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Replies to '02/21 More Wifestyles'
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February 28, 2006, 6:04 am PST
 Quote From: breewalsh Hmmm...or my Mom and Dad who lived through them, my wonderful grandparents...Let's see, everyone on this message board that keeps referencing them...and of course, not to leave anyone out, YOU :)
It's not hard to read or ask questions to find out about a decade. For example, when my kids are born and old enough to have inquiring minds, they'll ask what 2006 was like and I'll explain that mostly men and women argued over who HAD to stay home with the kids, marriages failed left and right for reasons that could have so easily been avoided had someone taught just a little bit about why people actually get married in the first place, there were more fake body parts than real ones, women fought and fought for more rights, so much that the pendulum actually starting swinging the other way and qualified well-skilled men were out of jobs so that companies could meet their "women quota," McDonalds made skinny people fat and fat people fatter, the world was mostly greedy and selfish and would kill their Grandmother to make a couple of bucks, and last but certainly not least, children would start daycare at 3 months old and call their teacher "Mommy" at 2 and slowly start to wonder who these people were that picked them up at 7 every night and argued until it was time for bed, in the car the next morning, and while they were dropping the poor child off at his REAL Mommy's place...
And my children will have my words and my words only to go by, but they will have a beautiful picture of what this decade was like and be glad that I was raising them like my parents were in the precious, but not always perfect, 1950's... Be careful what you wish for. Let's take child rearing for example: Will your children be exposed to diversity, or will they be taught to hate and discriminate against anyone who doesn't look just like them? (You are obviously not a person of color yourself, or there's NO WAY you'd be wishing for the 50's!) Will you teach your daughter that she's less than a man? There's certainly no reason for her to go to college---the corporate world won't accept her. If she does attend, she will be very much in the minority. All she'll learn in high school is basic math, cooking, cleaning, and sewing. If she has a talent for math or science, she'll be an outcast. The most important thing she can have is good looks---because it will be mandatory that she "catch a man" to take care of her. Don't even think about putting her in any sports. Oh, and make sure she knows she'll have to remain a virgin until marriage, lest she be branded for life! (BTW, were you?) On the other hand, your husband can congratulate his son on any conquests. If he is a real genius, he might get to go to college. He'd better be good at sports, fixing cars, or something else MANLY. If he likes to read, or is artistic, has a talent for music, is interested in cooking or anything girly of the like, he'll be looked down upon. Of course he'll never be exposed to technology of any kind. There will be no computers. If you're lucky your family might own one television, but there will be nothing on it for children (perhaps one hour a day). Maybe once a week your kids will be able to see a movie---if you can afford it and they have transportation. Your husband will have the only vehicle with him at work. I hope you'll figure out a way to entertain your young kids while you take care of your hours and hours of work each day. If you're lucky you'll own a wringer-type washer, but of course there will be no dryer. You'll hang all the clothes out on the line. And there's no permanent press---you'll iron everything, including sheets, towels, and underwear. There will be no microwave and no convenience foods. You'll prepare everything completely from scratch. If you want canned or frozen vegetables, you'll spend the summer canning them or putting them up yourself. You'll also make pickles, jellies, etc. Even a simple cup of coffee won't be all that simple---you'll use a perculator. There will be no shopping in malls. Most of your clothing will be handmade---you'll HAVE to know how to sew. No help with cleaning either. No wall-to-wall carpeting. Your bare floors will be swept and mopped. You'll beat your area rugs outside. You'll dust every day. There will be no fancy cleaning products. You'll use bleach and water. After you've finished your hours and hours of work, your husband will expect you to be wearing your freshly ironed dress (BTW, your daughter will wear an ironed dress every day too). There will be no curling iron or hair dryer---you'll have to sleep in rollers if you are to presentable. Your husband will likely have a weekly night out with the boys, but you certainly won't be welcome. There will be no fast food, and you'll rarely get to eat in a restaurant. And heaven forbid anything ever happens to your husband, or your daughter doesn't marry, because women certainly aren't welcome in the work place. And if you don't like it....tough. There will be no protests lest you be beat by the police with their night sticks or shot with a firehose. You'll certainly never have an opportunity to have a place of power in government either. I could go on and on--- Like I say, be careful what you wish for. The 50's DON'T "rule". |
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