To start a thread for grumpy old ladies who think things aren't what they used to be

[susanstryingterm]

I'm probably a bit older than the average age on here, and totally emphasised with someone who said, in slightly despairing tones on a thread yesterday 'I sometimes think nobody knows how to behave anymore'.

So:

I think children should stand up for older (60+) people on public transport.
I think weddings should be a 'cut your cloth to suit your measure' exercise.
I think children should be called in by 9pm at latest during the Summer, so that neighbours can get some consideration.

I'm glad it's not the 1970s and 80s anymore. I don't get all this nostalgia. It's like all those people who chime up, 'Back in our grandparents' day', yeah, well, invent a time machine then, it's fucking 2015 now.

My dad grew up in the 1940s and 50s. He thought it sucked.

I love this thread I have agreed with pretty much everything. I grew up in the 80's. You know what I value from that time? That kids TV was on for 90 minutes a day in the week and I guess 2 hours on sat am. It was lovely and I cherish that time. It ended at 17.35 and then it was tea time and there was nothing to miss. I abhor that there's kids TV on 24 hours now

My kids will vacate seats on buses and in waiting rooms for older people or pregnant ladies or anyone looking like they need to sit down because I make them. I'm horrified this isn't the norm but we don't go on the bus much.

I agree about the random swearing it's utterly disgusting and inconsiderate.

Hmmm what else? I think the random self advertising machine of facebook is vile and brings out the worst in people. I think it's very sad people post publicly the most incredible but private moments for any random folk on their friend list. Mums and babies immediately post birth, wedding photos that should be cherished and a privilege to see. It has devalued.....everything!

I hate reality TV as much as everyone else. I wonder what we could do to slow the juggernaut of that half Armenian family before they dominate every facet of the media.

And yy to athleisure being ridiculous. I moaned in the 90's people didn't dress up enough

I like that they have water trays, rather than the rank spit covered water fountains we had growing up. Sun cream, sun hats, wtf is wrong with that, better than slathering yourself with suntan oil (and the skin cancer contracted as a result)

I never get the health and safety thing either - it's a good thing that there aren't as many work related deaths and injuries now! Most of the 'elf and safety gorn mad' stuff is the same sort of 'pc gorn mad' baloney perpetuated by the Daily Mail for all the huffers and tutters to get grumpy about!

Maybe I am just too much of a cheery old woman for this thread!

Yes but, Wotsits, no daytime kids TV meant being stuck watching bloody Crown Court and The Sullivans - life was bloody cruel back then!

haze get that happy hat off! What was wrong with the spit in the water fountain anyway

Great I know my kids didn't belive me until I googled it for them.

Mind you love google rather than my parents encyclopaedia Britannia ha ha.

expat you can't say a whole era was crap or good. There's light and shade in every time.

My mom was evacuated during the war and hated it but she feels her teenage years in the 50s were wonderful.

Any time can be dreadful if you are having a dreadful time. It's not the era it's the personal experience.

As a nurse I used to look after old people who had both loathed and enjoyed the war. It's personal stories isn't it.

teatowel and springsprang - risk of being sued - yes. My brother organises a football team - kids love it but this will be their last year. CRB checks on everyone, impossible insurance costs, paperwork, etc.

Agree with hatred of automated telephone answering. What happened to switchboard operators? They were brilliant. You asked what you need to know - they put you through to the right person. Easy.

It isn't just nostalgia - and no-one on here is stupid. It is a slightly humourous thread but the point is that a lot has been lost almost without our realising it. (Baby and bathwater sometimes).

I made the point about being accused of racism/sexism etc. It did not mean that I want everyone to go around being racist etc. That is precisely my point! We are so hung up about whether we can use this word or that word, (it is ok in The States but not in the UK - so is it ok if you are American and say it in the UK?? Or not?? Etc). What I meant was that people are so concerned to prove that they themselves are NOT ... ist that they "prove it" by accusing others.

In fact I think we are a hugely tolerant society - one of the most tolerant in the world. And that is great.

When did "Films" become "Movies"? All the blessed time. Films, films, films, films.....

YY to loads of these. My own bugbear of the moment is 'efficiency savings' aka some people finding themselves jobless or (if young) unable to get started, while the people left in work have ridiculous workloads trying to take up the slack.

"Can I get fish and chips' instead of 'Can I have fish and chips' when ordering in a restaurant. Grrrr.

Endless war commemorations. What's that all about? At the moment almost every time I turn on the TV it's the 70th anniversary of something to do with the Second World War cue mawkish remembrance. We didn't have all these 70th anniversaries of WW1 back in the 80s.

Smartcards on buses are good, though. Please may we keep those?

I think I also miss banter and flirting at work. We used to have a ball. Everyone is so serious now - terrified of doing or saying something inappropriate.

But that does not mean I approve of sexual harrasment. I don't.

I called the cinema the pictures the other week dds thoughg it was hilarious

God expat. This thread is just a space for nostalgic venting and feeling like we're not alone in that. Why do you always have to be so aggressive?

Remember when you could have a good long conversation along the lines of 'who was that actress in that film about a bear?'. It might take a week before someone would remember. Then the pride you could take if you could remember who it was. Now you just google it.

I think people should stop banging on about their 'rights' and 'entitlements' all the time and sometimes just think about what is considerate to others

Just stop being so "offended" by everything. Bloody hell, you can't open your mouth these days without fear of someone being upset.

Why is the next generation so damn "precious".

Ridiculous.

it's fucking 2015 now . Yes and the point of the thread is to compare and contrast, is it not?

Google has definitely made life easier with fact finding and arguement settling sausage, no more "I know I'm right, prove it if you don't believe me" - now proof is easy to come across.

I was listening to an interviewee on the radio this am who refused to answer a question repeatedly as "I don't want to offend anyone" - well i was offended by the taking up of precious airtime!

I do sausage, I do!!

"You know the one about..."
"Oh you mean the woman who was in that other thing with that chap from Z-Cars"
"What chap from Z-Cars?"
"The blond bloke. The one who played Sgt X"
"Oh him! Wasn't he in that film with the other woman from XXX?" etc - for a week......

I agree crustsaway. Often it's not even the people affected who are offended, but the self righteous bridgade who have made it their life's work to become offended on everyone else's behalf.

Guess what? Sometimes we need dark humour, or a practical take on things, or to give some precious idiots a good kick up the arse.

Proof of what there Through? Who says something in writing is proof? Social media in my opinion is out of control. Lives can be severely damaged by finding "proof" on the net. Little things become exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness.

My father always said... "Darling, never put anything down in back and white", what a damn wise man he was

I think it's pretty common to look back and think life was great, but imo you are completely deluded, vitims of rose coloured specks. My dad was sexually assaulted as a child - he had no voice, children didn't - that has changed!
Adults are rude to kids too, i see it all the time, i encourage my children to be polite but they observe lots of older people disrepect them, for example they push in infront of kids needing the loo, elderly people rarely hold a door open or stand back....barging through seems common place and on the road the elderly show little grace.
People seem to think manners is a matter of please, thank you and sorry. It's about consideration for all....not just the old, for everyone.
I read these threads and the linguistic pedantics and I am glad I don't know people like you because you sound bound up by misery. Drop the judgey pants and try to enjoy life a bit.

Please and thank you
Right and wrong
Disruption in schools
Overfamiliar sales calls, "if I haven't met you, no, my name isn't "beau" it's Mrs Belle and I'm not going to answer any questions about what sort of day I've had until you confirm I have met you in a social situation!
Cyclists stopping at traffic lights
No, there is no such word as arske - it's ask
I expect teachers and nurses and doctors to be good role models

....and I thought of a lot more but think I'm so old, I must have forgotten since getting to this point.

Did I say anything that hadn't been said before?

crustsaway I wasn't thinking of social media, more like googling rightmove to find out what a house sold for, or who wrote Gone With the Wind, or who's the England cricketer with the most number of runs, that type of thing.

'Oh god everyone gets so offended nowadays' bollocks gets rolled out along with, 'professionally offended' and 'sn brigade' with an eyeroll and a sigh about the good old days, when you could just say things that hurt and make peoples lives more difficult. It is just crap, what is so wonderful, dark and subversive about saying things which are cruel and hurtful?

And people like you Loaf are exactly the ones that annoy me. Just wait until you're middle aged. You will be saying exactly the same about other things, so don't get all high and mighty there, it WILL happen, as sure as we have death and taxes.