I had been married one year in l959
Life was much better for people looking for work, one could get a pretty good
job right out of school, even if you had not graduated. One could save up and
buy a lot, then gradually build a 'modest' house, over time. That concept went
down the drain shortly after that time, big houses, big mortgages, and young
people were not satisfied with anything 'modest', or starting out simple and
work their up throughout the years, (we want it now attitude).
Sure life was simpler, but you probably don’t realize the injustice of what you are saying. OK, one could get a pretty good job right out of school or even without school, but who could do that? Only white males. Did a black kid get a good job out of school? Fat chance, discrimination against blacks was rampant in those days. And it was officially tolerated too.
And what kind of ‘good job’ would a girl get right out of school? She was qualified only for two positions, secretary or Mrs.
So yes, life was simple. But it also was highly unjust.
I had been married one year in l959
It is very difficult for young people these days, jobs are very scarce, and training
for almost any good job is very expensive, and by the time one is trained he/she
is deep in debt. .
Indeed it is difficult, but that is the price of progress. These days in the high tech, fast changing world, high school education does not impart enough skills to compete in the workplace. In the old days, life was simpler and high school education was enough to get a good job. To me, that is an indication that society is much more knowledgeable, more sophisticated these days.
Life expectancy was just fine in l959, there have been more discoveries for the treatment of desease, but people did just fine back then, it isn't that long ago..
No doubt life expectancy was fine in those days. There is no ideal value of life expectancy, if you are used to 71 years, you would think that was fine. But now we have 81 years. If tomorrow our life expectancy suddenly plunged to 71 years, there will be a national outcry, a national scandal, nobody will be satisfied with 71 years today. While 71 years is fine, 81 years is undoubtedly better than 71.
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And, the music was great.
Women were still struggling for equality, so that has improved quite a bit, but
still is not perfect.
I was a stay at home mom, don't know anyone no days who can do that, they
just cannot afford it, most of the kids are shipped out to daycares, and far too
many latch-key kids coming home to 'nothing', but a big house, with no one in
it.
Music is still great, talloola, classical music or Gilbert and Sullivan has not gone anywhere.
And you were not the only one who stayed at home, I think most women did that in those days. A woman working outside the home was very much an oddity, except perhaps as a secretary or a nurse. And she usually quit her job after she got married.
Women can still do that these days, if they want to live with the same standard of living as 50 years ago. If a family wants to live in an apartment, one small car, no computer, no microwave, no DVD player, no cell phone etc., my guess is that it won’t cost any more to live today than 50 years ago, adjusted for inflation.
It is just that people expect a lot more from life these days, and that usually necessitates both spouses working. Also, women would be reluctant to leave the workforce, now that they are in it and have full, equal rights.
