Have things changed for better or worse in your lifetime?

Interesting question!
Two recent experiences came to mind!
1) I went to see the excellent production of Privates on Parade last night which takes a satirical look, through the lives of the ENSA soldiers in Malaya, at the social/political situation of that time. It jarred at first listening to the racist /sexist language on stage and seeing the colonial and missionary attitudes that were accepted and normal at that time made me squirm. On reflection some things are a lot better today but some still the same!

2) I recently gave DH a birthday present of a jigsaw puzzle of the Times newspaper of the day he was born in 1948. Reading the articles really some things remain the same: Palestine/Israel were front page news, TUC were trying to reassure politicians they were against communism, trade negotiations were going on with France and tentative trading relations were being built up with with countries in the far east! Some might be involving different places /people but many international issues remain very similar!

I had a discussion about this with DS1 and we concluded that if you are a woman, gay or a member of an ethnic minority things have improved beyond all recognition. If you go back to the 50s there was no abortion, no equal rights, divorce was difficult and homosexual activity was criminal.
Life expectancy has increased a lot - so the NHS might be getting some things right. Homes are much cosier than they were.
I think people might be lonelier and I suspect on average children might be less happy. Although there is much improved awareness of child abuse.

Well there were no mobile phones when I was younger--there are more cancer cure pills medicines and curing equipment thank God.. Health and safety is much better when it comes to food that you can buy, then there is the internet of course which has changed most peoples life for the better---So yes lots of good improvments...

Do you think that this is an era when things have changed more that in any other?

My grandmother, who was born about 130 years ago, grew up in an era when there were no cars or trains to speak of and died at a time when men were flying to the moon and back. Huge change.

Congratulations glitabo and when.
I certainly wouldn't want to return to the days of capital punishment, women having to avail themselves of illegal abortions, and homosexuality being illegal.
I wonder what people will think when they look back on present-day Britain in 50 years time - what will have been abolished and what will have changed for the better or worse.

Lovely news glitabo. I was lucky enough to be invited along to watch my son and partner's 4D video, so have seen my litte grandon who is due in 2 weeks. I don't know if it's better than the surprise at birth, just different. I never wanted o now, but then I didn't have the choice in those days.

I like the convenience of modern living, but miss the quietness of little traffic, feeling confdent about letting children play outside without constant supervision, and whilst I like gadgets I much prefer entertainment with board games, playing cards, jigsaws with the family, although there's fun to be had playing on the Wii and doing trivia quizzes via DVDs.

My grandsons have electronic tablets to play on, but they are equally happy crawling along the floor with their Dinky cars and Thomas train set. Best of both worlds

I think too much information is fed to children too young to really understand. Telling an older child they are getting a brother or sister when it is still early scan stage is not helpful. Six months is a very long time in a toddler's life and sometimes it backfires, having to tell the tot that there is actually not going to be a baby because of miscarriage.
I was ten and a half when my sister was born and I can honestly say I never knew my mother was pregnant. I only realised something was going on when my father assembled the cot and I was told to put the bedding on the mattress, mother was obviously in labour because baby was born next morning.

IMO almost everything is better and we have a lot more choices, perhaps sometimes too many.

Life expectancy is higher and I suspect of better quality.

We can travel the world and learn about other societies.

There is less animal cruelty (zoos, circuses, ivory hunters etc.)

When DiL was expected No 2, No 1 was less that 2 but understood there was a baby in Mummy's tummy but thought there was one in all big tummies! Now understands that big tummy doesn't mean baby.

IMO the one significant way that things have gone backwards is in our care for each other. Life seems to be much more selfish and values have changed for the worse in many cases. We are lucky to live where DS3 says things are 20 years behind the times, for all the right reasons!

It seems that nowadays something is only wrong if you get caught.

Oh annodomini It would be my worst nightmare having no washing machine as I am constantly washing for members of the family.

When I look back to having the old twin tub even I could shudder at the thought of actually having to pull it out and have a " washing day" with piles of washing all over the floor waiting to go through. Mind you I have always loved pegging out and think it is so satisfying to see a line of washing blowing in the wind or maybe I am just easy pleased!

The NHS was better [grumpy face]

I must have known about babies as a toddler. When my mum was pregnant, i would announce to all and sundry: 'I'm going to have a baby brother!' Actually it turned out to be a sister, but you can't be right all the time.

I wouldn't go back to the old-fashioned non-absorbent toilet paper. Non-iron fabrics are great but I wish there were more of them. And can you imagine what it would be like if suddenly we had to do without our washing machines?

The modern world is so much more comfortable, warm and convenient. Better plumbing, modern washing machines, central heating, Internet, etc.

Modern society? Not sure. We watch too much TV, children are little princes and princesses, the elderly are a 'drain on resources', the political parties are a waste of time.

On the other hand a whole nation is prepared to stand up and say 'enough' when a young woman is raped and dies at the hands of mindless men, so in some societies people are again taking charge.

In 1952 when I was 7, I was perfectly aware that Mum was growing a baby in her tummy. I was far too young to know or care how it got there though!! Other kids in the neighbourhood were still being told rubbish about storks and cabbage patches. I think today's honesty and openness about such things is much better than the silly hypocrisy of our youth.

But working conditions are not better - they are worse imho. We used to have permanent jobs and set hours - boring perhaps, but it gave us chance of a life away from work, and peace of mind. Also, there was work for everyone who wanted it. Nowadays people work such long hours in such insecurity, and so much is privatised and contracted out, that profit matters more than people.

As a person who hates driving, I miss the ubiquitous public transport. Looking at the UK. I'm sad that British Rail has been privatised and that train travel is so expensive. So far, our local (Queensland Australia) rail is still government run, and it is well affordable, safe, and on time.

I like the convenience of modern banking: so much better than the snooty, rigidly run banks of yesteryear. I think banks were always too grasping - this has not changed.

I love modern plumbing, as compared with the outside dunnies of my childhood.

I love painless modern dentistry compared with the terrors of the drill and the needle of my childhood.

Oh, and the pill - it made our lives so much better.

I want the best of the past, and the best of the present!

Oh Glitabo what wonderful news 4 boys !!!! Wow . My two little granddaughters were delighted to find that mummy had a little brother in her tummy ( and would have been just as delighted had it been a baby girl) . The main thing was they could relate to this little bump growing on a daily basis and felt love right from day one. I think that this is defiantly a change for the better as in my day a baby just appeared as if by magic overnight which is very weird if you think about it from a child's point of view .

It bothers me that we have so many things in life that are there to save us time but many of us [in my case probably due to being totally disorganised] don't have time for anything. And I sometimes wish that Sundays were a day when shops were closed and everything and everybody had to slow down.

Perhaps just as well, Nanado!

That is a very interesting question. I am too tired to do it justice tonight so will sleep on it and see what thoughts tomorrow brings glit

That sounds lovely!

And yes, I agree.