Certainly glad I was born in the 50's

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by AZ Traveler

I was born in 51 and have been happily unemployed for the last 6 years after 27 years in the Navy and 13 with industry. My greatest passion is chasing birds with my pups and it is better than it has ever been.

I agree there are things we have lost but we have gained so much more. We also have the option to take advantage of the new technology and ways of life or leaving them. You have to make the choices that best fit you.

The issues I have seen with both my kids and some of my older friends is an unwillingness to be flexible. If the jobs, opportunity or lifestyle is changing in your area and you don't like it - move to somewhere different. We certainly need to be more mobile today. Many younger folks will need to changes jobs and often professions multiple times in their life to be successful. They have to be willing to accept some risk. Most important is making the right choices which is harder today because there are so many more available.

For the older folks remember the line from Shawshank Redemption - "Get busy living or get busy dying." You need to stay in touch and understand technology change or you will get run over.

Maybe take another look at our world today , and rethink if you think it’s a better world compared to the 50 , and 60’s that we grew up in . Then take a look at what went on in Texas today .

Seems all the things you mentioned about technology etc , doesn’t mean much when these things are common place in todays world . I’m sad the young children have this threat in everyday life now . Yup what a great world we have now compared to my days of being young .

[BB_TX]

There is the old saying money doesn’t buy happiness. Neither does all the high tech gizmos we have now. Over all my 76 years of people I know and have known both personally and professionally it has been more likely those with the least were overall the happiest. Those with the most were often the least happy with their position in life. Seems they were often obsessed about keeping what they had even though it was more than most, and adding even more to what they did have. And the pressures that go along with that. And the percentage of people happy with their life was greater in my earlier years than my later years. People were less concerned about reaching the top or at least keeping up with the Joneses. They were simply content to enjoy life as they could. And I have lived life from both sides, having just enough to get by to being very comfortable.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

There is the old saying money doesn’t buy happiness. Neither does all the high tech gizmos we have now. Over all my 76 years of people I know and have known both personally and professionally it has been more likely those with the least were overall the happiest. Those with the most were often the least happy with their position in life. Seems they were often obsessed about keeping what they had even though it was more than most, and adding even more to what they did have. And the pressures that go along with that. And the percentage of people happy with their life was greater in my earlier years than my later years. People were less concerned about reaching the top or at least keeping up with the Joneses. They were simply content to enjoy life as they could. And I have lived life from both sides, having just enough to get by to being very comfortable.

So very true! We just got by but had everything needed growing up. Damn poor after the military as no one wanted to hire a disabled combat vet. By my 40s comfortable, now at 74 easily help others. Those that never had to struggle have no idea what some are going through. Those in the midst of a struggle are often very happy. I was most excited at 15 buying my 1st car at the scrapyard for $50 and when it was done traded it in for $35, went from a '55 Plymouth to a "55 Dodge. Saved and paid CASH! I've never thought poorly or jealous of anyone, no matter what they have or don't ~~ sadly that no longer is often true!

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

There is the old saying money doesn’t buy happiness. Neither does all the high tech gizmos we have now. Over all my 76 years of people I know and have known both personally and professionally it has been more likely those with the least were overall the happiest. Those with the most were often the least happy with their position in life. Seems they were often obsessed about keeping what they had even though it was more than most, and adding even more to what they did have. And the pressures that go along with that. And the percentage of people happy with their life was greater in my earlier years than my later years. People were less concerned about reaching the top or at least keeping up with the Joneses. They were simply content to enjoy life as they could. And I have lived life from both sides, having just enough to get by to being very comfortable.

I was raised in northern Montana , moved to Utah when I was a sophomore in HS. The high school here in Utah had more kids in the school than what we did in the town I was raised in . We didn't have much, but I had a childhood that could not be beat. If you were not raised in that era, of course you don't know what you missed , but you missed .

I was content with my job of 42 years same place , had a decent retirement ,as well as my wife . Raised two sons that are successful, and they are nearly done raising their kids ,and the ones out of the house are very successful in life. We live well, do mostly what we want ,and no desire to keep up with the jones , or all the high tech . I can use a cell phone ,and computer well enough to do what I need .

[Andy Smith]

Originally Posted by twindman

Not to put down teachers, but my wife was a speech therapist for 35 years. She admits that teachers don't put in the hours now like they used to just 10 years ago. Also, in the 1950s or 60s women really had little choice in jobs. Either a nurse or a teacher. So the better women were entering the teaching profession. Now they become doctors, lawyers etc and those left become teachers. Seems bad to say it this way, but makes sense to me.

As much as this seems like an explanation, it is not true. I know several teachers, both current and 10,20,30 years ago, and was one myself in the early 2000s. Teachers now are working more and harder hours than ever. I would challenge you to really get to know a current teacher, and then re-evaluate your assumption. This kind of attitude puts blame for a societal problem that is mostly related to globalization squarely on a group of people who are working harder than most for our futures.

[Montana Man]

Originally Posted by Andy Smith

As much as this seems like an explanation, it is not true. I know several teachers, both current and 10,20,30 years ago, and was one myself in the early 2000s. Teachers now are working more and harder hours than ever. I would challenge you to really get to know a current teacher, and then re-evaluate your assumption. This kind of attitude puts blame for a societal problem that is mostly related to globalization squarely on a group of people who are working harder than most for our futures.

We have teachers in our family. One just retired after 30 years disgusted with the politically driven changes to the curriculum. Like reading, writing and 'rithmatic needs to change? She said the kids are different as well and not so much for the better. The other is new at teaching and all seems good there. But, she teaches in a small town in TX so the attitude there is much like that of years ago. As far as hard working, that is an individual work ethic. We've dealt with lop teachers and a very few good ones. Thankfully the grands are private school bound. They are one to two grade levels above their friends and it feels like old school there.

[twindman]

My comment about new teachers not working as hard - evidence - Used to be when driving by a local junior high (20 years ago), there were many cars in the lot until 5 pm and some on weekends. Now there are 3 or 4 at most. I suppose they could be taking work home but doubt it.

Other problems are the no child left behind crap. As a speech therapist, my wife used to pull kids out of the class room to evaluate and work with. Now that would 'stigmatize' the poor child. So she went to classrooms and gave general help but to the whole class. Wouldn't want other kids to know who maybe had a speech problem or language problem would we! And all the kids know anyway. And in order to get medicaid (?) money from feds, you had to document the schedule and results of every session with kids. And she had to do it for every kid she saw, when only a few were getting medicaid. So her workload doubled. But kids only got less therapy.