I had lunch with a good friend of mine a few weeks ago. Though she’s a bit younger than I am, she and her husband just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
My 50th high school class reunion was last week. I got to thinking about how long 50 years really is and how life has changed during that time.
For perspective, the marriage and the high school graduation mentioned above took place in 1972. I remember it (well…most of it anyway) like it was yesterday. Quite a feat since I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday. But I digress.
The first handheld mobile phone, a precursor to our modern cell phone (on which people text now more than talk to each other), was released to the public in 1983, fully 10 years after I graduated from high school. Before modern day cell phones we actually talked, in person or on a land line, to people. Or wrote letters, by hand, then put a 6¢ stamp on the envelope and dropped it in a mailbox on the corner to be delivered by a person who walked the neighborhood every day. Here’s a very funny video of some teens trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone, just to make you laugh and feel kind of superior to these young pups.
We call them cell phones, but in 2022 they’re full-blown computers tethered to our bodies almost every minute of every day. In 1972 we went to libraries for information. In 2022 we carry the equivalent of more information than is in the Library of Congress in our pockets.
Before personal mobile phones, if we needed to speak to someone when we were away from home, we had to locate a phone booth, drop a dime in a slot and dialed the number we wanted, if it was local. We had special shoes, called penny loafers, featuring a slot to slip a dime (not a penny) into in case we had to make a call in an emergency. I always thought it was to call my dad if a date got out of hand and I wanted him to rescue me from some creep I had the bad judgment to go out with. I never used the dime in my penny loafer.
When Randy and I were dating, he used to call me, long distance, from a phone booth on base. He needed a pocket full of coins because the operator would interrupt to tell him how much to deposit to continue the call. Which reminds me, hardly anyone 50 years ago had a credit card. Calling someone Long Distance was an expensive luxury in 1972. In 2022 we have video chats just like in the Jetsons. Doesn’t matter where in the world you are, you can connect with and see the person you’re talking to…no matter how long the distance. And the price is included in the cost of your monthly internet. No extra charge.
In 1972, only about 7% of households had cable TV. People watched all the same programs (because there were only a few channels) and that, I believe, keep our societal values homogeneous. It wasn’t until the 1980s when cable TV boomed and society (in my opinion) started blowing up. I wrote a blog post about that once. You can find it here. Our culture has gone to hell in a hand basket and I blame the growth of cable TV and other truly horrific “entertainment” for that in the last 50 years.
50 years ago I walked back and forth to school, sometimes carrying an accordion. I only did that a few times before I decided I really didn’t want to play the accordion after all. I didn’t ride a school bus until I was in high school and that’s only because it was all the way across town. To participate in extracurricular activities I often had to walk home, a bit more than 2 miles. It was good for me.
Anyone with a tattoo in 1972 was considered a dangerous rebel to be avoided by “normal” people.
In 1972 the Vietnam War was still going on.
People who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1972 were O.L.D.! Grandparents in 1972 were about the same age we are now!
In 1972, your address and phone number was published in the phone book. No one worried about who knew where they lived. If you wanted privacy, you requested an unlisted phone number.
In 1972 we were told to avoid fat in our diet. Apparently the bacon that was good enough for our parents and grandparents was going to deliver us to early graves. Instead, in the ensuing 50 years heart disease increased exponentially. Now fat is in and sugar is out, or anything that turns into sugar (like those super low fat baked potatoes so popular during the no fat era). Regardless of the guidance we’re getting from people we should be able to trust, societally, we’re fatter and sicker than ever. And totally addicted to sugar. Good news though, in 2022 you can get “all you can eat” bacon on most breakfast buffets and not feel guilty about it. Avoid the pancakes and maple syrup though.
In 1972 if you wanted an opinion about the news of the day you asked around the dining room table where your whole, extended family ate together most nights and weekends. In 2022 “newscasters” tell you what to think about the news. Very subjective adjectives are used in “news” reporting. Using critical thinking and reason to form your own opinion is rare and discouraged. Advances in graphics and computer technology ensure a lack of trust that what you see with your own lying eyes is truth.
Looking back, it doesn’t seem like 50 years was all that long ago. My life, and life on the planet in general, has changed (a lot!) in 50 years. Some of that change is good and some is definitely not good. Frankly, there are days when I’d give up the positive advances (even cell phones) to return to the good ole days.
In the meantime, I think I’ll go write a letter to my one friend from high school with whom I still correspond by letter. He and I were always kind of counter-culture throwbacks and I still love that about him.
P.S. Back in 1972 we laughed a lot. I guess we had a lot more to laugh at and about. Top comedians that year were Martin Mull, Don Rickles, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin. Top comedians in 2021 were Tim Robinson, Ziwe, Bo Burnham, and Patti Harrison, none of whom I’ve ever heard of. The most popular song in 1972 was Roberta Flack’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. According to Billboard, the top song of 2021 was Levitating by Dua Lipa. I’ve never heard of that song or the artist. I’m afraid to link it here. In 2022 political correctness has mostly killed comedy. Except for Drybar Comedy on YouTube. Very funny…Randy and I watch often.
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