Changes in society

[slobake]

Been on this mudball for 69 years tomorrow. Long enough to notice how things have changed. There are so many things but I will refrain from mentioning all of them so that others can talk about this.
What bought this on you ask? No, you didn't ask. Well, I will tell you anyway. This morning I saw an ad here on Talkbass that said, "Bring your gym home" the accompanying photo was of a woman working out. I have seen more and more women come into the gyms. There was a time when it was at least 95% men in the gym, maybe more. I also see more women, running, cycling and other types of working out.
More and more marketing of exercise equipment targets women.
I have mixed feelings about this. I am glad that women are working at being physically fit and welcome them to the gym. Makes things more interesting. I also see fathers, grandfathers, uncles with their young women and young men in the gym. What I haven't see YET is Women with youngsters working out at the gym.
On the other hand it concerns me that this may be one more type of pressure for women to conform to societies standards of beauty. Don't understand all this like a women could but I know that pressure is real. We men have it too, but not at the same level as our sisters.
What changes have you noticed in your lifetime.
I hope this doesn't turn into a rant about how everything is going to hell these days. I see some very positive changes. One hopeful thing is we can have good conversations in ways that we haven't in the past.
I'm also glad that some of us are eating healthier and avoiding tuna noodle casserole. Could be why men in my family is living longer than my father's generation. He died at 71-years-old and my uncle died at 65-years-old. Had to be the TNC.

 

[marchone]

Had to be the TNC.

What’s TNC?

 

[slobake]

What’s TNC?

Tuna noodle casserole, the scourge of western civilization.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Been on this mudball for 69 years tomorrow.

 

[LBS-bass]

Happy birthday! I'm a few years behind you, but there have been many changes (or at least my perception of things has changed). Some for the better, some for the worse-- in my own opinion, of course.

But the older I get, the more I recognize that I sure don't have any answers nor any control over what the rest of the world decides to collectively do. It's a bit messed up, but the problems aren't things I'm going fix and the next generation is going to have to sort it all out. It has ever been thus, I suppose.

 

[Stewie26]

I am thinking the biggest change I have witnessed in my lifetime, which has significantly changed our societies social behavior, is so called smart phones. In my opinion, more for the bad than good, changing the way we interact with others. That said, I am also guilty of it. Just sayin.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I’m a 90’s brat, which means I was part of the last generation to remember a time before internet, cell phones, and social media became an integral part of society. Heck, we didn’t even have internet in the home until I was a preteen. Remember card catalogues and needing to actually read a book for a research paper? Fortunately, I got to miss out on the joys of typing them up on a typewriter lol.

Smoking is another one - I clearly remember smoking sections in restaurants and most public spaces. My brother is a bit older than me, and he and his friends always smoked. By comparison, I hardly knew anyone my age group who smoked. Thank goodness because the smell makes me sick.

Lastly, store video rentals from Blockbuster, etc… Almost every Friday night of my childhood consisted of going to Blockbuster, checking out a couple movies, and picking up a couple pizzas from a local pizza chain. Honestly, I kind of miss the experience. And I can still smell the store.

 

[Gorn]

You see more women than you previously did at gyms and more female-targeted marketing for home exercise equipment, and this weighs heavily on your mind? If anything you should feel pretty good about your life if this is something you worry about.

 

[slobake]

You see more women than you previously did at gyms and more female-targeted marketing for home exercise equipment, and this weighs heavily on your mind? If anything you should feel pretty good about your life if this is something you worry about.

 

[Riverrunsred]

Society is in a sad state at this time. You never know which nutjob is going to go off the deep end and say/do something that would have been a lot less likely to have happened just a few years ago.
Crazy is normal today .

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Another one while I have it top of mind - single income households.

I grew up in a middle class community where most families had a working father and a stay-at-home mother. At most, the moms would work part time during school hours. These days the norm seems to be that both parents work in order to provide a smaller home that sits on a smaller plot of land in a slightly less desirable community despite bringing in considerable more income than their parents.

 

[Riverrunsred]

Another one while I have it top of mind - single income households.

I grew up in a middle class community where most families had a working father and a stay-at-home mother. At most, the moms would work part time during school hours. These days the norm seems to be that both parents work in order to provide a smaller home that sits on a smaller plot of land in a slightly less desirable community despite bringing in considerable more income than their parents.

I guess it's due to inflation rising like crazy and wages staying stagnant. It might look like we make more than our parents did but a dollar went a lot farther back in the 50's/60's.

 

[FilterFunk]

I'm also glad that some of us are eating healthier and avoiding tuna noodle casserole. Could be why men in my family is living longer than my father's generation. He died at 71-years-old and my uncle died at 65-years-old. Had to be the TNC.

Oh, you just had to taint a thoughtful, introspective post with a shot at TNC, didn't you? You're obsessed, man...obsessed, I tell you!

But seriously, folks...one of the biggest changes I've seen in my 59 years is neighborly interaction. A big part of that was people doing yard work regularly on the weekends, especially Saturdays. Most of the neighborhood was outside, talking to each other, borrowing each other's tools, and helping each other with various outdoor projects. One of my earliest memories is waking up to the sound of lawn mowers, and going outside to take in the smell of freshly cut grass.

I see fewer and fewer homeowners/house renters taking pride in the appearance of their properties.

 

[Winslow]

I see fewer and fewer homeowners/house renters taking pride in the appearance of their properties.

My grass is like this because the humidity won't let it dry out, and I'm not gunking up and rusting out my mower deck! I'll cut it when we get a dry day or two without so much dew!

Call the HOA on me ONE more [bleep]in' time, I dare ya!

 

[FilterFunk]

My grass is like this because the humidity won't let it dry out, and I'm not gunking up and rusting out my mower deck! I'll cut it when we get a dry day or two without so much dew!

Call the HOA on me ONE more [bleep]in' time, I dare ya!

The bar is so low that as long as your property doesn't look like a vacant lot, I'm good!

 

[Winslow]

The bar is so low that as long as your property doesn't look like a vacant lot, I'm good!

We had a first-time homeowner on our road recently, who lasted for all of about one month. I'm convinced the lawn was his undoing. He made no effort to cut it until one of the ol'-widow-neighbor-ladies had a polite word with him about it when it got to about 2+ feet high. Then, he went to a big-box store, got an electric mower, and tried to cut it. The path of the mower went about 40 feet into the edge of the yard, at which point, the mower was simply abandoned in place, left to sit outside day and night, even through a couple of days of driving summer storms.

The following week, a professional landscaper was called to tame the beast. The week after that, with no sign of human activity at the house, a "for sale" sign went up.

And to bring it back to societal changes, I've got one for you: I see fewer and fewer kids mowing lawns, raking leaves in the fall, etc. Among all the other failures of "home training" by modern parents [sic] I have to wonder if basic yard upkeep is among the other lost skills of childhood.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a cloud over there that looks like it needs a good yellin'-at...

 

[smeet]

Tuna noodle casserole, the scourge of western civilization.

OK boomer.

 

[FilterFunk]

And to bring it back to societal changes, I've got one for you: I see fewer and fewer kids mowing lawns, raking leaves in the fall, etc. Among all the other failures of "home training" by modern parents [sic] I have to wonder if basic yard upkeep is among the other lost skills of childhood.

100% agree.

My siblings and I were helping with the yardwork as soon as we were able, and it wasn't long before we were the ones doing all the yardwork! Mom and Dad were nice enough to throw us a few coins for our efforts, though...

 

[Winslow]

Mom and Dad were nice enough to throw us a few coins for our efforts, though...

My father made a habit to remind me how kind he was to tolerate my living under his roof. (Betcha that speech is seldom made in the current era either.)

 

[Alkali Ike]

You see more women than you previously did at gyms and more female-targeted marketing for home exercise equipment, and this weighs heavily on your mind? If anything you should feel pretty good about your life if this is something you worry about.

The more people who opt to keep fit the better. Except if the purpose of going to the gym is more "social" (for example gratification by leering) than it is about working out.