Creeping destruction of England.
Discussion
Silver said:
Yes, I realise that there can be flip sides to most of these, but the thought of being a grown-up in the 1970s fills me with horror.
I could have got a mediocre education and learned needlework or something, got married at 18, got pregnant, popped out a few kids because it would be hard for me to get a decent job without being discriminated against, watched my husband (complete with pron-star 'tache drive our s
t-brown Allegro to work in a dead-end job every day then come home drunk (because it's OK to drink drive), climb over the rubbish bags piled up because of the strikes, step in some white dogst demand to know where his dinner is then snigger racistly at 'Love Thy Neighbour', take a st in our avocado bathroom suite which I will have to clean the next day before falling into bed between our delectable static nylon sheets. And I'd have to listen to Slade on the radio every single day.
In fact, that's exactly what it would be like.
I detect a theme in your post.I could have got a mediocre education and learned needlework or something, got married at 18, got pregnant, popped out a few kids because it would be hard for me to get a decent job without being discriminated against, watched my husband (complete with pron-star 'tache drive our s
t-brown Allegro to work in a dead-end job every day then come home drunk (because it's OK to drink drive), climb over the rubbish bags piled up because of the strikes, step in some white dogst demand to know where his dinner is then snigger racistly at 'Love Thy Neighbour', take a st in our avocado bathroom suite which I will have to clean the next day before falling into bed between our delectable static nylon sheets. And I'd have to listen to Slade on the radio every single day.In fact, that's exactly what it would be like.
It could be that a male could moan as well. He too was limited, constrained by class and expectation. I'm an intelligent bloke but my parents were convinced that I should 'get a trade behind me' rather than go to uni. I don't, can't, blame them as when I became a parent I could see where they were coming from.
I had a cousin who was a child prodigy and went to Oxford at the age of 17. His father was a first mate on a coastal tramp. He left after one year, totally devestated and ignored because of his clothes, his manners and his intelligence. (Now a multi-millionaire.)
It was expected that a man should work all the hours, should go to the pub, mix with mates and not talk to his missus, 'er indoors.
In the 70s I went from a dead end job where I worked permanent nights to one where I worked 12 hour days all but three days a month and still could not afford a TV or car. I was lucky in my 'choice' of wife and we still have a very close relationship after 42 years of marriage. But men were then expected to stay 'in harness' if they had kids regardless of the state of the marriage. You could not dream of better things. You knew your place and that was it.
I was brought up in east London so racism was the norm. My parents were very open and when I brought some mates from a sports club back, with two of them from India, there were no worries, but many of the rest of the team had to admit that we could not go to their place. I had a gay mate who could not admit his preferneces. The rest of us didn't even talk about it.
I worked originally as a printer and used to get books from a local library to read during the lunch (sorry, dinner) break. Older journeymen came over to me to discuss their reading lists. I played chess at work. Intelligent, knowledge-seeking blokes, stuck working in a factory.
One chap was a wartime hero, getting injured in North Africa and still managing to get his men out through enemy fire. He went from captain to compositor - what a waste.
My elder daughter was running her own department by the age of 27. No one regarded this as unusual, except for people my age. Her boss was a woman and her staff consisted of men and women.
The openness with regards sex compared to my days is remarkable, and refreshing. None of my kids view gay marriage as an issue. Of course they should be allowed to. My younger daughter's best friend was gay. It wasn't mentioned to me when I first met them. Why should it be?
Opportunity has increased so much in my time. That said, there is still a massive way to go, and limiting further education is hardly a step forward. A government recruited from Eton is still the norm but that will go eventually and ability will be necessary. At least I hope so.
I loved the 70s. They were great fun. The fashion was only odd if you had taste, so I thought it cool. I'd just got married and regular sex made things so much more bright and promising.
Keep posting, Silver. I enjoy reading what you think. By the way I used to own a Weimeraner. We called it Silver.
Justin Cyder said:
I love guys like you GVB. I live in the same country, don't feel any of the pain you do. I'm highly educated, work for myself & have done successfully for ten years. It's all good baby.
Life is a series of decisions. Provided you make more good ones than bad, you'll be OK. One of the decisions I made was not to be suckered in by the bullst Daily Mail rhetoric of half truths & outright lies. You're tortured by your own perceptions.
Good, fking serves you right, it might teach you to think for yourself but I doubt it somehow.
Are you hiring? I like your attitude.Life is a series of decisions. Provided you make more good ones than bad, you'll be OK. One of the decisions I made was not to be suckered in by the bulls
t Daily Mail rhetoric of half truths & outright lies. You're tortured by your own perceptions. Good, f
king serves you right, it might teach you to think for yourself but I doubt it somehow.Derek Smith said:
I detect a theme in your post.
It could be that a male could moan as well. He too was limited, constrained by class and expectation. I'm an intelligent bloke but my parents were convinced that I should 'get a trade behind me' rather than go to uni. I don't, can't, blame them as when I became a parent I could see where they were coming from.
I had a cousin who was a child prodigy and went to Oxford at the age of 17. His father was a first mate on a coastal tramp. He left after one year, totally devestated and ignored because of his clothes, his manners and his intelligence. (Now a multi-millionaire.)
It was expected that a man should work all the hours, should go to the pub, mix with mates and not talk to his missus, 'er indoors.
In the 70s I went from a dead end job where I worked permanent nights to one where I worked 12 hour days all but three days a month and still could not afford a TV or car. I was lucky in my 'choice' of wife and we still have a very close relationship after 42 years of marriage. But men were then expected to stay 'in harness' if they had kids regardless of the state of the marriage. You could not dream of better things. You knew your place and that was it.
I was brought up in east London so racism was the norm. My parents were very open and when I brought some mates from a sports club back, with two of them from India, there were no worries, but many of the rest of the team had to admit that we could not go to their place. I had a gay mate who could not admit his preferneces. The rest of us didn't even talk about it.
I worked originally as a printer and used to get books from a local library to read during the lunch (sorry, dinner) break. Older journeymen came over to me to discuss their reading lists. I played chess at work. Intelligent, knowledge-seeking blokes, stuck working in a factory.
One chap was a wartime hero, getting injured in North Africa and still managing to get his men out through enemy fire. He went from captain to compositor - what a waste.
My elder daughter was running her own department by the age of 27. No one regarded this as unusual, except for people my age. Her boss was a woman and her staff consisted of men and women.
The openness with regards sex compared to my days is remarkable, and refreshing. None of my kids view gay marriage as an issue. Of course they should be allowed to. My younger daughter's best friend was gay. It wasn't mentioned to me when I first met them. Why should it be?
Opportunity has increased so much in my time. That said, there is still a massive way to go, and limiting further education is hardly a step forward. A government recruited from Eton is still the norm but that will go eventually and ability will be necessary. At least I hope so.
I loved the 70s. They were great fun. The fashion was only odd if you had taste, so I thought it cool. I'd just got married and regular sex made things so much more bright and promising.
Keep posting, Silver. I enjoy reading what you think. By the way I used to own a Weimeraner. We called it Silver.
Brilliant post, well done It could be that a male could moan as well. He too was limited, constrained by class and expectation. I'm an intelligent bloke but my parents were convinced that I should 'get a trade behind me' rather than go to uni. I don't, can't, blame them as when I became a parent I could see where they were coming from.
I had a cousin who was a child prodigy and went to Oxford at the age of 17. His father was a first mate on a coastal tramp. He left after one year, totally devestated and ignored because of his clothes, his manners and his intelligence. (Now a multi-millionaire.)
It was expected that a man should work all the hours, should go to the pub, mix with mates and not talk to his missus, 'er indoors.
In the 70s I went from a dead end job where I worked permanent nights to one where I worked 12 hour days all but three days a month and still could not afford a TV or car. I was lucky in my 'choice' of wife and we still have a very close relationship after 42 years of marriage. But men were then expected to stay 'in harness' if they had kids regardless of the state of the marriage. You could not dream of better things. You knew your place and that was it.
I was brought up in east London so racism was the norm. My parents were very open and when I brought some mates from a sports club back, with two of them from India, there were no worries, but many of the rest of the team had to admit that we could not go to their place. I had a gay mate who could not admit his preferneces. The rest of us didn't even talk about it.
I worked originally as a printer and used to get books from a local library to read during the lunch (sorry, dinner) break. Older journeymen came over to me to discuss their reading lists. I played chess at work. Intelligent, knowledge-seeking blokes, stuck working in a factory.
One chap was a wartime hero, getting injured in North Africa and still managing to get his men out through enemy fire. He went from captain to compositor - what a waste.
My elder daughter was running her own department by the age of 27. No one regarded this as unusual, except for people my age. Her boss was a woman and her staff consisted of men and women.
The openness with regards sex compared to my days is remarkable, and refreshing. None of my kids view gay marriage as an issue. Of course they should be allowed to. My younger daughter's best friend was gay. It wasn't mentioned to me when I first met them. Why should it be?
Opportunity has increased so much in my time. That said, there is still a massive way to go, and limiting further education is hardly a step forward. A government recruited from Eton is still the norm but that will go eventually and ability will be necessary. At least I hope so.
I loved the 70s. They were great fun. The fashion was only odd if you had taste, so I thought it cool. I'd just got married and regular sex made things so much more bright and promising.
Keep posting, Silver. I enjoy reading what you think. By the way I used to own a Weimeraner. We called it Silver.
danjama said:
Justin Cyder said:
I love guys like you GVB. I live in the same country, don't feel any of the pain you do. I'm highly educated, work for myself & have done successfully for ten years. It's all good baby.
Life is a series of decisions. Provided you make more good ones than bad, you'll be OK. One of the decisions I made was not to be suckered in by the bullst Daily Mail rhetoric of half truths & outright lies. You're tortured by your own perceptions.
Good, fking serves you right, it might teach you to think for yourself but I doubt it somehow.
Are you hiring? I like your attitude.Life is a series of decisions. Provided you make more good ones than bad, you'll be OK. One of the decisions I made was not to be suckered in by the bulls
t Daily Mail rhetoric of half truths & outright lies. You're tortured by your own perceptions. Good, f
king serves you right, it might teach you to think for yourself but I doubt it somehow.TheSnitch said:
moparmick said:
Please anyone in this thread, tell me what they personally feel is better now than 30yrs ago. I'm sure there are positives.
Mick
Well - these things all represent an improvement in my eyes. Mick
Internet
Mobile phones
Not being restricted to 4 TV channels
The News of the World is no more
Multiscreen cinema
Microwave ovens
Espresso machines
DVDs and CDs. Vinyl and video were both s
t (waits for response on THAT one)But conversely....
David Icke was still commenting on the footie and not making a t
t of himself on the webI could catch a plane without being strip searched
No-one tried to make me eat tofu.
On balance, I prefer it now. Although the tofu is close to a dealbreaker
There are less pubs, post offices, banks, petrol stations now.
Very little manufacturing industry now.
I rode motorbikes in the 70's, being fairly young, you live everyday individually, free from interference. If you got stopped for a slightly bald tyre, they would tell you to get it changed and give you a producer. Would that happen now ? I somehow doubt it. If your vehicle tax ran out, you paid the back tax. Now they can crush your car. It seems that they dont give you the benefit of the doubt anymore and laws are devised in such a way, as to try and trip you up and to either fine or penalise you in some way.
Maybe the rose tinted specs is a valid point.
Edited by moparmick on Friday 28th December 20:13
Edited by moparmick on Friday 28th December 21:15
Silver said:
Yes, I realise that there can be flip sides to most of these, but the thought of being a grown-up in the 1970s fills me with horror.
I could have got a mediocre education and learned needlework or something, got married at 18, got pregnant, popped out a few kids because it would be hard for me to get a decent job without being discriminated against, watched my husband (complete with pron-star 'tache drive our st-brown Allegro to work in a dead-end job every day then come home drunk (because it's OK to drink drive), climb over the rubbish bags piled up because of the strikes, step in some white dogst demand to know where his dinner is then snigger racistly at 'Love Thy Neighbour', take a st in our avocado bathroom suite which I will have to clean the next day before falling into bed between our delectable static nylon sheets. And I'd have to listen to Slade on the radio every single day.
In fact, that's exactly what it would be like.
However, back then, you and Trevor could easily afford to buy a three-bed semi in a good area, on one modest salary.I could have got a mediocre education and learned needlework or something, got married at 18, got pregnant, popped out a few kids because it would be hard for me to get a decent job without being discriminated against, watched my husband (complete with pron-star 'tache drive our s
t-brown Allegro to work in a dead-end job every day then come home drunk (because it's OK to drink drive), climb over the rubbish bags piled up because of the strikes, step in some white dogst demand to know where his dinner is then snigger racistly at 'Love Thy Neighbour', take a st in our avocado bathroom suite which I will have to clean the next day before falling into bed between our delectable static nylon sheets. And I'd have to listen to Slade on the radio every single day.In fact, that's exactly what it would be like.
f
k emancipation. I maintain that most wimmins - given the choice - wouldn't work unless they absolutely had to.
vonuber said:
mobile chicane said:
I maintain that most wimmins - given the choice - wouldn't work unless they absolutely had to.
Why wouldn't they?k this, I just wish I could meet a rich man and have a baby".95% of them don't come back to work afterwards. The only ones who do are the singletons where it's all gone wrong.
Silver said:
whoami said:
craigjm said:
Does anyone really think that life was better in the late 70s early 80s than it is now? 
Just different.Most things are better now than they were in the seventies.
Cars
Vastly more reliability and quality.
Even the most basic cars have kit that was reserved for the luxury market only.
Though it is fair to add that a huge amount of variety and a fair bit of passion is now missing from the market.
Food
Improved beyond all recognition.
British cuisine has had a massive resurgence in the last twenty years or so. Where did it all go wrong? Go back through the centuries and you find some rather adventurous recipes but in the seventies it must have been close to an all time low. I remember pasta being "exotic", friends mums struggling to pronounce "pizza" and pricking salami before frying it (because it was a sausage) and anything beyond meat and two veg being regarded as, shudder, "foreign".
Technology
If you want to get the real seventies feeling, switch off the microwave, the mobile, the computer, the calculator, the dvd player, the X-Box/PS3/Wii, hide the tv remote and use buttons. Remember that only well off people had video players and restrict yourself to three channels which for a lot of the time will show something called the "test card". Oh and your phone is BT, there is no alternative and they know it. Now for candle light because the electric company is on strike so what you have left won't work anyway.
Cars
Vastly more reliability and quality.
Even the most basic cars have kit that was reserved for the luxury market only.
Though it is fair to add that a huge amount of variety and a fair bit of passion is now missing from the market.
Food
Improved beyond all recognition.
British cuisine has had a massive resurgence in the last twenty years or so. Where did it all go wrong? Go back through the centuries and you find some rather adventurous recipes but in the seventies it must have been close to an all time low. I remember pasta being "exotic", friends mums struggling to pronounce "pizza" and pricking salami before frying it (because it was a sausage) and anything beyond meat and two veg being regarded as, shudder, "foreign".
Technology
If you want to get the real seventies feeling, switch off the microwave, the mobile, the computer, the calculator, the dvd player, the X-Box/PS3/Wii, hide the tv remote and use buttons. Remember that only well off people had video players and restrict yourself to three channels which for a lot of the time will show something called the "test card". Oh and your phone is BT, there is no alternative and they know it. Now for candle light because the electric company is on strike so what you have left won't work anyway.
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