We've seen the best of society ...

[KatherineSwynford1403]

Quote from a family member out for a family lunch yesterday. It's his 65th birthday on Wednesday and we had quite the day out yesterday. At this lunch he said the above, remarking on how much better it was growing up in the 60s and 70s, progress isn't always for the best, he's sick of people zipping around on scooters and skateboards, the streets are a mess/filthy, spiceheads, it's all got worse over the years, kids running about in pubs and restaurants and shops and not parented properly (he told us a story about getting a smacked backside for having a tantrum when he wasn't allowed a cowboy outfit in the post office in 1963), police did their job properly, nobody dresses up to go out anymore many people look slovenly, want instant gratification, are lazy, you really had to work for a degree in the 70s, on and on it went.

It did my head in but today I have started thinking did he have (a fraction of a) point at all?

I nearly had a stroke when 'selfie' was added to the dictionary. It's a stupid word.

Yes, yes we are very clever and above it all...

Well, I don't agree with him. I'm a single mum and in the 70s the chances are I'd have been forced to give my child away, and treated with contempt .

Instead I have a career, our own (paid-for) home, my ds is at independent school and I'm a valued member of my village community, local search and rescue team and a parish councilor.

My child is infinitely happier than I was at his age (in the 70s). Our food is better, facilities are better, opportunities are better. Our streets aren't a mess, but then I don't live in a city.

As far as I'm concerned, life is immeasurably better in 2023.

I don't see much in the way of progress. We are a soft, selfish, solipsistic society with an appalling climate crisis right around the corner.

Your assertions (based on zero evidence) make you sound foolish. How could you possibly know?

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

Not a lot has changed in older people's views of the youth of today since Socrates (or possibly Aristophanes?) said that, way back when.

The fact that lots of brexiteers moaned about the “good old days”? Did you not listen to any of the coverage pre and during brexit?

It's like Brexit has become the original sin of this decade. If someone says something you disagree with, even just a little bit, there must therefore be a very, very slight chance that they voted leave, or an extremely tenuous link to a campaign push for the leave vote. So tiresome.

It's certainly got worse where I live in the last few years I only moved back here 2014. They tried planting trees in a local green space, all broken/vandalised. There are people zipping through pedestrian areas on high powered scooters and motorbikes, it doesn't feel safe at all. Not everyone is a high earner living in middle England utopia, it has noticeably gotten worse.

It just seems on here and every Internet space lately that any op is in the wrong, no matter what they say

I don't understand why people can't clean up and throw litter

This.

You know you don't need to quote the whole opening post just to reply? It's seriously annoying.

As you were.

Someone that does too much Spice - a synthetic cannabinoid that seriously fucks you up.
That's one thing I'd recommend about the 70's, the drugs were better 😁

I grew up in the 70's
It wasn't raft great tbf
No electric strikes
Bins piling up
Some essential items like bread and flour weren't available

It wasn't that great! But just after rationing it seemed fair, but in 2023 it ms ridiculous

I sort of get it but have seen swings and roundabouts. I remember everyone had a bloody dog when I was little and now here we are again. I remember surges of antisocial behaviour and then periods of it dying down. I do think we are currently in a dodgy phase.

Also, I don't think we'll ever get out of the culture of kids running round everywhere, I really miss the 90s and felt there was a pronounced change with kids everywhere in the 00s. It's embedded now though, sadly I don't think the pendulum will swing again on that one.

Nope, I'm just matter of fact about such things.

Maybe you ought to try being less offended by a factual description of a latter phase of life?

Why does it bother you for 65 to be defined as old?

At 68, I pretty much agree with this. Some things were worse, some better, some remain to be seen. Dog shit was everywhere!

I count myself lucky to have lived through the time when quality healthcare & education were genuinely available to all in the UK, there was no need for food banks, homeless people were eccentric oddities (tramps), public transport and public housing were there for you, and it was largely true that opportunity was there if you wanted to take it.

It was an absolute pain in the arse being in the vanguard of sex equality, having to fight for it on both the structural and personal fronts, but I'm pleased with the freedoms we won and fucking furious at them being given away now.

Disabled kids were tucked away in institutions; some of them are still there. Men with horrendous PTSD were commonplace, as were men with crippling industrial diseases. Old people were warehoused. I may think care in the community's a cynical joke these days, but I like that we're generally more understanding now.

Joining the EEC and EU brought tangible improvements to British people's lives.

The internet's changed everything in various ways. Overall, I see it as a blessing but people and governments have been ignoring its implications for 50 years now. The economic repercussions will be frightening, I think, and will feed into an increasingly fragmented society.

I am upset by much of what we see happening in UK society now. To an extent, I'm relieved that I won't be here for many of the changes we can see coming. However, 95% of the things we're discussing here are outcomes of economics and governance.

We need more competent governments. God knows where we're going to get them from!

Yes. Yes, it is.

It's well beyond middle age. Nobody lives to 130.

According to most of you I'm an old woman now but am so glad I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I agree with lots of the comments pp have made about the shit aspects (except for the anti strike nonsense) but think that the 70s also had many positives. I don't envy the lives of young people today. So much pressure to achieve and perform and for many of them there's little material reward.
Things I enjoyed...
No social media and no one documenting my every move. I would be so ashamed if I was young today because all my teenage mistakes would be online for posterity. As it is I can look back and cringe in private.
Punk and reggae music.
Despite what many young people think about us oldies anti-racism was, and always has been, a thing. Maybe not as widespread as today but don't be insulting and write off all older people as reactionary bigots.
Lack of surveillance whether by parents or society.
A sense of freedom and adventure that is sadly lacking in the lives of so many young people today.
Drinking in pubs without id.
Contraception and abortion rights.
Radical Feminism - see previous comment about anti-racism.
Free and fully funded higher education for poor students. No fees for anyone.
Affordable rents. The first house share I moved into we called out the council rent officer who ordered the landlord to halve the rent for 12 months!
The right to strike without jumping through hoop after fucking hoop.
Very little fast food and consequently very little litter. Mcdonalds didn't really take off until the 80s and I don't recall EVER seeing anyone with a bottle of water, they just didn't exist.

One final thing. Can anyone tell me whatever happened to white dog shit? Haven't seen any for years.

Something to do with gravy in dog food maybe. Or climate change drying everything out.

@Beingboredisgoodforyou @Aplume - feeding them bones & bonemeal!

Thanks. That makes sense 😀

Okay.