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Last post 21 years ago by xibbumbero. 33 replies replies.
If you're under 40 ...
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Slimboli Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 12:50 PM EST
Joined: 07-09-2000
Posts: 16,139
If you are under 40 ... chances are you won't understand this.

------------------------------------------------------

You could hardly see for all the snow,
Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go.
Pull a chair up to the TV set,
"Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet."

Depending on the channel you tuned,
You got Rob and Laura - or Ward and June.
It felt so good. It felt so right.
Life looked better in black and white.

I Love Lucy, The Real McCoys,
Dennis the Menace, the Cleaver boys,
Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train,
Superman, Jimmy and Lois Lane.

Father Knows Best, Patty Duke,
Rin Tin Tin and Lassie too,
Donna Reed on Thursday night!
Life looked better in black and white.

I wanna go back to black and white.
Everything always turned out right.
Simple people, simple lives...
Good guys always won the fights.

Now nothing is the way it seems,
In living color on the TV screen.
Too many murders, too many fights,
I wanna go back to black and white.

In God they trusted, alone in bed, they slept,
A promise made was a promise kept.
They never cussed or broke their vows.
They'd never make the network now.

But if I could, I'd rather be
In a TV town in '53,
It felt so good. It felt so right.
Life looked better in black and white.

I'd trade all the channels on the satellite,
If I could just turn back the clock tonight
To when everybody knew wrong from right.
Life was better in black and white!
jdrabinski Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 12:54 PM EST
Joined: 08-16-2002
Posts: 794
Ah, the 50s...when women couldn't go to many colleges, when segregation was accepted as good and right by whites, when the cold war was in full force, when domestic violence was 'good comedy' (see The Honeymooners)...ah, the 50s.

Just a reminder of the 'other side' of change. It ain't all bad.

The 50s were great, if you were a white male and middle-class. Otherwise, well, not so romantic. This nostalgia forgets a lot of people.

John
jreddoch Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 1:18 PM EST
Joined: 12-30-2000
Posts: 1,309
Not to mention Senator McCarthy. Interracial marraiges were illegal in many states. Hey! Does that make me a radical? There's a novelty.
barryneedleman Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 1:40 PM EST
Joined: 08-23-2000
Posts: 1,689
Try Nick at Night. LOL
cwilhelmi Offline
#5 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 3:06 PM EST
Joined: 07-24-2001
Posts: 2,739
JReddoch - you a radical, not in this lifetime... ;-)
donutboy2000 Offline
#6 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 3:10 PM EST
Joined: 11-20-2001
Posts: 25,000
Domestic violence on the Honeymooners?
I must have missed that episode.
Spiny Norman Offline
#7 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 3:30 PM EST
Joined: 09-04-2002
Posts: 899
Verbal threats of physical violance are a form of domestic violence.

"One of these days Alice. One of these days.............BANG! ZOOM! TO THE MOON!"

(Funny thing is, I allways felt that one of those days Alice was going to beat the @#$% out of Ralph!)
Audry Meadows was truly the greatest!
usahog Offline
#8 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 3:45 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
I can remember when we got our first color TV... I was the Remote.... LMAO!!!!!!
there were no Buttons all dials... and you sometimes had to stand by the rabbit ears to have the tv come in better....

Laurin & Martin (sp) Laugh-in...

Milton Burrel...
Just a few yrs back he went on Howard Stearn show.. Howard was cutting him down like he does allot of folks... he say's So Milt! I hear you were quite the lady's man in your time... Milt said well I had my share... He Say's yea I hear your pretty well hung? Milt after about a half hour or so of Stearn says well
Howie I tell you what.. You lay yours out on the Table and I'll toss out enough to beat ya!!!!! THAT Ended the Show!!!!!!!

Hog
tailgater Offline
#9 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 6:41 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Leave it to the professor to belittle the greatness that was America in the '50s.
Yes, it was a white-male society. We all know that women and minorities were treated as second class citizens, and that is most unfortunate.
But Americans were proud. People worked for a living. Families were institutions. Right and wrong were clearly defined. Authority was respected. Children were disciplined. Their Tomorrow had hope for an even brighter future.
Today, it's OK to lay down in the middle of a shopping plaza to pray to allah in the wake of 9/11, yet it's offensive to say "under God" in our Pledge. Families are dysfunctional and our government is Expected to pay for it. Children learn about drugs and sex on the school bus...in third grade. Teaching your son to protect himself no longer involves gloves and a punching bag. And many kids feel there may not be a tomorrow.
America in the '50's was NOT perfect. But it was a lot closer than we are today.
xibbumbero Offline
#10 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 7:35 PM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
In the 50's when not a door was locked
when was heard a lot of knock knock jokes
on halloween you couldn't walk on sidewalks for the number of kids in search of tricks or treats
and now we bar our windows and fear the knock on the door. The times,they are a changing. X
Tobasco Offline
#11 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 8:51 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2003
Posts: 2,809

Those WERE the good old days!

I'm 44 and remember all those references except, "Rob and Laura - or Ward and June". Maybe I'm not quite old enough for them.

Great post Slim!

Mag
jjohnson28 Offline
#12 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 9:19 PM EST
Joined: 09-12-2000
Posts: 7,914
Mag that would be Rob and Laura Petree and Ward and June Cleaver...
jjohnson28 Offline
#13 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 9:24 PM EST
Joined: 09-12-2000
Posts: 7,914
Petrie
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#14 Posted: Wed, Mar 5 2003, 10:20 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
jdrabinski

boy, are you a spoil sport. we know, or should know, the inequities in the 50's. we know that if you were not a wasp, you had different memories. you never saw someone on tv representing a minority in a good light.

but the war was over and you could go to college on the gi bill. a house in the suburbs was under $10,000. a new car 3,000. for a fancy one.

and for a few moments, slim took me back to a time i remember with joy.

spoil sport.
Slimboli Offline
#15 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 3:45 AM EST
Joined: 07-09-2000
Posts: 16,139
... of the ****** Van **** Show and Leave it to Beaver!
jreddoch Offline
#16 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 3:50 AM EST
Joined: 12-30-2000
Posts: 1,309
"Ward, you were kind of hard on the Beaver last night."
-June Cleaver
Tobasco Offline
#17 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 4:49 AM EST
Joined: 02-08-2003
Posts: 2,809
Thanks, I now remember them too. Leave it to Beaver was a favorite as a kid.

Mag
Tobasco Offline
#18 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 4:54 AM EST
Joined: 02-08-2003
Posts: 2,809
Our black & white set my parents had was one of those fancy ones with the Radio & Record player built all in one. Bet one of those are worth bucks in good condition now.

Mag
xibbumbero Offline
#19 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 8:03 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
If you see any tapes of any 50's TV shows that pan the audience,see if you see any blacks. X
Spiny Norman Offline
#20 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 9:05 AM EST
Joined: 09-04-2002
Posts: 899
""But Americans were proud. ""

We're not now? try reading some of this forum.

""People worked for a living. ""

Those that have a job still do.

""Families were institutions.""

And today they are?

"" Right and wrong were clearly defined.""

The KKK were sure they were right with every lynching.

""Authority was respected. ""

Persons in authority had earned it.

""Children were disciplined.""

Many are today as well. sadly not all. Not all were then.

"" Their Tomorrow had hope for an even brighter future. ""

Not for minorites. Wasn't much hope at all for them.

""Today, it's OK to lay down in the middle of a shopping plaza to pray to allah in the wake of 9/11,""

OK to pray to Jesus as well. Some malls even have churches.

""yet it's offensive to say "under God" in our Pledge.""

To those who's personal beliefs prohibit it.

""Families are dysfunctional and our government is Expected to pay for it. ""

The Clutter family wasn't dysfunctional? 1950's. The Barker family wasn't dysfunctional? 1930's. The Bordon family wasn't dysfunctional? 1890's.

""Children learn about drugs and sex on the school bus...in third grade.""

I learned it from watching the folks drink booze and by getting into Dad's Playboy stash.

""Teaching your son to protect himself no longer involves gloves and a punching bag.""

With .82 guns per capita, thats no surprise.

""And many kids feel there may not be a tomorrow. ""

Only if we fail to leave them one.

The 50's were no better and no worse then the 80's or any other decade. It's all in your perspective.
jdrabinski Offline
#21 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 12:47 PM EST
Joined: 08-16-2002
Posts: 794
Spiny Norman,

That was a great post. Seriously. That was to the point and worth thinking about.

The 'old days' were always better...sometimes I think about that when I listen to the radio. "Ah, the old days when The Go-Gos and Pat Benatar, etc. were making the pop hits." Ha ha ha...somehow, I think the margin of improvement or slipping back are pretty small. We humans tend to reproduce the same good-and-bad mess, don't we? I tend to think things are better now, for my two cents.

John
tailgater Offline
#22 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 2:13 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Things CAN be better today. In fact they should be. But they're not (in my opinion).
We learned from the mistakes we did make in the "old days".
But we went too far.
Equality shouldn't mean a quota. It should mean opportunity.
Responsibility should fall on the individual, not the corporation with the deepest pockets, or on the latest government program.
Parents should raise their own kids.
Sexual orientation should be PRIVATE.
Companies sell inappropriate merchandise to children. Because the can. Without regard to whether the should.
That's not what freedom is supposed to mean.
tailgater Offline
#23 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 2:17 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Spiny,
If you need the definition of what a generalization is, let me know.
Your very specific retorts are a joke.
Spiny Norman Offline
#24 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 2:43 PM EST
Joined: 09-04-2002
Posts: 899
Ah but you were making generalized statements as if they were no other viewpoint, IE; ""But Americans were proud. "" I offer the view that we are every bit as proud as we were then. I'm sure some today are not. I'm sure some then were not. The world is not black or white but many shades of gray. That can be frightining to some and exhilirating to others.
Generalizations like these are a disservice to the great varity of opinions and ideas that people from all walks of life have to offer.
tailgater Offline
#25 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 2:51 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
No, I didn't mean to suggest that my generalization left no alternative.
A generalizaion, by definition, implies that there are indeed exceptions to the rule. Don't make this into something it isn't.
I think it's very fair to say that America 1950 was a group of people much prouder to wave the flag than America 2000. And for your benefit, let me state that I mean "in general". Not every person in 1950 was proud to be American, and there surely are a large group today who are very Patriotic.

You see, it gets too wordy if I do that for every point. So I generalized. Sorry to confuse you.

choner Offline
#26 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 2:57 PM EST
Joined: 02-04-2003
Posts: 876
I'm only 26 years old, but I love life. My parents immigrated from China to the USA when I was only 3. I am proud to be an American. I think there is so much opportunity that surrounds us, you just got to look and work hard for it.

I do believe we are currently living in a Computer Revolution due to technology. With the boom in technology, especially the internet, the world is radidly changing and every aspect of society must change with it. My grandchildren will be reading about this Revolution in their history books, just as I read about the Industrial Revolution. we are living through an exciting time in history, we might be aware of it, but history is seen better only after the fact. I don't think one can say any certain period of time was better, its all about what perspective you are looking from. Every period has its highs and lows. I am just happy to be alive and trying to ride the high tide as long as possible.

choner
Spiny Norman Offline
#27 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 3:28 PM EST
Joined: 09-04-2002
Posts: 899
"""No, I didn't mean to suggest that my generalization left no alternative."""
But that's exactly what those type of statements do.

""" A generalizaion, by definition, implies that there are indeed exceptions to the rule."""
It could be interpreted that way but is is not defined that way.

""Don't make this into something it isn't. """
What? A debate with supporting facts? heaven forbid!

"" I think it's very fair to say that America 1950 was a group of people much prouder to wave the flag than America 2000."""
I think that's unfair to the people waving the flag today.

"""And for your benefit, let me state that I mean "in general". Not every person in 1950 was proud to be American,
and there surely are a large group today who are very Patriotic. """
And that's just what I was doing, acknowledging those facts.

"""You see, it gets too wordy if I do that for every point. So I generalized. Sorry to confuse you."""
Not at all confused, just bringing up alternative viewpoints that were more specific then the general statements you had made earlier.
Slimboli Offline
#28 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 5:37 PM EST
Joined: 07-09-2000
Posts: 16,139
Geeze ... some of you guys take yourselves and life way too seriously!

This was meant to be a light-hearted and nostalgically funny little poem ... something to bring back a few memories (for us old timers) and give everyone a little chuckle ...

Let's not make it out to be more than it was intended to be ...
tailgater Offline
#29 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 6:35 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Longing for yesteryear is healthy. It's nice to Reminisce with family and friends.
I don't dislike the America of today, quite the opposite in fact. I merely realize that the innocence of our country is behind us.
Let's face it, you can't argue that todays 30 somethings (and younger) are the first generations not expected to excede the succcess of their parents. No, Spiny, that doesn't mean they can't, simply that in general they probably won't.

RICKAMAVEN Offline
#30 Posted: Thu, Mar 6 2003, 11:42 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
jdrabinski

the Go-Gos and Pat Benatar are the old days? i thought stan kenton playing college proms, lenny bruce, and muddy waters were more the old days.

i can remember seeing stage plays, where all the actors mimed. this of course was before sound.

eleltea Offline
#31 Posted: Fri, Mar 7 2003, 3:30 PM EST
Joined: 03-03-2002
Posts: 4,562
Senator McCarthy? Hell, I remember Charlie McCarthy. Mortimer Snerd, too. Some of you probably don't even remember Candace Bergen, much less who her father was. That's ok. Down the road, kids will look at you funny when you ask if they ever heard of L'il Kim.
tailgater Offline
#32 Posted: Fri, Mar 7 2003, 5:46 PM EST
Joined: 06-01-2000
Posts: 26,185
Rick,
Good one!
Were the stage actors in black and white also?
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#33 Posted: Fri, Mar 7 2003, 6:46 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
eleltea

who or what is L'il Kim?
xibbumbero Offline
#34 Posted: Sat, Mar 8 2003, 8:46 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
Rick,L'il Kim is a young black female artist. A protege of The Notorious B.I.G.
LLT,I saw the episode when Candace Bergen and Melinda Marx appeared on "You Bet your Life",live. I immediately fell in love with Candace Bergen. X
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