Something to Consider
code0011
This is something I found as I was doing my daily search through the internet to find something interesting/funny/remotely publishable and I came across this. I looked at it and thought 'How true'. I can relate to all of the points.
If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's, looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have...
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cupboards, and when we rode our bikes we had no helmets. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors.
We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No mobile phones. Unthinkable.
We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. We ate patty cakes, bread and butter, and drank cordial, but we were never overweight...we were always outside playing shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from this.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games, 65 channels on pay TV, DVD movies, surround sound, mobile phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell, or just walked in and talked to them. Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian - how did we do it?
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever. Footy and netball had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.... Tests were not adjusted for any reason.
Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law - imagine that!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
The solution? It's too late to go back to what it was like. Peoples views have changed. Health and Safety is too powerful.
Haters gonna hate.
code0011
Fight in Hawaii. I'm told it's an important battle.
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o7
Reminiscing FTW!!!
Good article.
I was born 50 years past my prime.
You might like this quote from someone I don't remember..not from me.
We spend the first 40 years of life trying to kill ourselves, and the last 40 years trying to stay alive.
Yeah I've heard of it. It's a good quote
This is awesome. I remember not even having an Atari
Haters make you famous , bro. Good article.
My family had a black and white television until I was 5. This article is awesome.
I wish life was like this now, coming from a 17 year old.
Good article. So true.
Lived in NYC outer boro, played outdoors, unattended, every single day, was expected home in time for father's arrival, which, esp. in summer meant much earlier to bathe, as all us kids were so filthy from the above mentioned making of go-karts, wading in NYC ponds to catch fish and 'what-not', mud-pie and smashed yew berry bomb making because girls and boys together would inevitably divide the entire neighborhood down into near daily teams of 'tag' or 'hide and seek' and this is how we would mark who were found (I guess paintball replaces that now). All the moms were moms and all the dads worked and came home about the same. Trudging or riding bike home, as everyone needed to be home about the same time, you could smell dinner cooking in each house and knew who was having chicken or fish etc. Now, those houses are filled with fat stressed out kids vying for position in some ivy league school in front of computers. Our well worn paths between houses and in the woods of the park are overgrown and if you drive around, you'll never see a kid on a bike, much less streets covered with chalk for defining hopscotch, or stick-ball or the starting lines for races and tug of wars.
I am a 70's kid so I so remember those days.
Voted
Though it's those same people who are the parents of the kids nowadays.
voted
I lived like that and so does my son.
He has to be asked to stay inside for awhile because it is 98 degrees outside and pollution has destroyed the air quality. Still, after camp (which is at a city park and gym), he spends most of his time outside until it is time to come in (sunset).
He has a Nintendo DS and we have tons of tech toys inside, but he likes outside better. I even take him geocaching with me.
My son has autism but he understands consequences. He understands discipline and shows respect and politeness. He plays with cousins and a set of twins his age.
I loved my childhood and know my son loves his.
Great article. I'm glad my son hates video games and spends most of his time outside playing with his little sister. I got Wii for him but he doesn't even looks at it for weeks.
There's still hope for this world but we have to change, fast (but not like "fast food" fast).
Yea... my daughter is into her movies and her Kinect BUT thats like an hour a day...what she loves most is for me to read stories out to her (or for her to spend hours reading)
She rides her lil scooter out in the evenings...and has a good time.
Yet there is this fear always inside me... that the world has become a much worse place to live/play in - a much dirtier, dangerous place. The freedom of yesteryears is missing ... is it just collective paranoia ? or the truth?
I had a Nintendo 64 though...
And I miss the 80-90's/ Been there, done all that and still here.
Im 17 and me and my friends rarely play video games anymore. We have Xboxs computer and facebook but if were not outside playing football, basketball, rugby or longboarding were outside doing stupid teenage pranks that are a huge laugh now but stupid when you look back. I wish it was like this for everyone because even though i log into this game everyday i still have never spent an entire day inside.
awesome article
I had a N64 and a NES, but nonetheless. I loved this article. Voted and subscribed