The 60's, were they so wonderful?

[firbeck 860]

Crashed out on the settee before Xmas with my little 10 year old friend, mindlessly watching 'Men in Black 3', a film I'd never seen before, I turned round to him and said, 'Wow, they've gone back in time to 1969, a really great year'. He gave me a look and said, 'How could it be, you were in the middle of the Cold War'. Astonished at his comment, I tried to bluster the fact that we never thought about it at the time and just enjoyed the times, or did we, what do you lot who were around then think on that.

[... 1,411]

Speaking for myself 15 yrs old and obliviouS to politics and the world,just enjoying life ,perhaps a lesson to be learnt there.

[LizzieM 9,521]

Well those of us who were teenagers in the 60's would all agree that they were great times. Even though we had school and homework to deal with we still managed to get out a lot socialising at the many clubs and pubs in the city. When it was time to find work it was plentiful, we could walk out of a job in the morning and start another one in the afternoon. The 60's was the decade when young people broke away and began to enjoy themselves, unfortunately it was also the decade when the drug culture took hold.

[FLY2 10,109]

Everything was so new, fresh and innocent. ...... Just like me !!! LOL

[StephenFord 866]

Don't think that was bluster - just the truth! Very few of us thought about the cold war - except from time to time. I do remember being on holiday in Llandudno in August 1962, and everyone being on thorns about the Cuban missile crisis, then unfolding. But in the absence of today's news emphasis on melodrama, I don't recall constant wringing of hands - or even serious worry - over the prospect of nuclear war. I was never very politically savvy, but from memory, everybody seemed confident that the main protagonists on both sides were far too sensible to "press the button" - knowing that they would be sealing their own nation's final ruin as well as their opponent's. Don't know whether we would give such credit to today's politicians.

[Robbie 39]

I agree with Lizzie the 60's were great times, I was allowed to play out on the streets or the fields without my parents worrying if l would be safe or not. Cycling where ever l fancied without having to worry about motor vehicles, less cars on the roads then, going to a youth club, England winning the world cup and when l got older and finished my homework girls, girls and more girls. Being a Mod and my first made to measure suit from Burtons for £10

But it wasn't all wonderful l remember walking to school in the smog, no central heating, fitted carpets or telephone, running out of 1/- for the electric meter and sitting in the dark. Itchy blankets and sheets and sharing a bed with 5 siblings. The big freeze of 63, corporal punishment at school, Chaucer Street dentist and the Skegness Hoilday Home.

And Nationally, Riots in Norther Ireland, Racial Discrimination, the pound devalued, drugs, the pill thus increasing sexual transmitted diseases and there must be a lot more.

Still a great era.

[TBI 2,351]

It's natural to look back with rose-tinted glasses, but I agree with all the comments above, the sixties were totally 'fab'. Young folk lived for the day without giving a thought to stuff on the BBC News, newspapers and all that politics stuff. Groovy baby!

[loppylugs 8,429]

Definitely a memorable decade for me. Left school, jobs were plentiful. Got married and bought first house. First daughter born. I am inclined to give the nuclear threat more responsibility for some changes than some might. The Cuban missile crisis was definitely scary. We all knew that we had about four minutes to dig a hole and climb in. Numerous crises became the basis of proxy wars between East and West. Eg. Vietnam. There was always the underlying fear that any of these could drag in the US and Russia. BTW I do not think this has really gone away. Witness the current crisis in Ukraine. I think for many of us this created an eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die attitude, which may have led to loosened sexual morality and more open drug abuse. The big rock groups made little secret of it and after all if we are stoned out of our minds we are not worrying about nukes.

It has a lot of good memories for me and probably many here but, like beauty much of it is probably in the mind of the one who experienced it.

[catfan 14,793]

I agree with Lizzie the 60's were great times, I was allowed to play out on the streets or the fields without my parents worrying if l would be safe or not. Cycling where ever l fancied without having to worry about motor vehicles, less cars on the roads then, going to a youth club, England winning the world cup and when l got older and finished my homework girls, girls and more girls. Being a Mod and my first made to measure suit from Burtons for £10

But it wasn't all wonderful l remember walking to school in the smog, no central heating, fitted carpets or telephone, running out of 1/- for the electric meter and sitting in the dark. Itchy blankets and sheets and sharing a bed with 5 siblings. The big freeze of 63, corporal punishment at school, Chaucer Street dentist and the Skegness Hoilday Home.

And Nationally, Riots in Norther Ireland, Racial Discrimination, the pound devalued, drugs, the pill thus increasing sexual transmitted diseases and there must be a lot more.

Still a great era.

Precisely !

[Cliff Ton 10,498]

It was all down to your age . For most of the time, most people posting here weren't really old enough to know about - or bother about - the real world outside. You were in your teens (approximately) and you lived for the moment.

If you asked someone who was over the age of 30 in the 1960s, I'd guess their opinion would be different to most of what has been expressed here.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

#10 I agree Cliff, I was 15 in 1961 and for me the 60s were very memorable I had a great time. My friend TK would have been 28/29 in 1961 and married, he has a totally different out look, he knows very little about the music or anything else about 'our' special decade.

[tomlinson 879]

When I was on Facebook, there were many offerings from people born in the 70s who mourned for the 'good old days'. I suppose we all look at the past through rose coloured glasses,and of course, we all knew best!

[firbeck 860]

Being a 'Mod' sums the 60's up for me Catfan. They were the most obnoxious bunch of gits around at the time. Violent,nasty self opinionated 'dedicated followers of fashion', no thank you, I'm glad the Rockers gave them a few kickings, they deserved it.

[FLY2 10,109]

You're a bundle of fun and goodwill as usual Pete. LOL

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

As teenagers of the 60s, we were brought up by parents who had to live THEIR young lives through the war. When the war had finished there was a time of austerity while things were brought up to standard. But by the 60s, men were earning decent wages, jobs were plentiful, people could afford cars and holidays were being transformed from cardboard chalets at Butlins to cheap package holidays in Europe. We felt free to explore the great outdoors and parents warned us about dangers out there like dirty old men, traffic and UXBs.

We were also brought up to look forward and focus on the positive side of life, such as dealing with set backs and not letting stupid things upset us. The Politically correct brigade hadn't taken over everyones thoughts and actions and there was still free speech. We also still had respect for authority (well most of us).

In short, we lived in the REAL world. Not the virtual world of TV and computer games which seem to rule young (and not so young) folks every wakening thought.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

At least the railways still had steam (till Aug 68).

Victoria Station was open(till 67)

Shipstones & Home Ales were available all over the city ( cheap too)

Then there were those wonderful trolley buses(till 19660)

And there were plenty of public toilets

[benjamin1945 16,235]

Being a 'Mod' sums the 60's up for me Catfan. They were the most obnoxious bunch of gits around at the time. Violent,nasty self opinionated 'dedicated followers of fashion', no thank you, I'm glad the Rockers gave them a few kickings, they deserved it.

I was never a 'Mod' or 'Rocker' or even obnoxious,violent or self opinionated,............but always a dedicated 'follower of fashion,.....oh yes and sometimes a bit 'leary'

[catfan 14,793]

Pawn shops were on the way out in the 60s.

Nowadays they are on every street corner under a different name, now called "Pay Day Loans" .

Scum of this generation.

[Robbie 39]

#13 You are stereotyping, which is silly. Obviously you didn't know many Mods.

[benjamin1945 16,235]

I just hate self opinionation....... :biggrin:

[... 1,411]

Most gave has good as they got ,they should be left with our childhood,although our generation were trend setters and the modern world would not have evolved without us ,our generation is responsible

for the drug problems we have today.

#13 (I found greasers rockers scruffy gits )but probably really nice

People that just liked kicking people,I have said on here before I was hard until.me dad passed in his truck and shouted get home ,I listened to what he said he frightened me more than any scruffy greaser.

[loppylugs 8,429]

Wasn't it Harold Macmillan who told us "we'd never had it so good"? I suppose in many ways he was right, but coming from this product of privilege it sounded awfully patronizing. Probably never worked at a real job.

[firbeck 860]

#13 You are stereotyping, which is silly. Obviously you didn't know many Mods.

You must be joking, we were overrun by them, I probably knew more of them than you ever did, unfortunately. I could name names if you wanted, but they'd probably come down here on their clapped out Vespas and cause trouble, as usual, after all I'm near Clacton, nothing like terrorising families on a seaside Bank Holiday Day out, really brave boys weren't they. They took particular pleasure in turning up at the Wollaton Wednesday Club and picking fights and trying to wreck the place, it got so bad that the regulars gave up going in the end. You could guarantee that anybody who had a party would end up being inundated by slimey gits in 'smart jackets' turning up on Lambos or even worse mini vans and ruining things for everyone. I was grateful for living next door but one to 'Sparrer' a great Rocker and smashing bloke, him and his mates had far more character, sense and respect for other people than those obnoxious 'Mods' ever did, all they ever cared about was their own 'Sacred' image of so called fashionable crap, well taken the p#ss out of by Ray Davies in 'Dedicated Follower of Fashion'.

[... 1,411]

Leave them days where they belong firbeck,we are all grown up now ,they were doing what there age group do ,its mostly rockers you still see around in their 60s ,sad I call it .

[Braddy 160]

Growing up in the 60's was great even better when I left school in 64 got a job and a wage about £3 per week, over the next 4 years went to pubs ,clubs and football , a group off us from work always went out together we had a great times ,into the 70s even better.