How did they ever survive!!

[Mr.Guvernment 0]

I guess this applies to some here

 

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids

in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's or even the early 80's, probably shouldn't

have survived.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had

no

childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode

our

bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.)

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags!!!

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors! We ate

cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we

were

never overweight because we were always outside playing. We shared one soft

drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually DIED from

this.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode 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 street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No

cell

phones. Unthinkable! We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no

video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround

sound, personal cell phones, personal computers, or Internet chat rooms. We

had friends! We went outside and found them.

We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt. We fell

out

of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits

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 rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the

door, or rang the bell or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't

had to learn to deal with disappointment. Some students weren't as smart as

others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade.

Horrors!

Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own.

Consequences were expected

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 have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas We had

freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal

with it all, before lawyers and government regulated our lives.

[/list:u]

[Four and Twenty 0]

i am 21 now i grew up in the 80's and 90's and i did much much more outsde stuff. I only did video games and tv at night. during the day you couldn't keep me inside. It was nice to grow up in Vermont and run in the woods. I have to be thankful for the computers because i am pretty much unedcatable but computers have allways just been natural. If i didn't have them i would be pumping gas for a living or something

[thatsteveguy 0]

you hit the nail on the head there Mr.Guvernment. My friends and I talk about that often.

I would also like to add to what you said.. there was no Ritalin!

I am just amazed at some of the stuff I see or hear about when it comes to how people can't accept any responsibility for their actions.

We spent hours doing nothing but biking around sometimes till 3-4 in the Morning out where our hills and bush 'used' to be... all houses now.

and the bit about kids in the street AlecStarr.. so true.

I live in Canada and we used to have massive street hockey games here on my street.and before the houses were built we would make our own ice rink in front and any one could use it.. try that today without getting shot!

some parts around here have made it illegal to play sports on public streets!!

a shame really..

S

[Jerry Atrik 0]

absolutely

did anyone else notice that censors cut parts out of the original bugs bunny cartoons???

the parts where people shoot each other or themselves.

 

watching bugs bunny as a child (60's) often gave me urges to shoot my friends or myself. (wtf)

we also had no gun locks.... but we were told not to touch the guns so we didnt

imagine that

[AndyFair 0]

As a child of the 70s and 80s, I can't agree more.

Children these days are cocooned, and kept away from anything that might possibly harm them. If we're not careful, we're going to have a whole generation of adults that are too scared to make a decision because they never had to do that as kids.

 

It really annoys me when I see all the adverts for all the anti-bacterial products. What we're now seeing is that the immune systems of the younger generations are so weak that they become ill very easily - and I think that this could be catastrophic if something isn't done to stop all the hand-holding...

 

So, yes, we were smacked as children, yes, we played outside in the mud, and yes, we used to share drinks with other kids. But as far as the microbiologists see it, we're much stronger for all that!

 

Going to stop ranting now

AndyF

[Tomay 0]

Still a lot of children have childhoods like this today or maybe not like this. They live in poverty. They have no computers no cell phones no fancy stuff that you talk about. The wealthy countries should do something about it not just think of getting the most profit when they're building factories in less wealthy countries because of the cheap labour. The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and biger and the rich don't notice it.

[adamvjackson 0]

Quote:

The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and biger and the rich don't notice it.

True, or perhaps they don't care. Food for thought, anyway.

[DS3Circuit 0]

Heh .... just an example here

 

Remember card catalogs at the library?

Remember the library?

What about reading books?

 

It scares me as I see the newer generations pass on by with such a distain for reading.

 

I am sure there are those who will strongly disagree with me, but from my chair, its quite apparent.

 

Just my $0.02

[adamvjackson 0]

The Dewey Decimal System, too.

 

[Jerry Atrik 0]

remember before atm cards

u had to budget money thru the weekend because there was NO way to get money from the bank.

who here is old enough to remember 100 octane leaded gas?

gas for .50cents/gallon

350 horsepower family sedans

...and bomb shelters

[Mr.Guvernment 0]

Quote:

Heh .... just an example here

Remember card catalogs at the library?
Remember the library?
What about reading books?

It scares me as I see the newer generations pass on by with such a distain for reading.

I am sure there are those who will strongly disagree with me, but from my chair, its quite apparent.

Just my $0.02

what do u think alot do everyday on the net? we have to read, infact i think i read %500 more now then i ever have, just cause it is not a book does not mean it is not reading.

so in my opinion people today likey do MORE reading, it is just on the iternet