Are you glad you were born then .or better now?

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, connda said:

Nowadays it feels like were are marching right back into totalitarianism with governments and corporations working together to feed off of the productivity and wealth of their citizens. 

100%....with selfish, unprincipled idiots like Johnson leading the charge of "capitalism works because of greed" and an a dumb electorate........ the UK certainly does not have a bright future.

[LukKrueng]

On 3/28/2021 at 10:38 AM, ivor bigun said:

now 7 billion and by 2050 12 billion

Not sure about that. The covid vaccine might take care of this problem...

[Aomelia]

Born in late ‘50’s we had it made music too

[allanos]

I am old enough to remember when sex was safe and cars were dangerous!

 

Born in 1945 in a British coastal city, my growing up followed a similar path to some of the posters of the same age here.

 

I left Britain when I was 20 years old, and have led a life rich in pleasures and experiences, whilst trying to improve my character and finances along the way (not always successful on both counts, though).

 

I am now in the Autumn of my years and still trying to improve myself. Fortunately, I am in (relatively) good health, never having smoked and always trying to eat reasonably well.

 

My four children have had good educations and are settled and established in their maturing years and I have little to worry about on that score, so there is some cause for satisfaction, despite two broken marriages. 

 

All in all, a great life, not always easy. I try to avoid thinking about the bad times and try to remember only the fun and the good.

 

I am thankful to have been born where and when I was, with the parents I had, with feet in both the camps of the analogue world and the technological era which followed on.  

 

Do I give thanks to a higher power each day, for the accident of birth which didn't consign me to the rubbish heap of humanity where billions of people scrabble to survive and eke out a living, each and every day? You betcha!

 

[giddyup]

Did my first trip to Europe and North Africa in the early 60's. Travelled from Australia to Spain by P&O line, the ship was a trip in itself, hitched around Europe and North Africa with no thought of being picked up by a serial killer, visited ancient monuments like the Acropolis, Coliseum, Stonehenge, Pompeii etc with no crowds to worry about. Visited Bali in the mid 60's when there were very few tourists there, and Kuta was just an unspoiled beach. No question it was a better time.

[fvw53]

19 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Did my first trip to Europe and North Africa in the early 60's. Travelled from Australia to Spain by P&O line, the ship was a trip in itself, hitched around Europe and North Africa with no thought of being picked up by a serial killer, visited ancient monuments like the Acropolis, Coliseum, Stonehenge, Pompeii etc with no crowds to worry about. Visited Bali in the mid 60's when there were very few tourists there, and Kuta was just an unspoiled beach. No question it was a better time.

I am born in 1944 and grew up as a son from working class family in Belgium : like you I travelled all over the world during 1960ies and 70ies (including Bali in 1969).  My country adopted during the 1960ies "social democracy" which opened the doors for free university and free health care - this would be considered "communism" in the USA -  I don't think the generation born after 1990 will have the same opportunities for their future as I had.

[xtrnuno41]

Wished i was born as a volcano.

I could smoke all day and yet the people would say "look, he works"

[Old Nomad]

As answering this has a lot to do with what we think our reality today is it might be helpful to read Hans Rolings book "Factfulness" and watch some of his videos to get a more objective picture.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, sandyf said:

The changes have been very beneficial in many respects but other problems have been brought into play along the way and I do believe that life for those growing up today has become much more challenging, borne out I think by the current focus on mental health.

IMO it's an abomination when children need psychiatric drugs, kill themselves because someone says something nasty about them on social media ( IMO social media is the greatest abomination visited on us in my lifetime ), and need some sort of medication being advertised a lot to go to sleep. Also fat kids are very sad for the health problems they will face throughout life. I even saw a "fitness centre" advertising children's rates! What's wrong with doing some sport to stay fit? What a sad world we live in now.

[khunPer]

Yes, I'm happy about the time I was born – 1949 – and the freedom I had as child and teenager. It's different today, now myself being a parent with a teenager child. Even that I wish to allow the same freedom to my child as I had, i'ts not the same because time has changed due to progress, so there are some level of limitations.

 

But isn't it always so that thing were better when we were child or young? The old ones talked about something like that when I was young, and my about 20-25 year younger friends talks about the 80s and early 90s was the best time – not in my view, but I'm old...???? – and the kids of today will probably one day talk about how good it was to be child in the 2010s...????

[Susco]

On 3/28/2021 at 11:12 AM, ezzra said:

1950 vintage here.. my parents should have gone to the movies that night, but here i'm

 

Thanks. I thought I was the only one blaming them for what happened that night

[bkk_mike]

14 hours ago, sandyf said:

I was brought up in a small town on the north east coast of Scotland, nobody locked there doors and we made out own fun, no TV till the mid 50's and that was very limited. I started work at 11, milk delivery before school and message delivery after. These days social services would have a field day but it never did us any harm. I left school at 15 and trained in the RAF on electronics, was taught thermionic valves and mag amps, unheard of now.

 

Small town in North East Scotland.

Just wondering if it's the one my sister lives in - where she still doesn't lock the door.

[bkk_mike]

It's a tough one - I'm old enough that I got free University - with a grant for living expenses (full grant as my parents weren't wealthy).

But I'm young enough that all I have is defined contribution pensions, where if I'd worked on a similar income 20 years earlier, back in the days of defined benefit schemes, I'd probably be retired already - like my aunt who retired to Spain in her 50s on her public sector pension. (I could retire now - but I'd have to be a lot more careful with money in case I live to my 90s... - so I'll work until I feel there's comfortably enough to live until 100...)

 

I worry for my kids because of the cost of property. I get the feeling they'll all be living in our properties for a long time, rather than living in their own... (either in London or Thailand).

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm.... the world was definitely a better place when I was born in the 1950’s. To be honest I feel sorry for people being born now, they will only experience a few crumbs of the good times that we had. I also feel very sad ,that our (my) generation has done such a poor job of creating their future

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, khunPer said:

Yes, I'm happy about the time I was born – 1949 – and the freedom I had as child and teenager. It's different today, now myself being a parent with a teenager child. Even that I wish to allow the same freedom to my child as I had, i'ts not the same because time has changed due to progress, so there are some level of limitations.

 

But isn't it always so that thing were better when we were child or young? The old ones talked about something like that when I was young, and my about 20-25 year younger friends talks about the 80s and early 90s was the best time – not in my view, but I'm old...???? – and the kids of today will probably one day talk about how good it was to be child in the 2010s...????

I have no illusions about life when I was young- IMO it was pretty awful. It's just that things are worse now, IMO.

Bullying was rife at school, teachers were useless, IMO, and used corporal punishment to cow their students, travel to other countries was a dream for most, and such travesties as the 6 o clock swill were in force.

I had the choice of jobs when I left school, but pay was a pittance for young people, and there were few health and safety regulations. I couldn't afford more than a clapped out old motorbike  and my first car was a piece of junk.

Also, we were always cold as houses had no insulation, and the main means of heating was a wood fire.

However, our lives in a western country was far better than for people in poor countries.

 

IMO we sold our souls for television, personal computers, insulated houses, heat pumps and better cars. I see nothing better now for us as an individual than it was back then- at least I could go out all day without fearing pedos or such like, and social media didn't exist ( neither did tv ).

[BritManToo]

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO it's an abomination when children need psychiatric drugs, kill themselves because someone says something nasty about them on social media ( IMO social media is the greatest abomination visited on us in my lifetime ), and need some sort of medication being advertised a lot to go to sleep. Also fat kids are very sad for the health problems they will face throughout life. I even saw a "fitness centre" advertising children's rates! What's wrong with doing some sport to stay fit? What a sad world we live in now.

When I was young, there was plenty of bullying, you took your knocks and moved on.

I remember scraping the ice off the inside of my bedroom window with my fingernails in winter.

 

My kids in Thailand are all slim, healthy and happy.

Edited March 30, 2021 by BritManToo

[b17]

Born in '57, grew up in Montreal and Ottawa, Canada. Enjoyed being outdoors,  and from a young age I was allowed  to spend a lot of time hiking and camping in both the Laurentians and the Gatineau Hills. Our parents weren't wealthy, but we had a summer cottage near Mt. Tremblant and I spent the summer months without any electricity or road access, a reality that I came to appreciate after I began living in hyper urban environments like Tokyo and Singapore. 

Like others here, I wouldn't trade those 'analogue' experiences for anything 'digital', and generally feel pity for today's younger generation, for it's getting harder and harder to be "young" in a hyper media environment that encourages people to stare at phones and tablets instead of learning the gentle art of conversation. 

[ivor bigun]

On 3/28/2021 at 2:17 PM, Surelynot said:

More integrated............first and second generations always find it difficult to integrate due to racism, lack of opportunity and inequalities...... all of which tend to force minorities to migrate, internally, to ghettoes.

Didnt force my dad ,he came to fight in the war ,was Jewish ,married a local girl ,we were brought up Christian ,dad  became more British than the British,so are we and my daughter and her daughter who by the way is Catholic , its them that dont integrate and dont want to ,mind you not all ,we had a lovely Hindu family living a few doors from us ,but the muslims do not and do not want to integrate ,not the ones who came in the 60s or their offspring . you know it ,i know it ,we all know it ,just look at the lot outside that school in the UK at the moment 

[ivor bigun]

I must say that i am glad i was born when i was ,and i loved the 80s and the 90s the music was great ,its only the las 10 /15 years that its all started to change ,social media has a lot to answer for ,also the days when people went into politics to do some good are gone now its just a way of making loads of cash , 

i know the usual suspects will just say i am racist ,but it was a better place that i grew up in ,not overun by people from other lands , i am sure our ancesters said that about the Vikings and the Romans , but i fear that unlike them ,the new lot will not integrate ever.

by the way immigration in small amounts is ok , its only in vast numbers it becomes a problem.

[bert bloggs]

I fear that Ivor is right just like in my old hometown ,they came they multiplied ,they braught over their familys,they imported their wives and now they have virtualy taken over , And if you say a word against them the racist cry goes up.

So glad i live here with my wife and son ,and my offspring have moved to the country in the Uk ,away from a town i no longer recognise.

[LukKrueng]

12 hours ago, bkk_mike said:

 

Small town in North East Scotland.

Just wondering if it's the one my sister lives in - where she still doesn't lock the door.

I live here and never lock the door.

[Surelynot]

1 hour ago, ivor bigun said:

Didnt force my dad ,he came to fight in the war ,was Jewish ,married a local girl ,we were brought up Christian ,dad  became more British than the British,so are we and my daughter and her daughter who by the way is Catholic , its them that dont integrate and dont want to ,mind you not all ,we had a lovely Hindu family living a few doors from us ,but the muslims do not and do not want to integrate ,not the ones who came in the 60s or their offspring . you know it ,i know it ,we all know it ,just look at the lot outside that school in the UK at the moment 

Two of my kids have married some of "them", as you so eloquently put it......both second generation muslims....fully integrated and holding down professional positions in health and education.

 

Jewish people are not instantly recognizable as foreigners ....skin color, I guess for people like you, is everything.

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, bkk_mike said:

 

Small town in North East Scotland.

Just wondering if it's the one my sister lives in - where she still doesn't lock the door.

You never know it's a small world, there used to be a member on here whose RSM went to the same school as me, about 2 years younger.

I am from Forres, post war population about 4000 but up to about 12 now.

The most famous reference is a scene from Macbeth.

[ivor bigun]

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Two of my kids have married some of "them", as you so eloquently put it......both second generation muslims....fully integrated and holding down professional positions in health and education.

 

Jewish people are not instantly recognizable as foreigners ....skin color, I guess for people like you, is everything.

Yes i hate brown people ,thats why i am married to one ,so i can be unhappy all my life . 

silly remarks i guess for people like you is everything .

[bert bloggs]

22 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Two of my kids have married some of "them", as you so eloquently put it......both second generation muslims....fully integrated and holding down professional positions in health and education.

 

Jewish people are not instantly recognizable as foreigners ....skin color, I guess for people like you, is everything.

I take it that you are Muslim yourself as are your children,or they converted to the Muslim faith so as to be able to marry a Muslim person, ?  Ido know that you have to do this .

[Surelynot]

6 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

I take it that you are Muslim yourself as are your children,or they converted to the Muslim faith so as to be able to marry a Muslim person, ?  Ido know that you have to do this .

....no......Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm......... as are my kids...........and all my kids are dyed in the wool. atheists.....I am umpteen generations Anglo-Saxon and their mother is Italian/Serbian. Hope that helps.

[bert bloggs]

11 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

....no......Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm......... as are my kids...........and all my kids are dyed in the wool. atheists.....I am umpteen generations Anglo-Saxon and their mother is Italian/Serbian. Hope that helps.

So i take it that the Muslims that they married no longer practice their faith because if they did ,you have to convert to the faith to marry one,this is not only very well known a friend of my daughters dated a Muslim boy and his parents and the Imam forbade him to marry her as she would not convert, i am not having a go ,or anything just stating the facts,especially as my old working class town i lived for many years now is almost full of the faith,very few locals left.

Ps i lived with a lovely Italian girl many moons ago. Spent a lot of time there,lovely people

Edited March 31, 2021 by bert bloggs

[Surelynot]

Just now, bert bloggs said:

So i take it that the Muslims that they married no longer practice their faith because if they did ,you have to convert to the faith to marry one,this is not only very well known a friend of my daughters dated a Muslim boy and his parents and the Imam forbade him to marry her as she would not convert, i am not having a go ,or anything just stating the facts,especially as my old working class town i lived for many years now is almost full of the faith,very few locals left.

"no longer practice their faith".......quite.........a bit like Catholics have to be Catholic all their lives I guess, but never go to church.......they are second generation and fully westernized, although one doesn't drink and neither smoke.....if it were not for their darker skin colorer ....heaven forbid.....you might be confused and assume they were British.....that would never do......thank God for skin color. 

[ivor bigun]

38 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

"no longer practice their faith".......quite.........a bit like Catholics have to be Catholic all their lives I guess, but never go to church.......they are second generation and fully westernized, although one doesn't drink and neither smoke.....if it were not for their darker skin colorer ....heaven forbid.....you might be confused and assume they were British.....that would never do......thank God for skin color. 

whoops skin colour again ,i keep telling the wife not to go out in the sun and to use that skin lightening cream

mind you i must say our son is a bit on the white side????

Edited March 31, 2021 by ivor bigun

[Surelynot]

26 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

whoops skin colour again ,i keep telling the wife not to go out in the sun and to use that skin lightening cream

mind you i must say our son is a bit on the white side????

Same here....wife panics just walking down the street......she had to stand in the open air for bus (Germany)......30 minutes....tan lines everywhere....she was horrified.