Do you like our era?

[turq66]

These are the best of times, right now, today. You can keep what you want, and throw away the rest.

Keep the carb'd cars for the weekends, and the fuel injection ones for the week days!

As usual, Johnpro hits the nail squarely on the head. Here we are living lives of luxury, leisure and convenience that could not have been imagined 100 or even 50 years ago. Anyone with internet access is able to communicate with hundreds, if not thousands, of people instantly. Driving cars that practically maintain themselves. Watching new release movies on TVs the size of movie screens, etc., etc.,...etc.

 

[tarafied1]

Its all relative to what you grew up with. ...
The common denominator is that those that remember the past as being better were remembering it as kids. That's why it was better.

I never thought about it too much but since reading this thread I'd have to agree with KBMWRS (what does that stand for BTW?). Personally I remember very little about my childhood and some of what I do remember was not that good. But saying that I still think he is right. We look back on our memories and think it was so good or better but we didn't have a mortgage, Obama for a president, kids of our own to worry about, etc. Our perspective has changed.
While I agree with what a lot of you have said the cars that ARE cool today are the best of both worlds. Retro style, like the Challenger, Beetle, Camero (yeah I know I spelled it that way on purpose), and Mustang. Even the Viper is modern AC Cobra. They have better performance, they are safer and get better mileage but they really do have the style a car should have. No mistaking what they are when you see one right? As for music, that is a matter of taste. I personally think the Beatles, Stones, the Who and crap like that sucks but it's not cuz it's old, it just sucks. I like a lot of the new music. Not pop or country but again that is just my taste. Now for the social BS, that scares the crap out of me but look at meds today. They can do so much. If some of the drugs today were available 10-15 years ago, my mom might not have died from cancer at 51.
this stuff is way too deep, I need a drink

 

[DB65]

Positives: Homes are more comfortable and energy efficient. Medicine and medical care is remarkably advanced as compared to what was available in the 50's. Technology is just too cool and communications of all types are more reliable. Transportation is WAY more reliable and much safer and faster.
Negatives: Respect or lack there of. Manners or lack there of. Courtesy or lack there of. Honesty or lack there of. Style or lack there of.
Yes it is in large part a matter of perspective. I'm quite happy with today's physical things but not so crazy about the rest of it.

 

[Jack1966]

I think the baby boomers had it best. I'm not a BB, but my parents are (born '45)

Ouch! I was born '46. And yes it was great to be young and the cars weren't bad either.

High School Graduation -1965


1969 - Bye Bye student deferment, hello Uncle Sam

 

[blue65coupe]

I'm with Ryan and Jeff 100%. Yeah, today we have "everything". But "having everything" just leads us to wanting more. The 50's and 60's cars are the best. Unfortunately I didn't grow up back then but hearing my dad and uncles talk makes me think it was pretty freakin' cool. Tinker on your cars, run 'em, tinker some more, run 'em, empty road drag races, etc. I really think I would have enjoyed that time. Yeah the internet can be fun, cell phones are handy, and satellite tv has 50 million channels with nothing on but what about the days of "hanging out". When I was little it was kick the can, flashlight tag, shooting your bb guns, basketball with your neighbors, your buddy's mom including you in dinner when you were outside playing all day, dads that treated their kid's friends like their own, respect, discipline, and family. Today it's just about self. This is a great topic Dne'. Yeah we have a bunch of cool stuff and we can throw away and replace at will. Where does that get us though? I think it gets us all taking everything for granted. You know, I got more crap than most people but so what? I've accumulated a ton of stuff because I will not borrow anything. I've got more tools than I can use on a regular basis, a bigger house than what I need, more cars than I can drive, clothes I don't even wear, televisions that get turned on once a month, etc. etc. etc. With all that stuff, the thing that makes me happiest is seeing my kids smile, run across the yard, and enjoy life. I miss the simpler times. I know, I could make it simpler but the nature of the beast is to "have". During one of our snow/ice sessions a buddy and I (he's actually been a friend since the 5th grade) grabbed some plastic sleds and a cooler of beer and headed out to a big hill one night about 8:00 pm. We freakin' sledded until about midnight and it was an absolute blast. Yeah technology is great but what does it do to you? It may make your life easier, but it also makes it harder. I miss the simpler times. Maybe the simpler time is a specific era or maybe, as mentioned, it's just when I didn't have a care. I do know that I enjoy hanging out in the yard with the family and dogs more than anything. Sitting around a bonfire is a whole lot more relaxing than trying to find something on tv and wondering who sent me an email. That's just me though. I'm a loner and I like it that way.

 

[Horseplay]

No question that the modern era pales in comparison to earlier decades in most ways. I agree that a lot of the new technologies have made things better/easier and that is not altogether a good or a bad thing. In most cases, they could be considered both.
I find the truth in watching and speaking to my kids (5, 15 and 22). With only 2 million TV channels to choose from...there is never "anything good on". Sure they could just pop in one of the hundreds of DVDs we have but that holds little interest most days. What about a video game ( I had pong and thought it was unbelievable), they can choose from vintage Nintendo, or Sega or modern systems 360, Playstation or maybe a hand held like a DS or similar. Play live on line with people from all over the world? Nah, not in the mood. I won't even begin to talk about all their "toy" options. They seem to be always bored with "nothing to do". They don't sit out on the porch at night with friends laughing and talking like I did. They stay in their rooms with closed doors "texting" friends who live three doors down.
I had a bike a baseball glove and bat a old metal railed sled and some legos. That's right, I had it all in those days. Most importantly, I had one bike from like 9 to 16. Schwinn Stingray. Must have rebuilt and painted that thing half a dozen times. It went from cruiser to BMX to raked out chopper over the years. Lost count of the number of tires I went through. I lived on that thing.
I grew up in a rural environment complete with gravel roads, farm land etc. Me and my buddy could spend days with little more than our imaginations building forts, playing ball or fishing down at the river, etc. If I watched 90 minutes of TV a week it was excessive. High school years we had bon fires and keg parties. Cruised Main St every Fri and Sat night (his TA and my 65 coupe). Raced on a stretch of I74. Got into a few fights either because of my big mouth or that of the other guy. Win or lose, most times we ended up shaking hands and laughing at our shiners the next morning.
We LIVED back then. We didn't go through the motions or follow the herd like so many do today. Call it seeing things through the eyes of youth if you want. The reality is things were simpler then and we made the most of the little things. The things that really count.

 

[apollard]

No question that the modern era pales in comparison to earlier decades in most ways. I agree that a lot of the new technologies have made things better/easier and that is not altogether a good or a bad thing. In most cases, they could be considered both.
I find the truth in watching and speaking to my kids (5, 15 and 22). With only 2 million TV channels to choose from...there is never "anything good on". Sure they could just pop in one of the hundreds of DVDs we have but that holds little interest most days. What about a video game ( I had pong and thought it was unbelievable), they can choose from vintage Nintendo, or Sega or modern systems 360, Playstation or maybe a hand held like a DS or similar. Play live on line with people from all over the world? Nah, not in the mood. I won't even begin to talk about all their "toy" options. They seem to be always bored with "nothing to do". They don't sit out on the porch at night with friends laughing and talking like I did. They stay in their rooms with closed doors "texting" friends who live three doors down.

You know, I used to love technology. While I still like it, I've come to realize it is responsible for a lot of bad also. You hit on one of them - kids now have no imagination (at least to me) and have been stimulated and spoon fed by tech gadgets. If it's not new and buzzing at them, it's boring - no idea how to entertain themselves - no imagination. Heck, remember my Mom throwing us out of the house and telling us not to come back before supper - unless we were bleeding. We're trying to limit the electronic gadgets the little tyke gets, but it's hard - every damn thing now flashes and does something. I think his favorite is daddy pushing him around in the wheelbarrow, so maybe it's working.

My other issue is the pace of life now - you used to go home from work, and there was a slower pace with relaxing atmosphere. When you left work, you really left work. Now it's laptops, VPN, cell phones, 24 hour news cycle. No escape. I've started making a concerted effort to turn things off and leave the laptops at home- unfortunately, I can't turn off the work cell phone, but it rarely rings.

So, do I like our current era? Not really. That said, I wouldn't go back to being a kid, I like being an adult. I grew up in the 70s & 80s, so not sure I'd want to go back to that era either, it sucked. I liked the 90s - I was an adult with a good job, but the frantic pace tech has allowed was still on the horizon (remember bag phones?).

 

[monkeystash]

Ouch! I was born '46. And yes it was great to be young and the cars weren't bad either.

High School Graduation -1965


1969 - Bye Bye student deferment, hello Uncle Sam

I didn't know you were a Pontiac guy, Jack. Nice goats!!!

 

[Jack1966]

I didn't know you were a Pontiac guy, Jack. Nice goats!!!

and a Mustang guy as well





and an Olds thrown in:

 

[crustycurmudgeon]

kick the can

Now that brings back some memories of the early 70's. Bleach bottle with some rocks in it, a bunch of neighborhood friends. The "old folks" probably hated it, but we didn't care.

We weren't nearly as bad as some kids today, though. We didn't go looking for trouble.

Frank

 

[Dne']

I expected most of you to feel the same way that I do, and I'm so happy most of you do! Of course all we can do is Recall those days, tell our kids how are time was.
We had a special era for sure!

I'd like to imagine a parallel time exists, not sure when it would have taken affect, maybe late '70's, before cars with on-board computers came into play, and cell phones(maybe cell phones only), computers, internet, never evolved? Like they ever came into existence~ the Leave it to Beaver days still were in play(good evening shows with morals)! , The movies were not remakes of originals, TV cut off at 12:00pm, and TV had only 4-5 channels! Do you remember when Saturday night at the movies came on TV? how sweet! and most importantly, sex/innocense was still a mystery up until at least 18 years of age! A day when the father worked, mom stayed home and raised the kids! I picked up my 2 y/o grandaughter from daycare a bit ago( I Hate to see here there)~ newborns, babies in cribs by the dozens, toddlers, and older children in daycare~ 175.oo per week~! Both parents having to work~bummer!

Sunday evenings~ Walt Disney at 6, Flintstones, Bonanza~
:cry

Keep the topic going ya'll~ and thank goodness for the Internet~! lol and some cool photo's like Jack are cool too! A blast from the past!!! ; )
dne'

 

[Horseplay]

Sunday evenings~ Walt Disney at 6, Flintstones, Bonanza~

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom!

Even as a kid I always wondered why Jim would always have to be the guy wading through the crocodile infested river! I was convinced Marlin didn't like that guy.

 

[Dne']

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom!

yeah!(I forgot about that show!)The only episode I remember for that show was a giant armadillo they were wrestling with~ lol~ good show!!

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom!

Even as a kid I always wondered why Jim would always have to be the guy wading through the crocodile infested river! I was convinced Marlin didn't like that guy.