Wow! Great stories! You are an excellent writer.
We had a lot more freedom in those days, including the freedom to do things that were a little dangerous. If we paid the price and ended up killing ourselves, I suppose we were free to do that. We didn’t have to worry about endless beeping if we chose not to wear a seatbelt, kids rode in the back of pickup trucks. The nanny state, hell bent on keeping us safe, had yet to arrive. I hate it when someone tells me that it’s for my own safety. I can usually figure out what’s safe for me or not. It reminds me of government inspectors who issue permits. If they sign off on a permit and say things are good; if things end up not being good, they are never held accountable. Why do we need them?
We were encouraged to think critically and take personal responsibility for our actions. Seems there were a lot fewer attorneys. We trusted government for the most part, although that trust is now at least partially responsible for our downfall. The media reported news, rather than telling us how we should think about it.
Ferret asks about things that weren’t good in those times. I’ve been trying to think. One thing, having grown up in Los Angeles, the smog was a lot worse back then. 🤔