I just got this stupid forwarded email about the way school was in 1957 as if that era was a paradise where everyone grew up well-adjusted versus school in 2007 and how everyone is growing up fucked up now because we can’t beat kids in school etc…
Okay, first I can’t stand forwarded emails. Since I have first had email (1996 or so) I don’t think I have ever gotten a forwarded email that wasn’t total bullshit or totally ignorant.
So, in retaliation, I sent something like:
“In 1957 a secretary had to have sex with her boss to keep her job. In 2007, she can file a sexual harassment suit and keep her job based on her abilities alone.”
Can I get some help from the dopers to make a long list of things like this that paint the 1950s as less than a paradise? I want to reply to everyone on that forwarded list with my new list.
In 1957 I would have been in severe physical jeopardy for dating three of my ex-girlfriends–though there wouldn’t have been much in the way of conversation given that we’d be sitting at separate lunch counters.
In 1957, there was still a pretty good chance of your kids getting the polio.
In 1957, regular duck-and-cover drills (good for getting into position to kiss your arse goodbye) were de riguer for the expectation of the inevitable Russian nuke. It’s taken years of Putin and Bush to get near that point again!
In 1957 it was frats against the greasers. That was the source of a lot of fighting.
It was the times of gangs. That was a vicious time with group fights . It was not like they portray it on TV. or movies. But at least they did not use guns.
You could not hit kids in school then either. Catholic schools were different. You could run into mean nuns and amorous priests.
Crime has not changed much. The rates actually stayed the same but there was not much gun crime.
There were kids all over the place/ Every street had enough for a baseball team. You went off to play in the morn and came home at dark starving to death. No fast food.
It doesn’t matter. You recieve an email, disregard it as spam because the views in it are obviously stupid to you, and think that one in response is going to get a different reaction?
I’ve never heard anyone say “You know, I really didn’t like spam emails, but I got this one the other day and it totally changed my way of thinking!”. No-one’s ever been convinced of something by them that they weren’t already convinced of. The correct response is to knock down the arguments by the people who believe them, not respond in kind.
Well, I am kind of trying to do that. I mean, I want to respond with factual things about the 1950s so that they can see that not everyone thinks they were this wonderful time. Yeah, I guess you’re right, I’m not going to change their way of thinking, but maybe I can get them to realize that not everyone shares their views.
Not so. Open hand swats on the behind were common when I was in the sixth grade in 1965, then in junior high school (1966-69) they used big motherfucking wooden paddles. This was at public schools in Southern California.
Watching *Mad Men * reminded me that women smoked like chimneys and drank alcohol during their pregnancies without not knowing it was bad for the baby. Not to mention the lack of understanding of how dangerous smoking was in general.
In 1957, Father O’Malley had a very good time with all of his altarboys. In 2007, the liberals expect him to stand trial for his actions.
In 1957, a wife knew her place and there were more doors in the world. In 2007, a wife might end up owning half those doors.
In 1957, Jews knew their place and it damned well wasn’t in any of the good clubs or restaurants. In 2007, Jews might own the good clubs and restaurants.
In 1957, cooking vermiculite ore on the stovetop to watch it expand was damn fine entertainment. In 2007, hackcough … uh … HAAAACKhakhakkoooof
In 1957, the doors on the girls dormitory were locked at an early hour each night. Only the men were allowed to roam freely.
In 1957 women were not admitted to “Ivy League” Universities or to the military academies such as West Point.
In 1957 teachers could keep you after school for speaking in the hallway between classes. (My school) Teachers could put quinine on your chewing gum and make you continue to chew it. (One of my teachers) Principals could expell you for being pregnant or married. (That was the law where I lived.)
And teachers could certainly hit you. They could still do that when I retired in 1989. But there were certain measures that had to be taken.
It was not a perfectly smooth and magical wonderland – not for anyone. Blacks had Jim Crow laws. Women didn’t have any idea who they were as individuals. Men were pressured to live up to unrealistic expectations. People were afraid of Communism, the Soviets, the A-bomb, the H-bomb, the cobalt bomb. Birth control pills did not exist. “Nice girls” didn’t curse, drink, smoke, or have sex.
Unfortunately, the kind of people who send out “Wasn’t 1957 soooo much better” emails will probably see a list like this, especially if you throw in segregation, as validation of their beliefs.
I’m kind of reluctant to put anything on my list about the Jim Crow laws, since as some of you have pointed out, the people sending out this email might actually want a return to such laws.
Keep the ideas coming though.
Thanks.
And no, it doesn’t have to be 1957, it’s just that the email probably originated in 2007 and they wanted to show the differences between then and 50 years ago.