minutes every 6 weeks when I presented him my report card and asked him to sign it. One minute if it was a good report card, 5 minutes if not :)
There was also broader community involvement ... schools, church, clubs, neighbors, etc. ... all somehow interconnected and that wouldn't hesitate to report kids' misbehavior to their parents. If they reported you to your parents, your name was probably also in the gossip circle, which meant that everyone knew. I don't think it was spelled out as rule number one, but shaming your parents was one way to get parents' attention and it wasn't the "now Beaver, your mother and I ...." thing.
I don't think reality was worse than what was depicted on TV. Just very different. In general, parents were too busy working to spend much personal time with their kids; so we kids were like "free range" kids and were governed more by what we though was expected of us than by person to person contact with our parents. Like my dad's involvement with my school work pretty much narrowed down to about 2 minutes every 6 weeks when I presented him my report card and asked him to sign it. One minute if it was a good report card, 5 minutes if not :)
There was also broader community involvement ... schools, church, clubs, neighbors, etc. ... all somehow interconnected and that wouldn't hesitate to report kids' misbehavior to their parents. If they reported you to your parents, your name was probably also in the gossip circle, which meant that everyone knew. I don't think it was spelled out as rule number one, but shaming your parents was one way to get parents' attention and it wasn't the "now Beaver, your mother and I ...." thing.
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
Heartlander · 80-89, M
@Confined :) and, importantly, there were no smart phones and digital cameras to capture the insane politicians or nasty neighbors, nor record the insanity as it was happening and plaster it on You Tube.
Interestingly, a good bit of what I remember well from the 60s seems to have vanished from You Tube and the internet. As if there are political forces cleaning up the footprints :)
Interestingly, a good bit of what I remember well from the 60s seems to have vanished from You Tube and the internet. As if there are political forces cleaning up the footprints :)
Heartlander · 80-89, M
It was a pivotal part of history, and a time when what we think of as the media started to put itself on the national stage.
The 1920s brought us local radio. And then the high powered clear AM radio channels cropped up in the late 20s and 30s, and together with the national networks which formed at about the same time were able to broadcast from New York to California. Also talking movies came in the late 20s and proliferated in the 30s. The first MLB night game was in 1935, night time college football started in the early 1930s.
The 1920s brought us local radio. And then the high powered clear AM radio channels cropped up in the late 20s and 30s, and together with the national networks which formed at about the same time were able to broadcast from New York to California. Also talking movies came in the late 20s and proliferated in the 30s. The first MLB night game was in 1935, night time college football started in the early 1930s.
bijouxbroussard · F
This message was deleted by its author.