Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You could still do this today in many cases - but people can't give up their creature comforts of cell phones, internet, cable, convenience foods, dinners out, multiple vehicles, new cars, etc. Things that could've/would've been considered luxuries in the 1950s are thought of as essentials today.
My grandmother never bought a Ziploc/Baggie in her life ... that's what bread bags were for. (Bread bags were also great boot liners.)
I also remember the bread bags at boot liners in the winter but that and many of the depression era habits my parents had are lost on todays youth. I agree you could potential live on 1 income my family does we simply lived within our mean, saved up for when we needed something big, we have done fine.
You could still do this today in many cases - but people can't give up their creature comforts of cell phones, internet, cable, convenience foods, dinners out, multiple vehicles, new cars, etc. Things that could've/would've been considered luxuries in the 1950s are thought of as essentials today.
My grandmother never bought a Ziploc/Baggie in her life ... that's what bread bags were for. (Bread bags were also great boot liners.)
I think my dad and stepmom had one of the world's largest collection of used bread bags!!! They also had a massive stash of margarine tubs, cool whip containers, etc. They were children of the Depression -- they saved everything!
I really don't understand the rampant pessimism of people concerning the present and future of the U.S. While manufacturing jobs may not be anywhere as prevalent as before, jobs in technology, finance, energy, and other services have rapidly developed.
Heck, we live in the age of information via the internet where we can communicate and obtain knowledge almost instantly. Also, when has higher education been more accessible than today?
On a social level, gay couples can marry, women and minorities have far more opportunities, religion is no longer forced on people to the same extent, and environmental conservation is gradually becoming a priority.
While things may not be perfect politically or economically, I'm truly baffled as to why people don't take the negatives in-stride and further embrace the positives.
^^^
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Gringo
It isn't difficult to explain.
We've had 25 years of hate radio preaching anger, fear, doom and gloom to an audience that is incapable of even the most elementary analysis, so they swallow it whole. Those followers are in clear evidence in this forum. Their angry irrational rants probably account for the majority of posts here.
Their party of choice holds debates where the three top candidates whine incessantly about how America is going to hell in a handbasket. This in spite of their party holding both houses of congress, a majority of governors and a big majority of state legislatures.
They're peddlers of negativity. They have no positive outlook for our country's future.
I think my dad and stepmom had one of the world's largest collection of used bread bags!!! They also had a massive stash of margarine tubs, cool whip containers, etc. They were children of the Depression -- they saved everything!
Lol sounds like my parents along with the pie tins, used silver foil, jars & can collection under the stove. And don't even think you can throw a Dixie paper plate out, wipe it off and use it again...
An America where new inventions that increased our standard of living were hitting market rapidly?
Where there was enough room for everyone to have a house and yard within commuting distance of a good job?
Where your income was going every year while at the same time the cost of living was going down?
Where there were no school shootings?
Where 1 man working a 9-5 job could raise multiple kids and still have money left over for retirement?
LOL, where's the black people?!
I am black and my family was around in 1955 and there are no black people in those pictures so I wouldn't want to "go back" to that era.
FWIW, I have a house and yard within commuting distance of my "good job."
My income has steadily increased over the past 7-8 years. Cost of living in general isn't going down but I moved back to my hometown, which has one of the best COLs in the country (bought my house cash so don't have a mortgage and I own 3 cars outright so don't have a car note, so our COL is pretty low in general)
There has never been a school shooting at my kid's school or at my own schools when I was a kid thankfully, but they are frightening and I do worry about that.
Women want to work too and I am a woman and I work a 9-5 job and I have more than one kid and I have a hefty retirement account, as does my husband. I don't want more than 2 kids though, too much work.
Can you back that up with facts? I believe Reagan also cut taxes for the average middle class person.
It's well documented. Look up historical tax rates. In the 1950s the top rates were 90+%, although there were so many loop holes that many of the wealthy didn't pay much in actual taxes. Reagan's "tax simplification" act in 1986 did away with most of the loop holes but it lowered the rates on the wealthiest taxpayers while doing away with the interest deductions for installment debt and raising the bar for medical deductions, both of which were used by large numbers of middle class wage earners. The numerous tax brackets were also broadened into three or four brackets, which really affected people who were just inside the next higher bracket. So, yeah, many middle class people ended up with bigger tax bills than wealthy people. That was justified because the benefits of giving big tax breaks to the wealthy were supposed to "tickle down" to the rest of us.
Well, it's been three decades and we're still waiting ...
Ah the good 'ole days where only a certain segment of people were allowed to participate in American society depending on how they looked. Have to say that I'm glad that part of our history is over and done with. For all the problems and issues we have today, I'd wager that a larger percentage of Americans are happier with their lives than back then where you had entire groups born into desolate, hopeless lifestyles.
I feel like some people want those days back. Being a Black male, I'm happier living in these times. I can go to the polls and vote. I can go to any library I want, eat where I want to eat. I can live where I want to live. Racially restrictive covenants are not enforceable. There are problems today. However, in 2015, I have far more freedoms than I would have had in 1955.
Something important. I live in Georgia. Met up with a few friends a few weeks back. One of them gave me a hug. Happened to be a White female. In 1955, if I so much as looked at a White female I might get killed. Look what happened to Emmett Till.
I grew up in a 2 parent home, in the 90s and 2000s (I'm almost 30). Having children growing up in 2 parent homes is a choice. It is about personal responsibility. In the schools I went to, we said the Pledge of Allegiance.
I will take 2015 over 1955. I value freedom and being treated like an American, something that would not have been afforded to me in 1955.
That America went away because Americans didn't want to pay for it anymore. And when they could've fought to keep it, they instead elected people (namely Ronald Reagan)who did everything they could to get rid of it.
No sense in whining about it now, but yeah, I remember that America.
And there it is, the worst Pres. in US history. Until Reagonomics came along, our national dept was almost eliminated.
That America went away because Americans didn't want to pay for it anymore. And when they could've fought to keep it, they instead elected people (namely Ronald Reagan)who did everything they could to get rid of it.
No sense in whining about it now, but yeah, I remember that America.
My taxes went to zero under Reagan, because I became unemployed.
If he'd a been three years earlier, I'd be a millionaire today!
I was a 5 percenter three years earlier - but alas, in the 70% tax bracket.
When my dad (born in 1921) was in his 80's, I asked him whether he'd prefer to be living sometime in his past over living in the present.
"HELL NO!!" was his reply.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
