Old Timers. How does 2020 compare to the 60s?

Are you talking about the Civil War? Not sure if anybody is reliving the Civil War. We also had a fairly bloody war? When aren’t we having a fairly bloody war? Iraq and Afghanistan come to mind.

People are usually attuned to music from their youth. Given the abundance of ways we can now listen to music, in the 60's you either had to see it live, by a record or listen to the radio. Given the explosion of musical genres since the 60's, disco, rap, hip hop, glam rock, punk, metal, grunge… need I go on? My point is “you just have to find it” is easier said thean done when it is a full time job.

I'm glad you're getting outside. Where I live playgrounds are locked up, basketball rims were removed in mid March. There are no youth sports leagues. A group of kids can't even go to an asphalt parking lot and play together. NYC has closed its beaches, the areas around NYC only allow locals on the beaches and at half capacity. There's nothing for young people to do, no where to go.

This is unique.

Too many cameras as too many b!tches

not trying to give you a hard time, but pretty sure Nixon landslide was 1972 vs. McGovern. his 1968 win over Humphrey [and third party Wallace] was close enough that there was no official call till the next afternoon. I remember hearing about it in my second grade classroom and being bummed [my parents having indoctrinated me to oppose Nixon] --Dave

newredsun wrote:

I remember 1968 very well. ......

Nixon won in a landslide..

In the 60s there wasn´t let´s run . 2020 is better for sure

Great thread. Made me think about it too...

Without a doubt music in the 60s was far better in my opinion and nothing could beat a nice turntable with vinyl records to play through big honking speakers.

I'll never forget the first time I played Sgt. Peppers on vinyl.

Cars were definitely cooler too. Nothing like the roar of a big 60s engine through glass pack mufflers and the smell of burning fossil fuel carbons. I had a 66 Mustang through HS and college.

In 1969 I was just a HS freshman and was inspired by the likes of Jim Ryun to start running.

In 1972 I was a college freshman and received my draft letter on my 18th birthday in November.

There was no college deferment then but shortly afterwards President Nixon abolished the draft and thank God I didn't have to report to the draft board.

Girls may have been been better looking but as a teenager every girl is pretty.

Now fast forward.

You can download any song you want without having to buy an entire album.

Cars are cleaner and more dependable.

You can buy anything you want online.

Running is a professional sport.

Older women are more appealing.

But in retrospect, as I age I miss the good old days.

As the dust begins to settle, I hope as a society we appreciate more of what we have and live more simple, kinder and gentler towards ourselves and others.

Add kids breaking 4 and it’s like the 60s again

I feel like the country is in a worse place in 2020 than it was in the 1960s. Although those males of us who were in high school in the 60s were concerned about the draft, we didn't feel like the country would come apart like the current red/blue split which is so bad that each side has its own news sources and doesn't believe what the other side's news sources are saying. Back then, even if you had different opinions, at least everyone could agree upon what was reality, except for the tin foil hat crowd.

No one doubted that the loser of the 1968 election would accept the results but now there is real concern that Trump might not leave the White House if he loses. He is already setting up grounds for contesting the results with his attacks on vote by mail and his unfounded assertion that he won the popular vote in 2016 but for the illegals voting. Moreover, 40% of the population will fight to the end for Trump not matter what he does. In the 60s, no leader had that kind of fanatical devotion and no leader was hated that badly.

A guy in our cross country team was your age and his birthday came up #1 in that year's lottery. He envisioned a short future that ended in a rice patty and decided he'd enlist rather than wait to get drafted, enlistees got to request their assignments, draftees did not. Almost immediately after he enlisted Nixon ended he draft but he was stuck.

HRE wrote:

A guy in our cross country team was your age and his birthday came up #1 in that year's lottery. He envisioned a short future that ended in a rice patty and decided he'd enlist rather than wait to get drafted, enlistees got to request their assignments, draftees did not. Almost immediately after he enlisted Nixon ended he draft but he was stuck.

So what happened to him?

From '68, I most remember being heartbroken watching Jim on TV getting beat by Kip in MX City. Years later Kip's son was at high school XC meet where I had brought a team. I thought of recounting my memory of the race, but resisted knowing he had heard the same from people like me too many times already. The 200m podium double fist protest of Carlos and Smith also made a big impression on me.

Swaglord_the_real_one_1 wrote:

HRE wrote:

A guy in our cross country team was your age and his birthday came up #1 in that year's lottery. He envisioned a short future that ended in a rice patty and decided he'd enlist rather than wait to get drafted, enlistees got to request their assignments, draftees did not. Almost immediately after he enlisted Nixon ended he draft but he was stuck.

So what happened to him?

He went into the army. It was all that could happen. But if he'd held out just a bit longer he wouldn't have had to worry about being drafted and going to Vietnam.

BigFan wrote:

After the Kenyan successes at the 1968 Olympics, African running picked up but considering that you can retire for life in Kenya (average income $25,000) or Ethiopia (average income $17,000) after, not a major marathon win but a big marathon win..

The average income in those countries isn't even 1/10th of 25k, and 17k.

Don’t read my text, read what this person said over and over. End of Thread.

Runner10287 wrote:

From people who have lived through both. Compare, contrast.

I was born in the late 60s but from the 80s on...and what I can remember, it was a whole lot better back in the day. No internet, cell phones or social media gratification, instead you grew up/learned by playing outdoors /solve your own problems thru trial & error/play sports vs sitting in front of a computer all day long & believe the cherry picked news/social media you were drawn to.... reflect and acknowledge. ?

We got through the '60's.

This old guy thinks it was much worse in the 60s.

I was born only in the late 60s but I

Agree

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/02/opinion/stop-comparisons-1968-america-is-facing-very-different-set-risks-today/

agip wrote:

This old guy thinks it was much worse in the 60s.

I was born only in the late 60s but I

Agree

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/02/opinion/stop-comparisons-1968-america-is-facing-very-different-set-risks-today/

Interesting article. While the author states that all crimes were more prevalent in the 60s and that racial divide was worse he also states that the political divide that is worse today and incompetence of Trump. There definitely is a feeling of hopelessness today that didnt exist 50 years ago.

coach wrote:

I'm glad you're getting outside. Where I live playgrounds are locked up, basketball rims were removed in mid March. There are no youth sports leagues. A group of kids can't even go to an asphalt parking lot and play together. NYC has closed its beaches, the areas around NYC only allow locals on the beaches and at half capacity. There's nothing for young people to do, no where to go.

This is unique.

Weird. I see a lot of people outside when I check out my newsfeeds.