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#1
06-13-2005, 04:34 PM
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Are these my generations dark days?
I was at my parents house this weekend talking to my folks, as well as a few relatives, all of whom are my parents age. They got to talking about what the U.S. was like when they were my age(late 60's/early 70's). As many of the older posters on here can attest to, that was a rough time here in the U.S. Obviously the Vietnam war was tearing the country apart, there was a lot of political strife, as well as international problems. But here in the U.S., the civil rights war was waging, and racial tension was at an all time high. My cousin's brother was almost killed by 4 black guys in Detroit at the time, my other cousin was on the East coast by NY and dealt with a lot of the racial mess in NY and Newark. My dad was down south in Louisiana, and my Mom and Uncle were out in Portland. My mother remembers their HS was shut down because of the race riots. I mean, this racial stuff was everywhere, and was on top of all the Vietnam mess.
It obviously was a tough time to live, and definitely made an impression on them, as well as on our country. But we got through it and saw better days. Much like the generation before my parents. They had to live through the depression and WWII, and obviously the struggles that the country went through there are well known as well. But they got through it as well. Well, it got me thinking, I have been hearing a lot of naysayers and doomsdayers lamenting how horrible our country is right now, and how our leadership is dirt, how scary terrorism is and costly the war in Iraq is,and how the poor aren't being cared for, and how health care is rising, etc. But to be honest with you, if this is the strife and conflict my generation has to live through, damn, we are getting off easy. A far cry from 30 years ago and 60 years ago I must say. 
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#2
06-13-2005, 04:38 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
I agree. IMO, things are better now than at just about any point in American history. We have plenty of problems, but in most cases, nothing compared to what we faced in the past. The quality of life for the average American is pretty good.
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#3
06-13-2005, 06:25 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
[ QUOTE ]
I agree. IMO, things are better now than at just about any point in American history. We have plenty of problems, but in most cases, nothing compared to what we faced in the past. The quality of life for the average American is pretty good. [/ QUOTE ] I love when people guess what the quality of life is for an average American. I suspect the fact that you are on this forum (implies you have a computer, ample free time, perhaps decent income, etc.) that you might already be ahead of the 'average american.' Furthermore, what is your criteria for making that judgement? Clearly we are more technologically advanced then earlier generations. But my Father's generation was the last where a single working parent could easily support a family of 4. When I was a kid (I'm taking 25-30 years ago) On Halloween, we could go out without our parents and stay out all night... people weren't afraid. When my parents parked their cars on the street, you didn't worry about locking the door. Concern over the cost of healthcare wasn't really in the news. We never worried about terrorism. etc. I'm just not sure what criteria you're using to make the above statement.
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#4
06-13-2005, 06:35 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] I agree. IMO, things are better now than at just about any point in American history. We have plenty of problems, but in most cases, nothing compared to what we faced in the past. The quality of life for the average American is pretty good. [/ QUOTE ] I love when people guess what the quality of life is for an average American. I suspect the fact that you are on this forum (implies you have a computer, ample free time, perhaps decent income, etc.) that you might already be ahead of the 'average american.' [/ QUOTE ] Do tell us what the truth is about the average American. [ QUOTE ] Furthermore, what is your criteria for making that judgement? Clearly we are more technologically advanced then earlier generations. [/ QUOTE ] Big time. [ QUOTE ] But my Father's generation was the last where a single working parent could easily support a family of 4. [/ QUOTE ] Care to back this up? Not saying you're wrong but what's your criteria and what stats are you using if any? [ QUOTE ] When I was a kid (I'm taking 25-30 years ago) On Halloween, we could go out without our parents and stay out all night... people weren't afraid. [/ QUOTE ] I would call that damn irresponsible parenting. Letting young kids stay out all night is not something that I think indicates good parenting. [ QUOTE ] When my parents parked their cars on the street, you didn't worry about locking the door. [/ QUOTE ] C'mon [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. [ QUOTE ] Concern over the cost of healthcare wasn't really in the news. [/ QUOTE ] Was health care cheap 25 or 30 years ago? I think not. Was there such a thing as health care insurance for all? I think not. [ QUOTE ] We never worried about terrorism. etc. [/ QUOTE ] Never worried about a nuclear holocaust back then? [ QUOTE ] I'm just not sure what criteria you're using to make the above statement. [/ QUOTE ] Pot, kettle, black [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].
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#5
06-13-2005, 06:39 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
No offense, but what a load of crap.
You have it easy. Kids in the 60s had it easy. The generations that provided the bodies for the Civil War and WWII had it hard, at least for some.
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#7
06-13-2005, 06:47 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
[ QUOTE ]
what about the couple of guys that died in Vietnam? They didn't have it too bad right? [/ QUOTE ] We are talking about a generation of people, not a small subgroup of individuals. There are tragic deaths every generation, but not nearly to the scale of calling it the "dark days of a generation."
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#9
06-13-2005, 06:54 PM
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Re: Are these my generations dark days?
[ QUOTE ]
In what way did kids in the 60s have it easy? [/ QUOTE ] disposible income good education good economy free expression free drugs [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] free love [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Compared to their parents, they had it made. Apparently some of them were too stupid to know how good they had it.
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