it was just another time, wasn't it? my oldest daughter keeps asking me if times were better say, 30 years ago, before cyberspace and personal devices. were people happier?
i love nostalgia so of course i have to say yes, it was better. well not better, just a happier time.
course i was not alive during 1949, let's do the math - 61 years ago - but just look at this picture. my dad all dressed up to go downtown. (actually he might have had an interview at the "journal" newspaper. the building stands behind him. he later came to own his own newspapers locally, but at this time he was new to the town).
still, he would dress up to drive. this is true. i have a photo of him dressed up to go on a sunday drive to visit the desert.
dressing up doesn't necessarily make one happy.
in those days, people had more disposable income as a whole. that usually makes people at least think they are happier.
they had fewer worries. at least back then they weren't getting ripped of by spammers from Nigeria. or bugged to death by phone solicitations (although these are fewer nowadays - we did go through years of hassle before they were made illegal, didn't we?) or deafened by urban weed blowers. they weren't annoyed while trying to go to their local supermarket by people begging for money for questionable organizations.
they didn't have to worry that their car might speed out of control on the freeway because of a factory defect, or have the aggravation of fighting their own bank regarding outrageous and spurious credit card fines and charges because, well, there were no credit cards back then (in 1949).
i suspect the upcoming generation is significantly lonelier. 30 years ago we would have laughed at dating services to find the perfect "one". i know of plenty of folks who actually can't get a date from eharmony. apparently it is not so unusual to get the notice "sorry there are no matches at this time, please try again later". imagine that. sad lonely times.
what do you think?
this sunday i think i will get dressed up and drive to the desert. maybe i will even wear a hat.