Why do people say "it was better before"?

Question

CubsterShura · Accepted Answer

It's normal for every single generation to feel like that. I read a lot of historical and geopolitical books and one thing I've learned is the same message is repeated by every generation. I'm currently reading a book on a plot based in 1905 and a quote stuck with me, when a man introduced another man to the gramophone he replied 'what's the fun in listening to music from that, the real enjoyment is to be able to hear it from the singer in person'. And here we are now perfectly accepting the norm of listening to music on Spotify, but we are saying real love doesn't happen over the internet (when it does and will continue to be one mode of love for many couples in the future).

There is another reason. Our older generation doesn't open up about their traumas and difficulties. So it leads to a gap in understanding between generations and romanticizing the past since we never learn about the bad things.

You look at older couples who are married for 60+ years and think that they had true love back then now couples get divorced in six months. But you wouldn't know that they have been miserable in their private love life and how often the wife wished she had a different life, that she fulfilled. Instead she put those expectations on her children pressuring them to succeed or else her sacrifices are wasted for nothing, it's the children's fault for making it happen therefore the kids are now a disappointment. And that's how generational trauma works.

You know that women initiate more divorces but you don't know about the statistic that before women had the power to be able to leave marriages by themselves cases of men mysteriously dying of lead poisoning was incredibly common and it dramatically reduced after women could leave marriages. In fact, when they started making shelters for women undergoing domestic violence, it is actually domestic violence towards MEN that decreased at a much greater rate than domestic violence towards women. Make of these statistics what you will. Turns out having the option to leave a marriage you're not happy with is not that bad after all.

Let's talk about the 1950's since that's the time many people romanticize and think everything was happy. In reality many housewives would resort to drugs (they wouldn't call them that) to deal with their misery. The drug was prescribed to them as a solution for all their frustrations.

Also, back then lots of toxic behavior was seen as the norm and people simply didn't think otherwise. "When I was 14 your grandfather saw me, and took me on his horse to get married it was love in first sight hehe" when we all know now that's kidnapping.

We have it much better than we like to think.

BlueScorpio · Accepted Answer

Because it was and ot was probably during a time when they where younger or when things were simpler. In my opinion early 2000s were great and seemed amazing, then again this could been cause I was still kid/teen and didn't have much responsibility. Also there are things I look at from that time that give me nostalgia and great memories. Like when ever I hear the sound track of inuyasha (was watching that in early 00s) I just get so happy cause it reminds of times when things were a bit more peaceful.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Well for me it was better. I don’t know about everyone else as to why they think it was better. It was better for me because we had all kinds of parties at school, we didn’t have to worry about offending someone. I played outside, rode my bike all over. Spent the night at my friends house a lot. Didn’t have internet so we weren’t inside all day unless w were playing Nintendo. Even than my parents threw us out, told us to go play. I went hunting. Nowadays even in my own home everyone is always on their phone, no real interactions. Maybe it was just cause I was naive at the time about things. Or maybe it was cause we didn’t have internet so we never really heard of all these kidnappings, or terrorist bombings, etc. Nowadays it’s instant access so it makes it seem like things in society today are worse, I don’t know. But as I got older, reading more about things that are going on today those same issues were happening ing when I was a child. I just know I enjoyed my childhood. I was able to go out to the park w friends to play baseball, even played w the homeless drunks at the park a baseball game or two. Never had to worry about a lot of things I feel like I have to worry about today w my kids.

Telekinetic-Potato · Accepted Answer

Because the country was making money, people working one or two part time jobs could afford a small apartment, people could just be themselves without having to worry about losing their job or business.

Kids were kids, they had more freedom, young adults were getting jobs that llowed them to get married and buy houses before turning 30

There was less pollution in the planet because we manufactured things here and when we sent all the work to China where there are no laws about pollution, it destabilized the world economy and turned this country into where everyone gets everything manufactured which created a world dependence on a country that is evil and abuses its people.

Respect for one another was in fashion

Music was about something, like even rap was better. The only music that's better now is metal and edm.

People weren't so paranoid or anxious about everything.

I mean really, how is this even a contest? 😂

CaptainOverthink · Answer

I think.. because most people are more fond of their younger years. Growing old is realizing how complex life can be and taking on more responsability while also being less naive. Ignorance is bliss in youth.
I think when people say things like that they are romantisizing how it used to be in their past without realizing, the older generation back then said the same thing.

But there is also some truth to it that with modern technology, it's a vastly different world. If It's better or worse though.. that's relative to when you're compairing to.

exitseven · Answer

Because it really was. We didn't have Covid and President Trump was in the Oval Office. America was on the road to prosperity. Everything turned bad once Biden started reversing all the good things Trump did. Gas prices skyrocketed and soon the cost of everything went up dramatically. We have a big increase in crime and fentanyl is coming across the open southern border in quantities nobody has ever seen before. Fentanyl poisoning is the biggest killer of people 18-45. We have shortages of prescription drugs, high inflation, high interest rates and higher taxes. As messed up as 2020 was, now it seems like the good old days.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Not all change is inherently good, and all change, even good, is inherently uncomfortable. “It was better before…” is the default response. Conservatives will generally stick to that summation while progressives will more rapidly accept the new. It’s the moderates who really effect change, and as they swing, so too does the tendency to say, “It was better before.”
Once you’ve absorbed and accepted the entirety of that bundle of truth, we can discuss how easily suggestible people really are and how THAT effects popular notions like the one you prompted.

inhua · Answer

things were a lot simpler back then and there wasn't social media to take away basic human to human interactions. political correctness was non-existent too but telling the truth today can get you cancelled.

movies and TV shows were better too. these days pop culture media is just woke with terrible writing and trash characters. stories that inspired audiences are now just political propaganda designed to make you feel ashamed to be a victim or guilty for being an oppressor due to factors outside of your control.

the same goes for lifestyle choices. healthy relationships and strong family units was the backbone that united us. nowadays it's either on the extreme ends where the attractive get to enjoy hookup culture, the unattractive get misery, kids no longer going outdoors, parents always at work and come home arguing, there's a lot cheating going on and divorces are made to wreck the family unit apart.

Aerissa_Jade · Answer

Some things were better before, some weren't.

For example, my 401k was better before, under Trump.

The country was better off under Trump.

There are things that were not better before, such as when Obama was in office, it was not better before Trump.

Sometimes change is better, sometimes it is worse... often it seems things usually change for the worst.

My work for example, when something is going great, they can't leave well enough alone and they have to ruin it... but when something is not working and terrible, they leave it alone and won't fix it.

Thus it was better before when things were going great.

ZXCwWRQWz · Answer

I really think it was better. I love the 80s! Action and sci-fi films are awesome! Terminator, Robocop, Aliens, Karate Kid, Ghostbusters, awesome stuff!

With animation, people had to hand-paint cells. That made studios more careful to find the best storyboards or even entire comic books and graphic novels to follow. There's no "fix it in post".

You can't fix it in post in the 80s! You gotta plan and you gotta get proper writers, storyboards, etc. At least the process was better back then! You had to plan way more! Now people are just like, "fix it in post". They're against planning shit.

RiseofArtemis · Answer

Because usually it was better before. I'll explain it this way. If you take a society or culture you can look at it like a curve. For having a stable family the best time was in the 1950's (Nuclear family) and every decade after the family got eroded more and more by organizations and the government. Single parent households and mental illness in children are rising dangerously today and cause a society with children that have no good parents and no real drive to become better.

This is called social Deterioration and we should actually be smart enough to know how to evade it. But somehow, we still think doing the same mistake over and over works. That's called insanity.

jongreat46 · Answer

they remember a time when mommy obeyed daddy and daddy was the provider and the boys raised on the idea that women obey their husbands get mad when the women they start dating don't want to obey them so the so called guy will go on a rampage and think that if their mother had to obey their father then why aren't the women they go for, want to obey them and they blame society for claiming to be too PC and not enforcing sexist gender norms they were raised on when in reality said guy is really just a pathetic loser who refuses to change his attitude because he sees women as subservient and should serve him.

Paul09 · Answer

Certain things were better and simpler then. But plenty things sucked too back then. We have it too good today and in the future with everything evolving, advancing , getting better and easier. But the social media and consumerism is making humans dumb. To this , do that , buy this , but that. Buy this to make the rich richer. Oh look those rich people causing inflation.. And also plenty of fools getting rich , being fools. Back then , you did not realize there were so many crazy people. It was more word of mouth kind of thing.

Kaneki05 · Answer

People who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
People who glorify the past are doomed to intentionally repeat them.

Just simply people been fools is why they say that. Not been thankful of modern day improvements.

AviatorTom · Answer

In hindsight, things are almost always better than the current situation. We humans tend to remember good things and forget about bad things.

One may argue that things actually WERE BETTER in the past, but if one takes a very specific look at things, they were probably very much the same.

Twalli · Answer

They have a view of the past that only focuses on the good things. The song "We Didn't Start the Fire" was in response to a kid in the 80s saying that it was easier back when Billy Joel was a kid. It wasn't, but the 80s kid wasn't alive then so he didn't know all the things that happened. Although I think 2020 may be one of the worst years in a LONG TIME.

tfan1 · Answer

The 1980’s were the best! You had great tv shows - Knight Rider, Airwolf, The Dukes of Hazzard, Transformers! And awesome music and movies! The toys were the best and made well - they didn’t break like today’s crap. The cars back then were cool too! 1982-1992 trans ams, dmc-12 Delorean, etc. It was a great time and I wish I could go back in time to relive it. ❤️🙂👍

Lliam · Answer

This country has become way, way more authoritarian over the last 20 years. People who weren't around before that have no idea what liberty feels like.

NathanDavis · Answer

because our knees are starting to hurt... for NO REASON WHATSOEVER, other than age... then we feel like blaming things on the youngsters, lmfao...

menina · Answer

Because the world used to be a better place. Now it's only a matter of time until human beings disappear.

FilmGuy93 · Answer

Because it was. People lived more. The world was soooo much nicer when you didn't constantly have people watching and controling you.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Because more often than the narcissistic novelty-obsessed people of today are willing to admit, it was.

Guy13 · Answer

Nostalgic and young are too dumb to realize what is happening. I was one of those "stupids" too.

Sour-rose · Answer

Because many people prefer that... to this. Where that... was more better than what is now and nostalgia is truly strong sometimes

Tyrael · Answer

It was better before social media, that much is true. Social media is easily one of the worst things ever created.

RyanEC · Answer

I think people look to a past era with rose colored glasses sometimes. People complain about the world today but they can’t seem to tell me when the golden era without problems was.

dustybiker · Answer

Because it was. Everything is slowly getting progressively worse.

jayhams · Answer

Because they don't recognize all the factors that make that statement a fallacy. A lot of people have a hard time with change because it requires work and self awareness.

mobiusforniner · Answer

Because my 69 karmann ghia looks and feels better than driving my 2016 focus.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

People don't like change. Maybe some things were better, but honestly, you'll have to be more specific

eagleboss09 · Answer

Much better before social media era life was better simple and no much disease or wars and many job out there good salaries I call nokia era 90s and early 2000s best time

MountAverage · Answer

Either because they're clueless idiots or because they're bigots. Usually both.

Anonymous · Answer

have you not been awake the past few years? because yeah it WAS better before...

Anonymous · Answer

It's never too late to make america great again. Start by wearing a smegma hat.

pizzalovershouse · Answer

Cuz of child hood exsperances an there look on life

Anonymous · Answer

Member berries.

WhiteBoyChill · Answer

Because it was. I don’t care for all this woke crap nowadays

Sixgunsound · Answer

Without context i have no idea.

Anonymous · Answer

Cuz I see my poop and it doesn’t look good. Back then it was golden Color smell better too!

purplepoppy · Answer

Because they've never read a history book.

DermalPunch · Answer

Because it was. There is no humanity left.

es20490446e · Answer

Cause what remains from before is always the good.

This_Is_My_Opinion8 · Answer

Because they miss the control they had

artsy_dragon · Answer

Because it was

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Before what?

Teriyaki70 · Answer

Context?

Why do people say "it was better before"?

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