So what has changed?

[Tommygunn]

Believe it or not, I'm going to post about my [early] "childhood". I was born in the mid 90s, and I believe I was the tail end of the "playing outside from dawn to dusk" kids, I was never into videogames. I still do not have videogames. Its about a decade and a half later, and I look at young kids and I see none of this activity anymore. It really shocks me on how kids can change in such a short time.

Anybody else care to tell their stories?

[Indiana Mike]

I was born in '68

The '70s were cool.

No cell phones, pagers, most had no answering machines, 3 channels on the TV, computers were a movie prop, deep dark tanned girls in bikinis, not near as many fat people including girls ( talking about myself also) people had thicker skin , weed was accepted and workplace drug testing was not allowed , awesome music . etc... (Yes I know I was a kid...)

The '80s were pretty much the same (for me) but technology was beginning to hit the masses. Reagan happened :-(

And we had a blast..

Because we didn't know any different.

Funny how the technology developed to make it easier also made us so much busier.

That said I love me some technology.

[sneha1965]

I was born in 1965.

You don't see hitch hikers around anymore. It used to be if you didn't have a ride you could stand by the side of the rode with your thumb out and get a ride somewhere. My high school buddy and I picked up some girls heading to a party in Sequoia National Park. They weren't afraid and neither were we. We ended up joining them to the party and had a fun night. Those were the days.

You don't see kids walking to school anymore. Too dangerous. We'd walk two miles to school through all kinds of neighborhoods. No one messed with us. That's how if was.

[Relic]

1965 here as well.

Only things that have truly changed IMO? I'd have to say that once someone found out that fear and outrage sells, we were doomed.

[TombassCaton]

i was born in 93 and i know exactly what you mean, nobody goes outside any more because tv has better resolution than the real world!
i used to go climb trees and make forts out of sticks when i was a little'un, we need to get kids to realise what theyre missing

[stratovani]

I was born in 1954.

In 1960 my family moved from Montreal, Canada to Syracuse, NY. Because I only spoke French and had no experience with them, I was the only white kid on our block who would play with the black kids in our neighborhood. Of course this must have raised more than a few eyebrows among our neighbors, since back then black and whites rarely associated with each other. Being a little kid I didn't care about that, besides, I had no idea what they were saying anyways! Syracuse, being a northern city, was more liberal that more southern locations, but that didn't mean there was no racism at all, just a little less than cities south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Today I see black and white kids hanging out together like it was nothing at all. They play together as children, they date, marry, raise families of their own, and nobody thinks anything of it. It amazes me at times when I think about it, that in my own lifetime one of the biggest taboos in society is no longer around. Now that's progress!

[TombassCaton]

Originally Posted by stratovani

I was born in 1954.

In 1960 my family moved from Montreal, Canada to Syracuse, NY. Because I only spoke French and had no experience with them, I was the only white kid on our block who would play with the black kids in our neighborhood. Of course this must have raised more than a few eyebrows among our neighbors, since back then black and whites rarely associated with each other. Being a little kid I didn't care about that, besides, I had no idea what they were saying anyways! Syracuse, being a northern city, was more liberal that more southern locations, but that didn't mean there was no racism at all, just a little less than cities south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Today I see black and white kids hanging out together like it was nothing at all. They play together as children, they date, marry, raise families of their own, and nobody thinks anything of it. It amazes me at times when I think about it, that in my own lifetime one of the biggest taboos in society is no longer around. Now that's progress!

very true!

[SamanthaCay]

Wow people born in the 90's posting on the interwebz makes me feel dated and I'm only 26
as far as what has changed well,
I remember when there where no cell phones no internet and I was around to see pagers come and go.
Remember when we had to pay for long distance phone calls?
I also have many found memories of going flying with my dad, he would have a open 12 pack of beer with him and we would go rent a plane at the local air port beer in hand the whole time.
Something tells me you wouldn't be able to get away with that anymore.

[Sonic_Death]

Born in 88. I remember people always complaining about calling long distance well.. what a crock that was haha.
-Payphones everywhere.
-Thank god Facebook didn't crop up till my senior year of High School and wasn't that popular then. That would've been a horror show.
-I didn't have a cell phone till 11th grade, and even then, i saw it as an emergency purposes kind of thing.. I didn't want to give in to the trend. I see 8 year olds playing with iphones now.
-Baggy clothes used to be "in", and now it's the complete opposite. Skinny jeans and skin-tight shirts.
-Music has certainly changed. You could call me a metal-head, and some exciting/horrifying things have happened in the past 20 years. Lots of great music, but it's tough to sift through it all sometimes.
-Can't steal cable for free with an illegal box anymore.. boy were those some great times.

Overall I think one of the bigger noticeable changes I've seen in my life has been social dynamics. The internet/technology really did revolutionize everything, whether for the better or for the worse. Sometimes I think all this "progress" isn't really progressing us anywhere.

[EdHunter]

Born in '93, so like Tommygunn, I was kinda on the tail end of the "old school", as it were...

But just using my school as a sample of humanity (not a good idea, maybe...) it's very interesting to look at the difference between grades. Below us (I'm in 11th Grade) the girls' skirts get shorter, the guys' shorts lower and the reliance on technology becomes greater. I thought my peers were obsessed with phones, but then I was walked into by 3 9th Grade girls on their phones, leaving a classroom...

[pbasswil]

Originally Posted by Tommygunn

Believe it or not, I'm going to post about my [early] "childhood". I was born in the mid 90s, and I believe I was the tail end of the "playing outside from dawn to dusk" kids, I was never into videogames. I still do not have videogames. Its about a decade and a half later, and I look at young kids and I see none of this activity anymore. It really shocks me on how kids can change in such a short time.

Anybody else care to tell their stories?

I honestly don't mean to laugh at you, but I can't help it that the idea of someone in high school missing the "good old days" really tickles. )

When I was your age, the world was in black & white, and my bass amp was steam powered!

[Skitch it!]

What Huxley said.

Bread With Circus - Progressive Yukon Blog - Orwell vs Huxley

[skwee]

Originally Posted by Relic

1965 here as well.

Only things that have truly changed IMO? I'd have to say that once someone found out that fear and outrage sells, we were doomed.

+100


I think part of the problem is parental pressure, media, and the age of "offense" (meaning, it's so easy to offend someone these days).


"Oh, you must be a bad parent if you let your kid out of your sight for more than time to go to the bathroom, and even then you should install cameras, etc."


I turned out just fine for being left alone, thank you.

[Musiclogic]

Born in 66, played outside, rode bikes and dirt bikes(motorcycles) without helmets, we rollerskated without pads and helmets, we skateboarded everywhere, went on 100 mile bike trips on our own, we camped and hunted without parental supervision, we were smart enough and not coddled so we survived without damage(and I grew up in a city, not out in the sticks). We had values, families that cared, neighbors that took time to tell us if we were doing something dumb, and we listened. We had respect for our elders, we did chores, we worked over the summers to earn money for what we wanted, we weren't spoiled, coddled, arrogant little know it alls, who had no clue. We had a work ethic, we were responsible, and we grew up before our funerals. Then the division started in the late 80's, Hippies and flowerchildren kids were coming into the schools, they had no values, no family base, drug ethic, and the "world owes me a living" attitude, and it has just declined from there. Today it's kind of sad, but I'm old enough, and secure enough to sit and laugh at the welfare mind set, and lack of intelligence, kids who can't make change for a dollar, can't differentiate between the preamble of the Constitution and the bill of rights. I find it funny, but they can tell you every "cheat" for the latest video game. Why? Because these days cheating is accepted, kids and many adults today work for nothing, expect a trophy for showing up, and then whine when they don't get everything for free. It's really a shame how lazy and stupid our country has become.

[Gopherbassist]

I was born in 1990 and I have never seen kids playing outside with any kind of regularity. It makes me wonder where you grew up.

[EdHunter]

^^ From the viewpoint of being with the microcosm of "today's kids", I can agree with you 100%...

[EBodious]

to answer the OP, nothing has changed. or maybe i should say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

i was born in '67 and think that i am on the tail end of the 'play outside generation.' i am sure that 10 years from now there will be kids born in the early 2000's thinking the same thing.

and, in honor of deja-vu (all over again), here are the quotes i like to stick into these threads:

"The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, they show disrespect to their elders.... They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and are tyrants over their teachers."

this one is attributed to socrates, but the jury is out on whether or not that is true.

"The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone knew everything and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for girls, they are forward, immodest and unwomanly in speech, behaviour and dress."

this one is credited to peter the hermit, 1274. again, i can't prove it.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

BWe had values, families that cared, neighbors that took time to tell us if we were doing something dumb, and we listened. We had respect for our elders, we did chores, we worked over the summers to earn money for what we wanted, we weren't spoiled, coddled, arrogant little know it alls, who had no clue. We had a work ethic, we were responsible, and we grew up before our funerals. Then the division started in the late 80's, Hippies and flowerchildren kids were coming into the schools, they had no values, no family base, drug ethic, and the "world owes me a living" attitude, and it has just declined from there. Today it's kind of sad, but I'm old enough, and secure enough to sit and laugh at the welfare mind set, and lack of intelligence, kids who can't make change for a dollar, can't differentiate between the preamble of the Constitution and the bill of rights. I find it funny, but they can tell you every "cheat" for the latest video game. Why? Because these days cheating is accepted, kids and many adults today work for nothing, expect a trophy for showing up, and then whine when they don't get everything for free. It's really a shame how lazy and stupid our country has become.

I agree 100%, even though I'm only 24.

I've noticed a significant shift in the kids born a year after me. Much greater focus on technology, and much less focus on social interaction. I believe technology, cell phones, etc. have caused some sort of autism amongst children. Kids can chat for hours about nothing on cell phones, but can't maintain eye contact or a conversation in person. People can't sit in silence without pulling out their phones. Kids would rather play motion capture video games like Wii and Kinect instead of going outside and doing the real thing.

Granted, I LOVE technology. My iPhone has changed the way I live, but to me there's nothing better than turning off my phone and having a good conversation with good friends and some new ones, over a few good beers.

[Jazz Ad]

Meh. My parents gave me trouble because I spent too much time on my computer instead of going outside, that was in the early 80s.
Then my dad explained me how his own parents (now we're talking 50s) complained when he read comic books instead of going outside.
Habits change but there always are sport kids spending the day outside and readers/players who prefer indoor activities.

[Skitch it!]

My brother regrets spending so much time on a computer when younger, when he realized it was nothing like reality when you switch it off. Free your ***, and your mind will follow.