rapid social change

[Christ_empowered]

I hear that, up until fairly recently, life was at least somewhat simpler. Less complicated, less materialistic. True or un-true?

When I was younger and foolish, I thought of pre-1970s as a sort of Dark Ages, socially. Now, I'm not so sure. Increasingly, I think rules and boundaries make life possible, both on a personal- and social-level.

Please, those who were around in decades past...tell us some of what's changed (good AND bad).

Thanks :-

 

[jasoncran]

I hear that, up until fairly recently, life was at least somewhat simpler. Less complicated, less materialistic. True or un-true?

When I was younger and foolish, I thought of pre-1970s as a sort of Dark Ages, socially. Now, I'm not so sure. Increasingly, I think rules and boundaries make life possible, both on a personal- and social-level.

Please, those who were around in decades past...tell us some of what's changed (good AND bad).
im a mere 40.Thanks :-

1) kids having sex way earlier and teen pregnancy
2) kids being taught about it in school even earlier then I was(10)
3) less kids playing on the streets at night or not at all. I stayed out till the lights came on.
4) safe playgrounds. I had a jet to play with.

 

[reba]

Born in 1946 i remember growing up in the 50s
As corning as it sounds the TV show Happy Days was not that far off....
We were poor... fun was just almost completely free ... a foot ball.... base ball in the empty lot some one had a ball and some one had a bat ... Gloves? that was what dad used for work.
Hopscotch .. tag hide and go seek... We were out side ... rolling down a slope in a race... climbing trees .... Winter? making rafts for the puddles... I did not live in the city..
Life was calmer Life was simpler more family oriented before TV became the baby sitter.... TV in it self is not bad it is a thing lack of control over it is bad.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I suspected as much. Seems that life's gotten a little crazy I' 29, btw.

 

[jasoncran]

Born in 1946 i remember growing up in the 50s
As corning as it sounds the TV show Happy Days was not that far off....
We were poor... fun was just almost completely free ... a foot ball.... base ball in the empty lot some one had a ball and some one had a bat ... Gloves? that was what dad used for work.
Hopscotch .. tag hide and go seek... We were out side ... rolling down a slope in a race... climbing trees .... Winter? making rafts for the puddles... I did not live in the city..
Life was calmer Life was simpler more family oriented before TV became the baby sitter.... TV in it self is not bad it is a thing lack of control over it is bad.

I know , I was just thinking about the irony. my wife wants to go camping by using an rv. it costs now to spend time in nature! of course I can go to the local camp sites but what about traveling?

 

[reba]

1950s camping.... blankets for bed rolls.... fish dad caught.... we did have a colemen cook stove not such thing as a real isolated ice chest.. the creek would keep stuff cool.... always trying to box trap a chipmunk .... Like Deb said in the other thread we played with what was there...
I do not remember ..1948-9 i know mom and dad lived in a tent their friends were high class they had a box car! out on some ones land....two families one car .... what i remember is hearing them laugh as they remembered the fun times... the time the car got stuck in the creek crossing... what do you do? you open the doors and let the creek run ....

 

[jasoncran]

1950s camping.... blankets for bed rolls.... fish dad caught.... we did have a colemen cook stove not such thing as a real isolated ice chest.. the creek would keep stuff cool.... always trying to box trap a chipmunk .... Like Deb said in the other thread we played with what was there...
I do not remember ..1948-9 i know mom and dad lived in a tent their friends were high class they had a box car! out on some ones land....two families one car .... what i remember is hearing them laugh as they remembered the fun times... the time the car got stuck in the creek crossing... what do you do? you open the doors and let the creek run ....

I could do that, I have the gear. its the heat that my wife cant take.

 

[Rollo Tamasi]

I was born in Boston, 1950.
Concrete jungle, projects.
I had to be ready to fight everytime I stepped out the door.
Drugs were rampant by the late 1960's.
Gangs roamed my neighborhood since I was about 3-4 years old that I know of.
Kids got beat up by parents all the time, even in public.
I thought this type of life was normal because it was the same for most everyone.
If anyone thinks life was better, then they lived a sheltered life.

 

[Danus]

Clearly society, or social economic structures, customs, norms and mores have changed since I was a kid, and I'm sure they will continue. I was born in the mid 60's during a time where I could clearly distinguish between changes in attitudes of the youth and older generations then. That continues today.

A lot of it is brought bout by political climates, technology and social economics. What's changed?

1) "deinstitutionalizing" Christ
When I was a kid everyone was a Christian. This, of corse, is not true but It seemed that way. We had prayer in school lead by the principal over the load speaker, and before certain events. In Texas, and many other states, we had "Blue laws" which controlled what business could be open on Sunday and what items could be sold. Public schools served "fish" on Fridays.....just a few more obvious examples.
Today, anti-Christian attitudes prevail as society shifts more and more away from a Judeo Christian traditional idea, or foundation, within our established institutions, Law, Government, Education, Marriage and so forth. What we have somewhat replaced that with "Humanist" relativism in a post Christian society. Good or bad? I see some good in it actually. I see it as a separation, not so much of Church and state, but wheat and chaff.

2) Crime
It's hard to say if crime is on the rise today vs times past, but I'd say it is per capita. We are in what seems to be an ever increasing violent age. Part of that might be the spread of information, but no one can deny the influence media has had on the subject of crime. I think we tend to be more aware of the potential for being a statistic of crime than we once did.


3) Sexual issues,deviations and norms
This is probably one of the biggest changes since the 50's up to now. Society practically worships sex and the right individuals have to be sexual or express themselves sexually. This is nothing all that new. Societies have done this through the ages. There are temples in India older than the days of Christ with explicate sexual scenes carved in the walls. Tons of Asian, Roman and Greek art dedicated to it. Many more.

 

[jasoncran]

Clearly society, or social economic structures, customs, norms and mores have changed since I was a kid, and I'm sure they will continue. I was born in the mid 60's during a time where I could clearly distinguish between changes in attitudes of the youth and older generations then. That continues today.

A lot of it is brought bout by political climates, technology and social economics. What's changed?

1) "deinstitutionalizing" Christ
When I was a kid everyone was a Christian. This, of corse, is not true but It seemed that way. We had prayer in school lead by the principal over the load speaker, and before certain events. In Texas, and many other states, we had "Blue laws" which controlled what business could be open on Sunday and what items could be sold. Public schools served "fish" on Fridays.....just a few more obvious examples.
Today, anti-Christian attitudes prevail as society shifts more and more away from a Judeo Christian traditional idea, or foundation, within our established institutions, Law, Government, Education, Marriage and so forth. What we have somewhat replaced that with "Humanist" relativism in a post Christian society. Good or bad? I see some good in it actually. I see it as a separation, not so much of Church and state, but wheat and chaff.

2) Crime
It's hard to say if crime is on the rise today vs times past, but I'd say it is per capita. We are in what seems to be an ever increasing violent age. Part of that might be the spread of information, but no one can deny the influence media has had on the subject of crime. I think we tend to be more aware of the potential for being a statistic of crime than we once did.


3) Sexual issues,deviations and norms
This is probably one of the biggest changes since the 50's up to now. Society practically worships sex and the right individuals have to be sexual or express themselves sexually. This is nothing all that new. Societies have done this through the ages. There are temples in India older than the days of Christ with explicate sexual scenes carved in the walls. Tons of Asian, Roman and Greek art dedicated to it. Many more.

idk, while im not for forcing kids to pray or go to public bible reading. I would like to see a less hostile environment in public schools. I also remember the ten commandments in schools and prayer. and blue laws. instead its what day or extra second of work so that I can make more.

 

[Christ_empowered]

allenwynne....thanks for pointing out that lots of factors (social status, location, race, gender, etc.) go into how one experiences life in *any* area in *any* decade. There was no one, monolithic "1950s," for instance. Reba had a good life despite limited resources; your life was rough.

I'm just trying to put things into perspective. Ever read Brave New World? Its like...somehow, I think we all get so swept up in the present, especially with things so fast-paced in modern society, that we forget the past. I mean, we can still access data. Per capita income. Divorce rate. Crime rate. But that doesn't tell us the feel of a bygone era, the nuances, the day-to-day life of the people.

In some respects, I see value in adopting a more humanistic, relativist approach in the *public* sphere. The Christian attitudes and platitudes that were widely adopted before were often hollowed out and served more to maintain the status quo and, it seems, keep people in line than to do what I think real Christianity does--liberate and transform. I mean, what's the point of school prayer if they're just gonna beat up the sissy after school?

That said, I'm somewhat frightened by aspects of modern culture. Materialism. The shrinking middle-class. Worship of celebrity, money, sex, and status. Unquestioning acceptance of new "rights"--gay marriage, drug use, fornication, easy divorce--at the expense of what I'd consider true rights--free speech, privacy, freedom from the tyranny of the masses, freedom from government intrusion.

Its said that nothing changes under the sun, but sometimes I wonder. My mother, for instance, grew up poor, but had what it took to move forward in life. Combination of ability, determination, and blessings. I read in Time recently that there's more upward mobility in much of Europe than in the US. We still hold fast to the "pick yourself up by your boot straps," Horatio Alger mythology, but its just not true, and its becoming less and less true as time goes on. If my mother grew up poor today, she'd probably stay poor, maybe advance into a category of less poor, maybe working class.

Also, it seems that times were simpler. I don't mean that they were perfect, just that they weren't as fast paced, materialistic, and cut throat as things are today. Maybe I'm wrong (that's why I'm asking this, lol).

 

[AirDancer]

A lot depended upon where one grew up as to the amount of materialism, crime, accessibility to entertainment, etc. Was life simpler? Not really. Just...different.

 

[Danus]

This is a good general topic. Something I think we all think about a lot, you know "the world"; Society and how we all function or fit.

I'm often reminded of Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I have to think of this all the time. I'm often finding myself getting caught up in the patterns of this world.

 

[Christ_empowered]

Yeah, I remember reading that when computer technology first started speeding up in the 60s or so, experts were thinking "now, computers can do our work, we'll have loads of leisure time!" wrong. Computers make more work possible, at a faster pace. Sad times :-(

I kinda wish we could just say "OK. We have enough progress, enough stuff, lets work on making life more livable and humane!" But that will never happen, I guess.

 

[Christ_empowered]

Uncle Obama. I laughed.

 

[jasoncran]

I would say the right is doing that to the unions. im in a right to work state. the unions vote left most of the time. but not each person in the union. I know few libertarian who are union members.

 

[sourberry]

I hear that, up until fairly recently, life was at least somewhat simpler. Less complicated, less materialistic. True or un-true?

Life was certainly more agricultural, as I think, and people were more dependent on food.

And because of no fridges, you would not get your lamb frozen. You would have to share it with neighbors.

Nowdays you get Argentinian beef, Israel strawberries and South African plums. The world is rebelling.

 

[jasoncran]

I remember when milk could be delivered to one's door.

 

[turnorburn]

The further we drift away from God the closer we live the life of self. We are told knowledge is a good thing right now we are in the middle of a knowledge explosion its on the increase if i remember correctly it was knowledge that got us into this mess..

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

When i was growing up people seemed to be happier that happiness has turned into apathy.. you could almost say we've become too smart for our own good

Ecclesiastes 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

We are drifting away from the simple things in life that's what's missing simplicity..

II Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Its a rotten shame this person started something that helped to lead to all of this

I remember when an Atheist name Madalyn Murray O'Hair a founder of American Atheists started a lawsuit that led to the end of reading the bible in public schools..

On the upside these things need happen to fulfill prophesy..

tob

 

[jasoncran]

The further we drift away from God the closer we live the life of self. We are told knowledge is a good thing right now we are in the middle of a knowledge explosion its on the increase if i remember correctly it was knowledge that got us into this mess..

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

When i was growing up people seemed to be happier that happiness has turned into apathy.. you could almost say we've become too smart for our own good

Ecclesiastes 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

We are drifting away from the simple things in life that's what's missing simplicity..

II Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Its a rotten shame this person started something that helped to lead to all of this

I remember when an Atheist name Madalyn Murray O'Hair a founder of American Atheists started a lawsuit that led to the end of reading the bible in public schools..

On the upside these things need happen to fulfill prophesy..

tob

actually she didn't. it was another atheist/ jewish man that ended that. he didn't want his son and daughter being forced to hear the bible. the bible says we ought to compel men not by gun point or other means force men to church or the gospel. if they reject it. let them go. it was mandatory that they had to hear the gospel. I wouldn't do that to my own family. I don't make my wife go to church. I go and she stays home. her soul not mine.