I have heard the conversations as long as I can remember, people talking about how dim the future looks compared to the past. I remember hearing my Dad talk with his friends about how good things were in the 80’s and discuss fond memories from the 70’s. Yesterday a friend was discussing how dim the future is looking if things don’t change. I have also had people tell me that they are concerned for any children as the future is not looking very bright. Part of me can’t argue that there are many things that are looking a lot tougher than just difficult and there are not many hopeful signs that things will get easier anytime soon. But on the other hand I can’t help but wonder if this is the way it has always been and I am just seeing the world differently now that I am a Dad. Is this just the 2020’s version of what my father was talking about in the 1990’s.
This post that has been circulating tells me that we have always been reminiscing fondly about the past and worried about the future.
The concerns from 1957 make me giggle a bit and also cry a little to think of were some of those fears ended up over 65 years later. Mainly the cost of things.
“if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $20.” and “the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?”
“If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire.” “Who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon.” (That’s just over 7 cents a litre)
“It costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel.” and “If they think I’ll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.”
Keeping with costs in the late 90’s I used to hear that “if things keep going like they are the cost on the gas pump will be going up quicker than the litres” Now I am surprised to see fuel under $1.50 per litre.
Is this just human nature and in 2030 will we be looking back fondly to how things were? I guess time will tell.
Speaking of time, if there is one thing I am looking forward to it would be the unplanned addition to “Back to the Future”
