I was born on March the 25th 1945. I recently started wondering about the things that have changed since then. So, I looked a few things up.
In 1945 the Dow Jones Average was a low of 155 and a high of 195. Today it’s about 12,506.
The population of the U.S. was 139,928,165. That’s about 140 million. Today the U.S. population is about 311 million. World population was 2.3 billion. Today it's about 6.9 billion. There is a theory that there is more than half the people alive today than has ever existed in all of mankind. That thought hurts my brain. I just doesn’t seem like that could be right! On second thought, it’s probably not right, but a few million here and a few million there, pretty soon it sounds like a lot of people…Also, they say that the world population will be 10.5 billion by 2050.
The average home cost was $4,600.00. The average home cost today is 100 times that. But, our houses are nicer! Back then, a car cost $1,020.00. Why not just round it off to $1,000.00? Because $20.00 was a big deal! You could buy 130 gallons of gasoline for twenty dollars. Get it? Gas was only 15 cents a gallon.
A bomber got lost in the fog and accidentally crashed into the 79th floor of The Empire State Building. Eleven people died. The building stood, and is still standing today. I’m not sure what that says but it is sure different from the Twin Towers on September 11th. Two planes took down two buildings.
What differences do you think are the biggest differences between 1945 and now???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population
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In 1942 Congress passed the Emergency labor act. By 1945 the Bracero Program was in full swing. Over the next 22 years 4 million migrent mexican workers came to california. Most stayed. This migration had an enormous and lasting impact on this states economy and demogrraphics. No matter your position on politics. In this case Congress failed US!
ReplyDeleteThree things come to mind:
ReplyDelete1.The middle class disappeared.
2.Patriotism is no longer cool.
3.Women play a larger more influential role in society, from the company boardrooms to politics.
There are less than 50% white people in California depending on how you look at it can be good or bad. The culture thing is good. Illegal immigration is bad.
ReplyDeleteThe middle class didn't disappear, it slid to the bottom with a thud.
In the 50's and 60's there was no excuse whatsoever to not be able to find a job. I don't think that some people can find jobs now, let alone be able to support themselves.
Glad you brought this up, Ernie. I was just wondering about these things.
ReplyDeleteMet my kindergarten teacher a few years back upon her finally retiring. We talked about some of the differences between then and now. Everyone should see their kindergarten teacher again.
She reminded me that Mom, all moms, stayed home and took care of us and the household things while Dad worked. Now both folks work to buy fancy things and pay the larger mortgage.
She's has parents who don't want their kindergarten children doing that artsy stuff we did with crayons and tempura paints but learning the 3 R's immediately and rigorously-- when not learning how to read music. These ambitious parents also demand a grading system knowing how their child competes with others.
She remarked school now starts at 6am with before-school programs until 6pm with after-school programs accomodating working parents. Those 'early' or 'late' reading classes one might remember? They went out the window a long time ago.
Parents want their kids into as many other activities as possible nowadays keeping them busy and well rounded-- band, soccer, piano lessons, tutoring, whatever. One 5 year old child leaves school early for his psychiatrist appoinment, she noted.
Mrs. Cleaver, Donna Reed, Ben Cartwright, Sheriff Andy and Aunt Bee were good folks we looked up to, even if they didn't really exist. Those were good times and good values. Things have changed, Ernie. They're moving faster nowadays, especially for some 5 year olds. I guess this is progress.
Political correctness and indoctrination in the schools.
ReplyDeleteOregon