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The "good old days" are always the present.
Thank your parents and grandparents for passing on a world to you that's better than the one they had, because it is.
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A stroll down memory lane...a good lesson learned.
- Thread starter jdailey4206966
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Thank your parents and grandparents for passing on a world to you that's better than the one they had, because it is.
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You doubt it?
How many people in your generation do you know who have a smallpox vaccination scar? Do you even know what I'm talking about? When was the last time you heard of a case of polio or malaria in the United States?
Of course, you may not be in the United States. This is the internet, and you can communicate with people from all over the world, instantly. That's a fairly recent development. Instead of that TV remote with three buttons, one each for ABC, CBS and NBC, you have entertainment and information options which amount to, essentially, everything ever made at your fingertips. You have instant access to huge amounts of knowledge from everywhere in the world.
You can do this because of electronics that are far more accessible, inexpensive and reliable than ever before. The same goes for most every other aspect of your life. I guess those days were simpler, because you weren't presented with a vast array of choices in every aspect of your life because those choices did not exist. Was that really better?
You don't have to drink from a different water fountain, go to a different school or not be able to vote because of the color of your skin.
Your generation has more of everything, material goods, knowledge and freedom, than any previous generation ever, in the history of the world. If there's anything your generation should be ashamed of, it's taking everything you have for granted.
How many people in your generation do you know who have a smallpox vaccination scar? Do you even know what I'm talking about? When was the last time you heard of a case of polio or malaria in the United States?
Of course, you may not be in the United States. This is the internet, and you can communicate with people from all over the world, instantly. That's a fairly recent development. Instead of that TV remote with three buttons, one each for ABC, CBS and NBC, you have entertainment and information options which amount to, essentially, everything ever made at your fingertips. You have instant access to huge amounts of knowledge from everywhere in the world.
You can do this because of electronics that are far more accessible, inexpensive and reliable than ever before. The same goes for most every other aspect of your life. I guess those days were simpler, because you weren't presented with a vast array of choices in every aspect of your life because those choices did not exist. Was that really better?
You don't have to drink from a different water fountain, go to a different school or not be able to vote because of the color of your skin.
Your generation has more of everything, material goods, knowledge and freedom, than any previous generation ever, in the history of the world. If there's anything your generation should be ashamed of, it's taking everything you have for granted.
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Excellent post Jennifer...but you may be showing some signs of youth yourself!
What about those of us that didn't have remotes, let alone color TV? We had to get up, walk over to the TV and change the channel. The National Anthem always played when the 3 stations signed off for the day, usually around midnight. They didn't come back on until 6 AM. And phones...forget about cell phones, we had a party line. If an incoming call was for you, your phone had a distinct ring, and you knew the call was for you. It also rang differently for each family on the same line, so you knew when each family had a incoming call. Making a call was an adventure. You had to wait until everyone else was off the line. I definitely agree that my parents and grandparents had it a lot harder than I do, and my kids have it better than I do. Hopefully the "me first" generation will have it better and respect what they have and why they have it.
cbach8tw
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I think we all can agree that we have alot of things that previous generations never even dreamed of and alot more choices. I think the point that was being made was that, just maybe, that we have had too much stuff, and that people nowadays take for granted too much. As a teacher, oftentimes I would ask students what would happen if they lost their cell phones or Ipods, and the response was that Mom or Dad or Guardian would just get them another. Now, how does that make one appreciate the hard work that went into getting something? For me, there has been a loss of respect and the appreciation of working hard to accomplish something. It used to be that people would need to have alot of money saved up, a percentage, before they could buy a house. Nowadays, we expect things and feel we deserve things, rather that working hard for them. I know this is not for all people, but it happens all too often.
My wife's grandfather, born in 1914, and experienced the Great depression, wisely said, that if we should ever go through a time like that again, people would be hard pressed to learn to survive, we all expect food from the store. He also said that they grew their own food on the farm. Just look at the high prices of gas, what would it be like if we were going through WWII, and everything was rationed? Just food for thought.
My wife's grandfather, born in 1914, and experienced the Great depression, wisely said, that if we should ever go through a time like that again, people would be hard pressed to learn to survive, we all expect food from the store. He also said that they grew their own food on the farm. Just look at the high prices of gas, what would it be like if we were going through WWII, and everything was rationed? Just food for thought.
You're speaking of a lot of materialistic stuff. I would easily give that up to have grown up in the 50s. And you're hearing this from a computer guy. I love computers, I use the internet 10 hours a day. But surely I would give it up to grow up in a generation full of degenerates. THAT is just how disgusted I am with my people. I don't know how old you are, but coming out of high school and looking at the choices people are making around me - I can't help but be disappointed. Just like you said: more choice. Unfortunately we're a generation that regularly makes the wrong ones.
Lots of food for thought here. I don't think any one generation has it better than another. Yes, we have access to knowledge that's downright amazing, but there is a dark side to that as well. Pornography, child predaters, etc; We have a whole slew of moral issues to deal with along with the technology. Some generations definitly had it harder physically, but people are stregthened by it. Just because I can sit at the PC and use a remote for my tv doesn't really mean much as far as character goes. It's great that many childhood diseases have been eradicated but our grandparents didn't know about aids. With mechanical things you don't gain something in one area without sacrificing in another. I believe life in general follows the same rules.
I disagree. My generation has it a lot better. The problem is that we're not doing anything with what we've got. Certainly life is easier for us, but what do we have? Children whose role models are whores in sex videos (paris hilton, etc.), students who go to college to party and have sex and drink and get high. I would have liked to grow up in a generation that would have rejected that crap. Instead, my peers want to be it.
Exactly. We've got this stuff, but it's all being misused. Moral issues especially; that's what I mean by we've become a generation of degenerates. The majority, anyway...
Exactly. That's why I thought it was weird that she told me that we've got it better just because we've got remotes and don't have to go up to the TV to change the channel... I could easily give up that kind of materialistic stuff.
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cbach8tw
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As a parent, you always worry about your kids, that goes with the territory.
Yes, enjoy it, but do not forget that there are consequences for the choices we make, and we better not take it for granted, lest we become arrogant. Nowadays, people are just too quick to blame others for the mess they get themselves into. Yes, enjoy life, it is a great gift, but remember that we have to take resposibility for our choices and that they do affect others.
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Two subjects, knives and a "better" world.
Knives.
I live in a rural area, (can't even imagine living in a city). Many of the people here are farmers or work in rural/farm related jobs or own businesses that support farming. When I go to the pub on Saturday afternoon for an ale or two, (medicinal purpose only, I'm sure you understand), most of the blokes will have a leather pouch on their belt. Often it contains a knife of some sort although these days there are an increasing number of SAKs or Leathermans.
Discretely carrying something like that around here doesn't raise an eyebrow.
A Better world
I grew up in the 50's and 60's. It's true that many things are better now, medicine, communications, labour saving devices, etc etc. However I really believe that life back then was a simpler, slower and more pleasant world to live in. Values that were taught and practiced back then, things like honour and loyalty, no longer seem to be important, a great shame in my opinion. This is one of the reasons I live in a rural area, many of those values I grew up with still exist. Buidings are not vandalised, you don't need to worry about your house being fortified if you wander into the village to pick up a few groceries, when you go into a shop you're treated like a valued customer, even a friend, not like you're intruding on somebodies far more important tasks as you would be in the city.
Sure, we have bigger better faster things now, but what about basic human decency, where has that gone?
End of rant.
Knives.
I live in a rural area, (can't even imagine living in a city). Many of the people here are farmers or work in rural/farm related jobs or own businesses that support farming. When I go to the pub on Saturday afternoon for an ale or two, (medicinal purpose only, I'm sure you understand), most of the blokes will have a leather pouch on their belt. Often it contains a knife of some sort although these days there are an increasing number of SAKs or Leathermans.
Discretely carrying something like that around here doesn't raise an eyebrow.
A Better world
I grew up in the 50's and 60's. It's true that many things are better now, medicine, communications, labour saving devices, etc etc. However I really believe that life back then was a simpler, slower and more pleasant world to live in. Values that were taught and practiced back then, things like honour and loyalty, no longer seem to be important, a great shame in my opinion. This is one of the reasons I live in a rural area, many of those values I grew up with still exist. Buidings are not vandalised, you don't need to worry about your house being fortified if you wander into the village to pick up a few groceries, when you go into a shop you're treated like a valued customer, even a friend, not like you're intruding on somebodies far more important tasks as you would be in the city.
Sure, we have bigger better faster things now, but what about basic human decency, where has that gone?
End of rant.
I'm not worried about my kids' generation. I'm worried about MY generation (I guess they are "kids" right now). It's my generation that's F-ing up, and you bet your ass I'm worried about it.
My point exactly.
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unfortunatly for me i grew up with my father telling me that a man does not need a knife everyday. he believes that they are usless for day to day tasks. i am lucky however that even though i never met my grandpa, i inheritted his veiws and love of the subject. i personally can not stand it wen people tell me that i dont need a knife. i use my knife at least ten times a day if not more. i never leave the house without it in my pocket. there are endless uses for a good knife. i will stop carrying a knife wen they pry it from my cold dead fingers. even then i will still have one stashed in my pocket.
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unfortunatly for me i grew up with my father telling me that a man does not need a knife everyday. he believes that they are usless for day to day tasks. i am lucky however that even though i never met my grandpa, i inheritted his veiws and love of the subject. i personally can not stand it wen people tell me that i dont need a knife. i use my knife at least ten times a day if not more. i never leave the house without it in my pocket. there are endless uses for a good knife. i will stop carrying a knife wen they pry it from my cold dead fingers. even then i will still have one stashed in my pocket.
I have been enjoying Blade Forum for some time and thought this would be a good place to start with a post. I grew up in York, PA and knives were very common as every day tools in the outdoors. My father bought me my first knife in 1977, a Buck 102 Woodsman. I field dressed my first deer two years later with that knife. Next season I bought my own Buck 110 and that became a solid fixture on my hip throughtout my youth. As a teenager we moved to CT, which in general was more uptight with knives in plain sight. Anyway, both my son & daughter are learning about knife saftey & function. I want them to look at knives as tools and not with facination as so many kids do. I will give the 102 & 110 to my kids, after trying to figure out who gets what. That means I'm off to the custom shop for a 110 to replace both.
Great thread & an outstanding forum, glad to be here! :thumbup:
Great thread & an outstanding forum, glad to be here! :thumbup:
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Hi, this is my first post in this forum.
I'm quite impressed by the fact that knife using habits are beginning to fade and
some people consider knife as a weapon not as a tool even in the U.S.
I live in Japan where almost all knives are thought of as weapon.
Even a small pocket knife can cause a serious trouble with policemen especially in Tokyo.
It is very sad that such a useful and beautiful tool is supposed to be an evil existence.
I myself learned how to use knives from my father at the age of 10, about 30 years ago.
He gave me a san-mai construction Higonokami, a once popular cheap knife in Japan.
I'm quite impressed by the fact that knife using habits are beginning to fade and
some people consider knife as a weapon not as a tool even in the U.S.
I live in Japan where almost all knives are thought of as weapon.
Even a small pocket knife can cause a serious trouble with policemen especially in Tokyo.
It is very sad that such a useful and beautiful tool is supposed to be an evil existence.
I myself learned how to use knives from my father at the age of 10, about 30 years ago.
He gave me a san-mai construction Higonokami, a once popular cheap knife in Japan.
Strangely enough, I think everyone who's posted here is right !
We do have more "stuff" now days, we live longer than previous generations, we have more to choose from and the freedom to make those choices ( at least in the USA...at least right now).
But... how many of us who grew up in the 50's EVER heard of kids KILLING each other in school or in the neighborhood back then? How many kids committed suicide in the 50's as opposed to the 90'S?
Sure we're more tolerant now, but that sadly includes tolerance of behaviors that are clearly detrimental...the Gloucester, MA "schoolgirl pregnancy pact" comes to mind.
Nostalgia makes a foggy telescope...but one thing, I think, is sure: As we get older (I'm 62) we slow down and the world begins to pass us by. We find it more difficult to 'keep up' and we begin to feel marginalized and frustrated and we begin to want things to return to 'simpler times'. This is as it should be; the 'elder' generation must pass the torch to the younger...they can handle it...especially if they have a good knife in their pockets!
MikeH
We do have more "stuff" now days, we live longer than previous generations, we have more to choose from and the freedom to make those choices ( at least in the USA...at least right now).
But... how many of us who grew up in the 50's EVER heard of kids KILLING each other in school or in the neighborhood back then? How many kids committed suicide in the 50's as opposed to the 90'S?
Sure we're more tolerant now, but that sadly includes tolerance of behaviors that are clearly detrimental...the Gloucester, MA "schoolgirl pregnancy pact" comes to mind.
Nostalgia makes a foggy telescope...but one thing, I think, is sure: As we get older (I'm 62) we slow down and the world begins to pass us by. We find it more difficult to 'keep up' and we begin to feel marginalized and frustrated and we begin to want things to return to 'simpler times'. This is as it should be; the 'elder' generation must pass the torch to the younger...they can handle it...especially if they have a good knife in their pockets!
MikeH
Exactly, exactly, exactly.
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Who ever heard of it? Weren't automatic knife laws a reaction to teen violence in the 1950s?
Teen suicide rates are up since the 1950s, but they have been on a decline since the mid-'90s. That does seem to be getting better, not worse.
I don't recall hearing a lot of approval of the alleged "pregnancy pact", and in any case, it appears there is little evidence that such a pact actually existed.
It's just personal experience, but I still run into a whole lot more decent people than creeps.
Teen suicide rates are up since the 1950s, but they have been on a decline since the mid-'90s. That does seem to be getting better, not worse.
I don't recall hearing a lot of approval of the alleged "pregnancy pact", and in any case, it appears there is little evidence that such a pact actually existed.
It's just personal experience, but I still run into a whole lot more decent people than creeps.
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