I’m as old as the hills and twice as dusty. When I was a kid, the closest we had to a video game was a tic-tac-toe square painted on a chalkboard.
But then, kids were allowed to play outside ALL DAY, all over the town, with no adult supervision and no perverts to threaten us. We were kicked out of the house in the summers after breakfast, allowed home for lunch, kicked back out until supper, then kicked back out until dark.
Back in my youth there were perverts who threatened (my brother was nearly kidnapped by one). There were drug dealers and murderers I was 8 when we had a murder next door). We did go outside a lot - and probably got into a lot of trouble. And there was television which made my parents long for the days of radio. And there was the telephone which we fought over, making my parents long for the days of the party line. This was the midwest in the 60s.
Try the phase “Not in this century” as a response to a question.
i.e. “Will you be seeing Irving again?” -Cathy’s mom
or “When was the last time _ (pronoun, adverb, adjective,etc.)?”
Ah, the clickty-click of the telephone dial going around and the talking to the english native-speaking operator to place your long-distance telephone call from the pay-phone booth that smelled of far too many unwashed occupants.
I suspect the main difference today is our skewed perception of how dangerous the world is, enhanced by the media. There were abusive alcoholics and perverts back in the 50s and 60s when I was growing up, but they were not in the public eye as much.
We spent most of time outside with no significant trouble, and as long as we were home for lunch - unless we’d packed one - and dinner, we were fine.
As PT Barnum said, there’s a sucker born every minute. Is there anything in human history more useless than Twitter or Facebook? A bunch of vapid idiots sharing the banal details of their wretched lives. Trudeau’s Roland Hedley had it right…”My Shorts R Bunching. Thoughts?”
Hawgowar: I am in my late 70s and was “molested” at age 4 and saw a lot of “domestic” violence. Sure wish I coulda lived in your area. I was in Arizona Peace
I agree with AlanDF. More people today, but the percentage of perverts, etc. has probably remained constant. Just much greater publicity for each of them now.
The real issue today may be that people here have forgotten how to walk? Rollie Pollie Ollie, sitting on the web, stretching out the spandex, exercise and diet, ever more on ebb.
i noticed the other day when I was walking my dog, Rolf, that he had joined Butt Book, AND, he had to stop at every tree and hydrant to update his page.
To paraphrase the song, “A sniff’s as good as a nod”.
cdward, my kids grew up in the 60s (as I was married in 59) but we never had nearby murders or pervs (as far as I know) and Our house had a good bunch of playground equip- mostly bought by my parents for 4 grandkids, so many neighbor kids came to hang out, and I watched them out my back windows while taking in sewing in that back room. I still think it was a better time than this, but I have hopes for my grandkids.
pouncingtiger about 14 years ago
Prehistoric tweeting.
LordDogmore about 14 years ago
Ok I’ve actually started conversaions with “back in my day” so does that make me a cave man? On second thought, don’t answer that.
Sisyphos about 14 years ago
Ah, the Good Old Days. Image: face-to-face conversation!
hawgowar about 14 years ago
I’m as old as the hills and twice as dusty. When I was a kid, the closest we had to a video game was a tic-tac-toe square painted on a chalkboard.
But then, kids were allowed to play outside ALL DAY, all over the town, with no adult supervision and no perverts to threaten us. We were kicked out of the house in the summers after breakfast, allowed home for lunch, kicked back out until supper, then kicked back out until dark.
So it wasn’t all bad.
Coyoty Premium Member about 14 years ago
And the phones didn’t come in pink.
Mohawk20 about 14 years ago
Face-to-facebook conversation… that’s progress for ya.
cdward about 14 years ago
Back in my youth there were perverts who threatened (my brother was nearly kidnapped by one). There were drug dealers and murderers I was 8 when we had a murder next door). We did go outside a lot - and probably got into a lot of trouble. And there was television which made my parents long for the days of radio. And there was the telephone which we fought over, making my parents long for the days of the party line. This was the midwest in the 60s.
Better?
gjsjr41 about 14 years ago
Hawgowar, We weren’t kicked out but if we didn’t go outside, our parents thought we might getting sick or something. I still would rather be outside.
x_Tech about 14 years ago
Try the phase “Not in this century” as a response to a question. i.e. “Will you be seeing Irving again?” -Cathy’s mom or “When was the last time _ (pronoun, adverb, adjective,etc.)?”
ses1066 about 14 years ago
Ah, the clickty-click of the telephone dial going around and the talking to the english native-speaking operator to place your long-distance telephone call from the pay-phone booth that smelled of far too many unwashed occupants.
Potrzebie about 14 years ago
Is this the direct ancestor of Obvious Man, redundant Woman & Superfluous boy?
AlanDF about 14 years ago
I suspect the main difference today is our skewed perception of how dangerous the world is, enhanced by the media. There were abusive alcoholics and perverts back in the 50s and 60s when I was growing up, but they were not in the public eye as much.
We spent most of time outside with no significant trouble, and as long as we were home for lunch - unless we’d packed one - and dinner, we were fine.
Sandfan about 14 years ago
As PT Barnum said, there’s a sucker born every minute. Is there anything in human history more useless than Twitter or Facebook? A bunch of vapid idiots sharing the banal details of their wretched lives. Trudeau’s Roland Hedley had it right…”My Shorts R Bunching. Thoughts?”
steverinoCT about 14 years ago
“…Is there anything in human history more useless than Twitter or Facebook?”
Well, comments on a comic strip comes to mind… ;)
palos about 14 years ago
The birth of the incessant drumming. Now I know why it began.
1OldDude about 14 years ago
Hawgowar: I am in my late 70s and was “molested” at age 4 and saw a lot of “domestic” violence. Sure wish I coulda lived in your area. I was in Arizona Peace
roadrunner73 Premium Member about 14 years ago
I agree with AlanDF. More people today, but the percentage of perverts, etc. has probably remained constant. Just much greater publicity for each of them now.
Dtroutma about 14 years ago
The real issue today may be that people here have forgotten how to walk? Rollie Pollie Ollie, sitting on the web, stretching out the spandex, exercise and diet, ever more on ebb.
treered about 14 years ago
to my daughter: When I was your age… then she says: When dinosaurs roomed the earth… LOL!
Justice22 about 14 years ago
“You say you have a new drum coming that is twice as fast?”
ccmills about 14 years ago
night gaunt - I knew you were going to say that …
glenardis about 14 years ago
i noticed the other day when I was walking my dog, Rolf, that he had joined Butt Book, AND, he had to stop at every tree and hydrant to update his page.
To paraphrase the song, “A sniff’s as good as a nod”.
rumplesnitz about 14 years ago
Looks like one of Johnny Hart’s volcanoes…
vldazzle about 14 years ago
cdward, my kids grew up in the 60s (as I was married in 59) but we never had nearby murders or pervs (as far as I know) and Our house had a good bunch of playground equip- mostly bought by my parents for 4 grandkids, so many neighbor kids came to hang out, and I watched them out my back windows while taking in sewing in that back room. I still think it was a better time than this, but I have hopes for my grandkids.
pbarnrob about 14 years ago
As long as the drummers take a break from say, suppertime to dawn, and don’t keep the neighbors up all hours…