General Discussion

raccoon

(31,111 posts)

69. thank you for posting that, one who was there.

Reply to 1939 (Reply #39)

Sun Jun 26, 2016, 12:21 PM

Jun 2016

Last edited Sun Jun 26, 2016, 04:17 PM - Edit history (1)

One income was enough to take care of the family though wants/needs/expectations were fewer. Houses all had three or four tiny bedrooms with tinier closets. There was only one bathroom in each house.[/div class="excerpt"]

So often people talk about one income supporting a family and conveniently overlook that the family didn't have as big a house, nor nearly as much 'stuff' as now.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

108 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A lot of people here experienced the Good Old Days very differently than my family did, I guess [View all] Recursion Jun 2016 OP

Thank you for sharing this ... NanceGreggs Jun 2016 #1

If you were a child in the seventies (I was a starving adult) you were in the throes of MADem Jun 2016 #2

Oh I remember it very well, but I stayed here in the US. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #77

They're looking at the past through privilege-colored glasses YoungDemCA Jun 2016 #3

and watching reruns of 50-70's TV... Wounded Bear Jun 2016 #18

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jun 2016 #105

Union Busting alain2112 Jun 2016 #4

So, what, were we just supposed to wait around with no jobs forever? Recursion Jun 2016 #5

For starters, you could understand what happened alain2112 Jun 2016 #7

You said exactly what I was thinking when I read the OP. Brickbat Jun 2016 #24

Thanks alain2112 Jun 2016 #74

Again, well said -- and welcome to DU. Brickbat Jun 2016 #78

You're pushing the old Socialist bugaboo MohRokTah Jun 2016 #34

I think they were talking about unions, not socialism. John Poet Jun 2016 #45

For the most part, Unions are becoming a failed system as well. MohRokTah Jun 2016 #49

AFL-CIO’s Trumka: USTR Told Us Murder Isn’t A Violation Under U.S. Trade Deals think Jun 2016 #54

Your repsonse has precisely nothing to do with my post. eom MohRokTah Jun 2016 #57

Ya. Right.... think Jun 2016 #60

I'm glad we now agree, your post had nothing to do with mine. Thank you. eom MohRokTah Jun 2016 #65

Keep telling yourself that... think Jun 2016 #67

Since you told me that, there is no need for me to tell me that. eom MohRokTah Jun 2016 #72

You blame the unions and ignore the murder just like the trade deals do. How quaint.... think Jun 2016 #64

I did nothing of the sort... MohRokTah Jun 2016 #66

The unions are failing because we send our jobs to countries where union leaders are murdered. think Jun 2016 #68

Now that is complete baloney. eom MohRokTah Jun 2016 #73

Sounds like guilds. Igel Jun 2016 #75

"unions kept their localized focus"? OrwellwasRight Jun 2016 #99

Figure out how to create jobs, rather than take them from the North? SMC22307 Jun 2016 #89

Of course not kcr Jun 2016 #100

Never had that problem in my father's Union... they busted up the 'busters' at Turkey Point Nuclear Ghost in the Machine Jun 2016 #44

I very much hope those responsible spent the rest of their lives in prison. Donald Ian Rankin Jun 2016 #91

These are stories that I heard when I was growing up. I neither condoned, nor condemned them, Ghost in the Machine Jun 2016 #106

Interesting Scootaloo Jun 2016 #6

Thanks for the story alain2112 Jun 2016 #71

Well said. Posts like the OP do nothing but advertise ignorance of others' experiences. nt vintx Jun 2016 #86

I have heard no one say they want to go back to the 1970's. No one! yeoman6987 Jun 2016 #8

Of course you do. That's the "neoliberalism" talk Recursion Jun 2016 #12

No. Nobody thinks that. Igel Jun 2016 #76

You're literally describing the opposite of neo-liberalism Recursion Jun 2016 #79

Only on the count of inflation Scootaloo Jun 2016 #84

No I'm pretty explicitly saying the Clinton era was, followed by today (nt) Recursion Jun 2016 #101

The 70's was a great time, in entertainment. Archae Jun 2016 #32

Norfolk Va did that 1939 Jun 2016 #36

Seems like everybody did it. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2016 #94

Graphic and eloquent testimony to the dubious value of "back in the day" nostalgia. Thanks for this. Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #9

Jerome K Jerome--The Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow griloco Jun 2016 #10

So true treestar Jun 2016 #17

It's an astounding coincidence that the apogee of popular music was my senior year in college Recursion Jun 2016 #23

Wow jberryhill Jun 2016 #35

Similar story--I got ITOAIF from my uncle griloco Jun 2016 #87

Also true for me. Nt BainsBane Jun 2016 #11

The "GOD" Never Existed Night Watchman Jun 2016 #13

Sorry to hear that. Socal31 Jun 2016 #14

I have plenty of good feelings about my childhood in the 70's bhikkhu Jun 2016 #15

That's one of the reasons JustAnotherGen Jun 2016 #16

My mom lost two jobs in the 70's and we ended up with a diesel VW. ileus Jun 2016 #19

I don't think people are referring to the 70's as the "good ol' days" FLPanhandle Jun 2016 #20

OK, but the 50s and 60s economy was entirely based on keeping non-white non-male labor cheap Recursion Jun 2016 #21

That never went away. FLPanhandle Jun 2016 #22

Not to mention the U.S. Benefiting form much of the industrilaized world.... Adrahil Jun 2016 #25

Me too, and I think they'd all depress wages Recursion Jun 2016 #26

They'd depress wages in certain kinds of jobs.... Adrahil Jun 2016 #27

Sure but you can say that about everything. Recursion Jun 2016 #29

I do agree with that.... Adrahil Jun 2016 #30

Oh, hugely small-c "conservative", and I get that that's their job Recursion Jun 2016 #37

Agreed, comrade. forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #48

Anything other than a guaranteed income is just arranging deck chairs Recursion Jun 2016 #53

Let me add onto that forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #58

That's definitely a thought. I also like Germany's method Recursion Jun 2016 #59

Well my method is *specifically* a way to implement socialism forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #63

public investment doesn't depress wages OrwellwasRight Jun 2016 #40

Depends. It certainly can. Recursion Jun 2016 #42

anecdotal. OrwellwasRight Jun 2016 #46

For the 50% of the population that was alive 3 years later, they'd be up Recursion Jun 2016 #47

so all's well that ends well? OrwellwasRight Jun 2016 #50

No, I'm saying raising wages isn't worth that Recursion Jun 2016 #52

I think I may understand where you are coming from. OrwellwasRight Jun 2016 #93

No, you're still getting this backwards Recursion Jun 2016 #96

I don't think the OP knows what the Good Old Days means at all. Rex Jun 2016 #82

I remember the 50s and 60s, they weren't Happy Days for everyone doc03 Jun 2016 #28

The meme that really irks me is "a high school graduate could support a family of four" Recursion Jun 2016 #38

Irks me too. nt raccoon Jun 2016 #70

That was true here for the lucky ones that had family either in management or union positions doc03 Jun 2016 #80

When I see stories like this the first question I want to ask SheilaT Jun 2016 #31

And that was the lesson I took from my parent's decisions too Recursion Jun 2016 #33

So the issue isn't so much the '70s, but living in an area (the South)... SMC22307 Jun 2016 #85

I find it hard to work up a great deal of sympathy for people SheilaT Jun 2016 #107

Growing up in Dertoit (1940-1957) 1939 Jun 2016 #39

My mom talked about the family vacations they took in the 1950s Recursion Jun 2016 #41

Please note: piling in the car. Driving somewhere (to a National Park) and SheilaT Jun 2016 #98

thank you for posting that, one who was there. raccoon Jun 2016 #69

It was before they passed the Constitutional Amendment 1939 Jun 2016 #88

yeah, I grew up before that Constitutional Amendment too. nt raccoon Jun 2016 #90

I think that's the secret behind the paradox that real wages are much higher now Recursion Jun 2016 #104

I can't speak for everyone, nor would I try to. I also can't speak to your own situation. But silvershadow Jun 2016 #43

And this is what I'm trying to remember Recursion Jun 2016 #56

I grew up poor back in the '60's. Today is much better then back then. Kaleva Jun 2016 #51

As one who came out of active 4yr duty in the Navy in '64, I had a choice of three places to work... dmosh42 Jun 2016 #55

Maybe it IS the Good Old Days? yallerdawg Jun 2016 #61

that map does not bode well. Hiraeth Jun 2016 #97

Nixon and Ford were both hamfisted Republicans who thought 4% inflation was a holocaust Warpy Jun 2016 #62

This message was self-deleted by its author Rex Jun 2016 #81

My job was to answer the phone and lie to bill collectors REP Jun 2016 #83

For the first world, the good old days ended 8 years ago. Donald Ian Rankin Jun 2016 #92

A lot of people are suffering today, and a lot of people suffered then. DemocraticWing Jun 2016 #95

I see a lot of progress in this thread. nt fleabiscuit Jun 2016 #102

I never heard of the 70's referred to marybourg Jun 2016 #103

It depended on where you lived too. If you lived in some areas in FL there were no real jobs Seeinghope Jun 2016 #108