PDubb75 said:
I think a lot of people have a skewed view of "the good ol' days" on the forum. Yeah, maybe there were some members who shared the gems that are now in the DJ Bible, but the rest was just as much garbage as it is now.
That's the case with everything in the world. Working in sports journalism as a hobby, I can't tell you how many times people go "NHL was SOOOO much better back in <any random decade from the past>", or "Maradona was the real football player! Nowadays it's just yadda yadda bleh bleh". Heck, who hasn't heard this gem before: "Kids these days! When I was young...", or "Music used to be good! Now it's just auto-tune and Justin Bieber!" (as an avid music lover, this one especially irks the hell out of me).
It's all just bollocks. Music wasn't better back then; it's better now, because there's far more variety, better recording equipment, and it's generally just easier for people to express themselves, which leads to aforementioned varity, but also to the discovery of diamonds in the ruff. Sports weren't better back then, generally speaking. Sure, hockey had more fights and whatnot, but it was also slower and less skillful, not to even mention the strategy.
Goes for everything. World wasn't better back then; the world is better now. People aren't afraid to be themselves, and gay people don't have to be ashamed of their desires any longer. Racism is disappearing, as are religions, depression (though it's still a problem, make no mistake) etc. Violence, domestic or otherwise, hasn't increased; it's decreased, but it's easier to report it nowadays.
Men weren't better back whatever decade it is you want to bring up. Manlier than the average chump now, sure, but not because they lived the lives they wanted to live, but because they didn't have options. Not looking to work at the family farm? Too bad, nobody cares, go milk the cows. Not looking to settle down with that girl from across the street? Too bad, you will. Not liking violence? Too bad, here's WW2, go ruin your life and kill some Nazis.
And so on. People remember things they want to remember, and not what actually happened. Hell, I think kids this generation look idiotic with their striped caps and skate shoes, but looking back at pictures from when I was 15, I looked just as stupid. As did people in the 90's, 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's...
Especially people in the 60's. Boy.. I don't know where to begin.