The best time to live in the US

[wmw999 2,122]

Discuss

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I vote for post- independence 18th century.

[shropshire 0]

Depends who you are!

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[masterrig 1]

I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's. Seemed every day living was more laid-back and people weren't in such a hurry. We didn't have all these gadgets and gizmos that people today, just can't seem to live without. Kids could be kids and you did more as a family. Television programming seemed to be better. You had to use your imagination. Today, it's all 'reality' shows and dramas are so predictable. You could 'move' without being photographed or videoed. Now, it's 'all about me' and people don't seem to have that much respect for others or what's around them. Growing-up, folks 'earned' respect. Now, folks 'demand' respect. A friend was friend, a Coke was a Coke. I probably, would prefer to have lived 100-yrs. before that but for what I've experienced and the times I mentioned... wasn't too bad of a time.


Chuck

[shropshire 0]

and gay meant happy

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[ryoder 1,384]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Trafficdiver 8]

No time like the present.

[shropshire 0]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

Except the ones now in Canada - thank you kindly

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[billvon 2,400]

>I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

It's funny. I think back to the 70's and I have some _very_ dim memories of the time - but I'd agree with your assessment. Things seemed simpler back then. Kids spent their time outside, and TV wasn't always the center of the family. The world was smaller and a lot less anonymous than it is now.

But then I talk to my father about those years and he describes something very different. He talks about the Watts riots, the Jackson State killings, the racial problems in New York City. "We really thought the country was going to tear itself apart," he told me once. That was also the time of the Vietnam War, the Kent State shootings, the decline of the family. More drugs, more violence, weapons in schools. And as a high school principal, he saw a lot of that in action.

For him the golden years were the 50's. It's probably different for everyone.

[ryoder 1,384]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

Except the ones now in Canada - thank you kindly

Eh?

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[wmw999 2,122]

It's hard for me to say. There's a lot to be said for right now, but my view of the 70's and 80's was that of a young adult, healthy, who had just started skydiving

Life was good, and I had enough. Not a lot, but enough.

But you survive things now that you didn't then, and a whole lot more people have an equal chance at a lot of opportunities than was the case then (particularly than during the 70's). Cars are better made and last longer.

I'm not sure all that extra leisure time and space that most people have are assets .

But I keep hearing about how America's gone to the dogs, and how things were so much better "back when" (whatever -- you could have a house on a blue-collar job, you didn't need college to get a good job, kids were respectful, and downward from there).

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[kelpdiver 2]

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Discuss

Thursday nights are pretty good.

[Andy9o8 0]

Summer.

[quade 3]

I'm very confused by the people that picked the 2000 and beyond answer, unless they happen to be the very lucky ones living at the millionaire and beyond level.

The overall standard of living has gone down at a precipitous rate in that period.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[DrewEckhardt 0]

1990s. Recent enough to have good technology and medical care, long enough ago that housing was relatively affordable and a college education was enough to launch a decent career, and after the 60s-80s so we had the best music.

[wmw999 2,122]

I didn't pick that (or anything else yet for that matter), but an awful lot of things are easy now that used to be harder. And while "standard of living" might be lower in some ways, some things that used to be considered luxuries are now considered to be basic necessities, and are much cheaper.

I'm thinking things like TVs, and an old car is likely to be much better than an old car used to be.

I'm no millionaire, but my standard of living is better now than it's ever been. That's not the only indicator of "best time to live" though, is it.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[kelpdiver 2]

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I'm very confused by the people that picked the 2000 and beyond answer, unless they happen to be the very lucky ones living at the millionaire and beyond level.

The overall standard of living has gone down at a precipitous rate in that period.

not for me, it hasn't.

or maybe they just don't choose to live in the past?

[quade 3]

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I didn't pick that (or anything else yet for that matter), but an awful lot of things are easy now that used to be harder. And while "standard of living" might be lower in some ways, some things that used to be considered luxuries are now considered to be basic necessities, and are much cheaper.

Maybe, but an awful lot of things that used to be considered "standard" are now "optional."

Consider health care insurance.

When I first started working in the mid-'70s, health care insurance came as part of the employee benefit package as a full time employee. I may have been only making slightly more than minimum wage, but I could go to a doctor, dentist and optometrist all on the company dime. Some of the finest and most lavish parties I've ever attended in my entire life were the Christmas parties thrown by my department and again, at that time I was one of the lowest level employees in the entire company. At that time, if an employee held a position for 20 years he was literally looked up to as a god for his experience and wealth of historical knowledge about how things are done. Today, if a person stays in the same position for more than just a few years, it's not just an anomaly, but people start to question how "motivated" the person is (because obviously he hasn't gone anywhere) and start thinking about laying them off.

Over the course of my career, I have witnessed the annual incremental lessening of dollars spent on employees while simultaneously seeing stratospheric rises in the compensation packages of the top management.

There is a huge disconnect now between upper management across all fields and businesses with those people in the lower levels and on the front lines.

Management is pushing technology to amazing places, but those consumers at the lower levels can't afford to purchase it. Management then tries to squeeze another dollar out of the system by laying off more people and sending jobs over seas and then wonders why nobody in the US is buying their merchandise.

It's just crazy.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[masterrig 1]

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and gay meant happy

Yup!


Chuck

[masterrig 1]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

I guess, I've put that 'war' so far back in my memory bank, it didn't come to mind. Now that you mention it, I got pretty nervous on several occasions. When they had the lottery, my number was 354!


Chuck

[yourmomma 0]

"Over the course of my career, I have witnessed the annual incremental lessening of dollars spent on employees while simultaneously seeing stratospheric rises in the compensation packages of the top management. "

You don't get it. If the people at the top tier of management make more money they then use that money to create new wealth, they never just accumulate monies. If you give it to middle management or workers they simply squander it thru spending. Which obviously crates nothing. Socialist.

[freethefly 6]

2nd 1/2 1800s
I'll let Mr. Gallagher explain it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i3vHJe-r1k

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[kelpdiver 2]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

I guess, I've put that 'war' so far back in my memory bank, it didn't come to mind. Now that you mention it, I got pretty nervous on several occasions. When they had the lottery, my number was 354!

That was televised, yes? How big a number still mattered? Could you turn off the TV/radio by the time it got to 100?

Crazy times indeed ... makes me think of the Running Man.

[Amazon 7]

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"Over the course of my career, I have witnessed the annual incremental lessening of dollars spent on employees while simultaneously seeing stratospheric rises in the compensation packages of the top management. "

You don't get it. If the people at the top tier of management make more money they then use that money to create new wealth, they never just accumulate monies. If you give it to middle management or workers they simply squander it thru spending. Which obviously crates nothing. Socialist.

It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many of you BEGGING for your little TRICKLE.. that actully BELIEVE the shit you write.

[masterrig 1]

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I'd have to say, the 50's, 60's and 70's.

I think a lot of males who were of draft age might strongly disagree about the 60's and 70's.

I guess, I've put that 'war' so far back in my memory bank, it didn't come to mind. Now that you mention it, I got pretty nervous on several occasions. When they had the lottery, my number was 354!

That was televised, yes? How big a number still mattered? Could you turn off the TV/radio by the time it got to 100?

Crazy times indeed ... makes me think of the Running Man.

Yes, they were crazy times. I was probably too busy working, furthering my education and in the early 70's taking care of my 'new' wife and kids.
Never saw The Running Man.
One thing about it... ya' had ta' be tough!

Chuck