Is life now better or worse than 40 years ago?

A mixed bag I suppose. Improved for some, worse for others. On a grand overall scale I'd say slightly better.

I'd say a lot better. Everything's cheaper, most things have better quality, flush toilets still work.

modern dentistry.... hybrid marijuana...internet... better

the air is cleaner, the water more pure, women have basic economic rights as do black people. heart transplants are now commonplace and illness once terminal are treatable.

but the future sure ain't what it used to be.

Life is made in many aspects easier (electronics, technology, internet, etc.)
on the other hand life then used to be more carefree with simpler pleasures, more basic than it is now.

Nowhere near as much fun.
(Maybe that's because I was 23 then.)

Yeah, I was just thinking - I was a small child 40 years ago, so my world
was pretty carefree and basic. This might cloud my judgement

Better now if you are rich, worse if you are middle class and probably the same if you are poor.

I agree with DrewDad that we are much better off than 40-years ago. The opportunities that our generation enjoyed was the very best in this world; some education and hard work produced rewards unheard of before or since.

Many who came upon this planet and were lucky enough to have been born in the US were given the opportunity to advance from a very modest background to unlimited wealth and enjoyment of the best this world had to offer by putting some effort into higher education and working hard, and it was open to everybody.

There are still opportunities, but not as extensive today as it was yesteryear. Many of our children who put an effort into getting a college education are struggling to find jobs and buy a home.

I would say that our generation was one of the best this planet ever offered to its citizens.

1968: The Political and International Climate

The threat of all-out nuclear war looms. The Soviet Union was near the height of its power, and it was aggressively probing the West for weakness. The Soviet navy deployed nuclear tipped ballistic missiles on nuclear powered submarines (boomers) off both coasts of the U.S. The result was a dangerous game of hide & seek, tag with both contestants armed to the teeth. Soviet control over East Germany, and Eastern Europe was absolute, and the KGB ruthlessly suppressed all dissent. Poised just on the other side of the Iron Curtain, Soviet military forces were deployed in strength for an invasion through the Fulda Gap. Espionage and support of Communist led organizations as a Fifth Column existed throughout Europe, and even in side the U.S.

The risk of a spasmodic nuclear war was managed by a common doctrine, "Mutually Assured Destruction". Any first strike would be met by massive retaliation, and both sides were fully capable of severely damaging the other. As a consequence, and to reduce the risk of miscalculation, the confrontation between the Soviets and the West led by the United States shifted from Europe to the geopolitical periphery. The struggle was most openly contested in Asia (DPRK, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, South America, and Africa). Israel was a Western client and the Soviets backed the Palestinian terrorists. Both the Soviets and the West competed for the hearts and minds of each country/region. By 1968, the focus was increasingly on Vietnam. The war dragged on, and the Democratic administration couldn't successfully persuade the public of its necessity. American Leftists were increasingly critical of US policy, and demanded that the war cease. Television brought the visual horrors of war into Mr. & Mrs. America's living-room night after night. Celebrities traveled to the enemy's camp and made anti-American speeches. The issues of the war were lost in the emotional upheaval and public demonstrations aimed at vilifying the US President and his administration's policies.

The Soviets not only won that round, but in the chaos afterward made progress in the competition for support in other "backwaters". The American "loss" shook the confidence in America's willingness and competence. We lost friends and the Soviets picked up support from those who thought they should climb on the "winning" bandwagon.

Of course not all of that happened in 1968, but that's I think a reasonably fair overview of what was happening forty years ago.

The struggle for Civil Rights heats up. Forty years ago the battle for Civil Rights was not yet won. If fact, the same idealism that sent crowds of young people into the streets to protest American foreign policy also motivated mass movements to eliminate institutionalized prejudice against minorities, especially those of African-American descent. Though we might like to think otherwise, that struggle was not a peaceful one. The supporters of segregation in the South destroyed themselves by unleashing dogs on protesters, beating sign-carrying students, and generally acting like despots. The protests themselves also spawned violence. Dr. King might preach non-violence, but the Black Panthers and others went beyond advocating revolutionary violence to commit robberies, arson, bombings, murders, etc. The Weather Underground and other far Left organizations also openly advocated and practiced revolutionary acts of violence. Mobs made a mockery of justice and the rule of law. Whole neighborhoods went up in flames as looters stole everything not nailed down. Marxism was a popular political philosophy on college campuses, and any authority short of the mob was condemned as fascist.

Government spying on individuals is unchecked. International and domestic political turmoil was deeply disturbing, and the government was rightly concerned. There was a deep suspicion that the Soviet union might be behind the anti-American slogans and exhortation to violence. Even if the vast majority of the protests were sincere and well-intentioned by ordinary American citizens, the growing disorder was perceived as a threat to national security. The Soviets were obviously profiting from the protests and violence, and it seemed reasonable to assume that they were also fomenting it as they had done elsewhere since 1918.

In 1968, J. Edgar Hoover's FBI had operatives, informants and agents provocateurs secretly operating inside countless American organizations. Hoover's FBI was built on blackmail, and he apparently reveled in uncovering embarrassing information about prominent public figures. Hoover needed little justification for his prying, and his political masters were generally afraid to reign him in. Hoover was perhaps the ultimate bureaucratic monster, and in 1968 he was riding high catering to the concerns over Soviet influence within the various protest movements around the country.

LBJ wanted to reform American Society, to build the Great Society where every individual had an equal chance to fulfill their dreams, free of poverty and prejudice. Impossible dreams, but dreams worthy of an American President who rose from poverty himself to lead the nation. LBJ almost certainly didn't want a war in S.E. Asia, but he was trapped by circumstances beyond his control. The need to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence while the fate of the world hung in the balance side tracked LBJ from his primary agenda. The battle for Civil Rights was being won as one legislative bill after another was passed, but the pace of change was too slow for the hotheads. Long pent up frustrations overwhelmed patience and confidence that the Rule of Law would prevail and Justice long deferred would finally be delivered.

The political and international conditions in 1968 were at best tumultuous, and the effects of those events/circumstances are still being played out in our political and international life.

Better. And different. And wonderful.

We were younger - and could do a lot what would be impossible nowadays, perhaps even unlawful.

It was a great time - with great music. And a "revolution" ('68).

And the end of the Cold War was in reach - a really great feeling for someone who lives miles away from American nuclear missiles and a few more from the border to the GDR.

People were happier ... at least our generation.
Many of the older saw loosing their conservative grounds - they got it back by now.

I think, life was a lot easier 40 years ago.

But better? Not really.

1968 was quite a year and I'm not so sure I'd wish it again on anyone. Not that I'd remember it too well -- I turned 6 during it.

But, now, yeah, a lot of things are better.

A few random ones -- medicine and surgery. We have MRIs and CAT Scans now. You often don't have to be cut open for doctors to figure out what's wrong with you, or at least the cutting is more focused. Cancer is nowhere near the quick killer it used to be. Of course people still die from it but it takes a lot longer and treatments are better. Plus prevention is better -- a smaller percentage of people smoke, for one thing.

Electronics are incredible. We have computers! Personal music! GPS! Considerably safer and more efficient cars!

The workforce is radically different. I suspect most of us work in offices with people who are of a different race from ourselves, and maybe even with people not born in the US. This is so routine now that it barely bears mentioning, yet in '68 I'm sure you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone from the subcontinent working in almost any field, even engineering. Plus women are in every profession. Women work construction, fly planes, head corporations, hold public office -- and no one bats an eye. Should be more, for sure, but it's a lot more than it was.

Some downsides.

Compared to 40 years ago, air travel is abysmal. It's not just heightened security, it's that you're treated like cattle. It used to be that only the wealthy flew -- it may become that way again.

Housing in particular is expensive. My parents were on their second house in '68, a ranch with four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths in suburban Philadelphia. It was brand new and cost something in the neighborhood of $35k. I don't think my father made that much in year but he was definitely making in the five figures so the house was no more than 3 1/2 years' worth of one person's annual salary. Fast forward to now -- and keep in mind we bought before the housing bubble hit Massachusetts -- the house cost us closer to four times one person's annual salary, and we needed both salaries in order to afford everything else, plus it's a fixer-upper and over 100 years old. If we bought it today, it would cost about 10 times my annual salary. Home ownership is harder to start now, but once you've owned one house, it's still possible to afford the next one, so long as you're still working.

Gasoline, heating oil and cooking gas all take a far bigger chunk out of the budget than they used to. Gas is $3.50/gallon here. In '68 I'm sure it was under 30 cents. So it's increased about 12 times what it used to cost. Have salaries gone up that much?

Obesity. Lots of leisure time, lots of TV, lots of restaurant meals, lots of processed foods. Might also have to do with fewer people smoking, too, although no one likes to think about that.

Divorce and the dissolution of the traditional family continue their march through society, but in a lot of ways that may not be so bad. After all, when divorce was tougher, bad marriages stayed together longer, even if someone was being beaten. A mixed bag, to be sure, but it's definitely a trend.

The whole thing is a mixed bag. Still, I'd rather be here than there.

For me, as a minority, in the US, things have improved a great deal; many more pluses than minuses.

In my country.

40 years ago today, the Army invaded the UNAM campus, trying to crush the student movement.
Students, teachers and parents were piled in military vehicles, and sang the national anthem while the guns were pointed at their heads.
10,000 soldiers captured 614 civilians "who are trying to subvert the constitutional order"
According to military reports, “subversives found in the action zone were given into custody of the judiciary police, one pistol .38 caliber was found, as well as cameras, films, and propaganda against the government, with jokes against the authorities, which are now in our posession”.

There was no freedom of expression; there were no true opposition parties. It was a crime to be young. I was 14.

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The economy was growing at an annual rate of 6.4%; manufactures, at 8.2%. Inflation was nil.

Streets were safer.

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I remember the cover of a magazine in 1968: "Are Mexican Women and Men Equals?".
The question was provocative. The mainstream notion would answer inmediately: "They are inferior, of course!"
A HUGE change has occurred in that matter over this 4 decades.

Minor data:
When I entered the National School of Economics, in 1972, the man/woman ratio was about 6/1.
When I stopped teaching at that Faculty, in 1990, the ratio was 2.5/2.
It is now 2/3.
(Now women are 51.5% of the UNAM students, and 40.7% of the Faculty).

Women used to have an average of 5.4 children then. Now it's 2.1 children.

These are some of the jobs who used to be male-dominated in 1968 and are now female-dominated: high school teacher, economist, business administrator, real state agent, lawyer, cultural service administrator, electric and electronic parts ensambler, restaurant manager, biologist.
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"Mexico grows, progresses and is embellished by Tolteca Cement", read the advertisement.
Cement and beauty don't match that well anymore.
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Playing soccer against the US was no big deal. We'd win 3-0 in the US, 6-0 in Mexico.
Now we're happy if we can draw a match in the US.
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a view from canada :

1968 : it was a great year - we had been in canada for twelve years and had become canadian citizens - ebeth was 11 years old - we had our own house (still live in the same house) - we drove a VW beetle - i had a good job and i kept it until (early) retirement - we had just come back from our first trip "exploring" the maritime provinces (had bought a brand-new tent !) .
yep , life was pretty good in 1968 !

2008 : retired for 23 years ! and enjoying it - 40 years older - perhaps a little wiser (? - GRIN) - reasonably good health - ehbeth is probably just a little older (GRIN) .
yep , 2008 has so far been a pretty good year .

i wouldn't say that one year was better than the other . they are different and enjoyable in their own way .
we'll try and keep it that way : try to enjoy what life presents us .
hbg

hbg, Keep on chugging along in good health. We're trying to do the same with our life, and the past 50 or so years have been a give and take. Since my wife was so cooperative during my working career shifting with jobs, I now try to let her make the choice of where we call "home." I was ready to move to the Sacramento Valley right after I retired in 98, and build our own home to my own specs - a small home about 1,200 sq ft, one floor, with all the amenities, but my wife wants to stay here in Silicon Valley. We just completed major renovations on our home, both inside and outside, but the contractor still hasn't replaced our bathroom windows which has been sitting on the side of our house for over one week. He started our project in early April, and still not really finished.

But, overall, life has been pretty good. I've traveled to my heart's content, but will begin to slow down next year. It's been a hell of a merry-go-round.

c.i. wrote :



i'm glad we have our bathroom windows installed . it get's mighty cold here in the winter and i don't enjoy a cold blast - even of fresh air - while reading the newspaper (GRIN) .
keep on trucking !
hbg

There is no explaining history that you have lived through to someone else who didn't, mostly because you yourself don't remember everything, just the stuff that bubbles up from the myopic files of the back of your brain. But, 1968... .
I'm on the Monterey Pennisula studying Indonesian for the United States Air Force and wondering where the Asia War (It wasn't just in Viet Nam) would go next.
Next, I was going to go to Texas for a time before heading Far East. And I thought my head was on straight, but that's the kind of thoughts that persons of twenty-one years often have.
Then, Martin Luther King was killed for seeking freedom for those without freedom.
And I was 21 and I began to know things about my nation that had been hidden from me.
And, in June, I had the happiest twenty five minutes of politics ever. I watched on the backstage TV, Bobby Kennedy was on his way to Chicago. wow.
I re-tuned my twelve string and was just about to step out front to sing when the screen came on and said that Bobby was lying dead on the hotel kitchen floor.
And I was 21 and thought the world was melting, but that's the kind of thoughts those who are 21, well, think. Have. Hold. Yo.

==
I can't tell you anymore, except we really thought we were on to something on the first of April. LBJ had bowed out. BOWED out!! And we, the young, were going to bring something new to this nation. Yeah. Flowers in our hair, yes, but, the US Constitution in our hands and minds. There would be a more perfect union with justice... .

I can't tell you much about being able to buy prettier things for less or more, as if that tells us whether things are better, but I can tell you that forty years on, the paper this Nation is written on has borne attacks and has been battered to the point where we now sit one Supreme Court Justice from losing the idea that we, the people, and the rights of We, the people, are what makes this nation be.

Joe(Historians a hundred years from now will be able to point precisely at April Fool's Day, 1968 as the last time this nation laughed out loud.)Nation