118 replies to this topic

[MUM24/7]

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Yeah I know we romance it a lot, I watch a lot of old movies. And I know we have a lot more medicine now than we did back then, but I just don't like the way the world is now, just turn on any news channel and look what you see: Terrorists blowing up people, drug addicts running amock, our country being taken over by like 5 different countries. The 1800's had it's share of problems, but it wasn't a madhouse like it is today. If I could be born anytime, anywhere I wanted, it would have to be Victorian era England, like I said, whenever I read books or watch movies that happened in that time period, or when I studied it in history class, I just get this strong feeling like I belong there, not here. Life was just a lot simpler back then, and that's what I really want.

PS: I would still shower!

Good luck in trying to find a fully functioning hot/cold water running from shower head , shower cubicle in the 1800's.......
Plus trying to find a toilet, like the one you've got at home, in the 1800's......

I for one love my amenities and delight in being able to flush away whever I get the need .....

[Bebi]

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I feel like I should have been born a little earlier to experience the early to mid 90s as a teenager or adult.

Do you know, reading your post I actually feel lucky to have been 13/14 in 1990...  I've never really thought about it before lol  you're right though, the 90s were a great time to be a teen

[msadventures]

I feel sometimes like I belong on an alternate earth; in a present day that never was here. If  hyperrealistic dreams counted for anything, I've shared episodes experiences from a parallel life on the other side.

[Princess Serenity]

I said this before. But I think I should be in the Middle Ages/Resistience era. >.< The time of kings & queens. I just feel that way.

Cool, Ms. Adventures.

[HAJiME]

I should have been born 10 years erlia. I am beyond gutted about missing most of the 80's. =/

[Nephthys]

I feel it too. I remember being 8 / 9 years old, walking to school and prodding and poking myself, saying "this isn't me, this isn't where I should be".

People of this generation make me sad. Where people 30 / 40 years ago were greeting a revolution, fighting for equality, "waste not, want not'ing", and looking to change the world. These days, you're lucky to see a 16 year old without a 6 month old baby in toe.

I thrive in the knowledge one day I'll start a revolution. I think I was best described when my partner called me an "Idealist monkey of a hippy". I hate working for the man. I will "Stick it to the man" and revolt wherever possible. I can't get my head around technology. I'm 20, and can't stand CD's, MP3's, DVD's ... anything small and shiney that can be shortened to less than three letters. All the records I own are on vinyl, and I do all of my essay writing on a typewriter. I opened a door for an elderly woman the other day, with one hand behind my back. All she could say was "What?! Do you think I'm some (expletive) idiot that I can't open a door on my own?"

A woman asked me directions, and I told her, using my arms to gesture directions. A youth thought I was attacking the woman and backed me into a corner. I offered to carry a struggling elderly woman's carrier bags, and she started screaming that I was trying to rob her. What kind of great era do we live in that we have to fear other humans so much, that when aiding another, we assume generosity, mannors and general kindness can't possibly exist publically?

Do I think I was born too late? Deffinately. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. But old fashioned in comparison to what ? I'm only 20 afterall.

[Sheath]

I have always wished i could be born in a time when i could become a professional theif (so.. renaisance or earlier?)

[msadventures]

Nephthys,
I agree with you about your dismay with human nature. People seem to hate each other's presence, full of negativity. I don't think that something changed with the generations, I have a long memory of human behavior never being much friendlier, even back during the times when you think they were better. I feel a sense of wrongness from almost everyone.

I feel like all I can do is fall asleep to an old 45 record of the Beatles singing "A little help from my friends" (Leguin reference   )

Edited by msadventures, 27 February 2007 - 02:10 AM.

[Nephthys]

But they were much more innocent times. You could leave your house with the door open, and you could let your children ride their bikes in the street. I know for one I check the door twice before sleeping and honestly don't think I could ride the bike to work for fear of being run over / having it stolen. I just think the time of appologise, sympathy and mannors is long gone, and I wish I had been around to whitness it.

I love my collection of 45's. I guess I crave educating people and letting them know we can make the world a better place, and genuinely, "all you need is love". Everything else is a luxury . I guess I miss a time when people would think outside the box and dare to imagine.

I'm so greatful I found UM forums.

[Bebi]

Nepthys, I know where you're coming from.  When I was less than 10 years old my brother and I used to go out and stay out all day playing over the fields behind our house with our friends.  When I think of allowing my own kids (9 (almost 10) & 8) doing the same my blood freezes.  Maybe there were paedophiles around in the 80s, but we never heard of them...  My brother in law has a good point - we educate children far too much for their own good nowadays.  Take these 16 year olds with kids/ASBOs - they're explained their rights regarding the law at such a young age, and know exactly what they can/can't get away with.  Nothing holds any awe for them, the magic of childhood is slowly being chipped away by overinformation.

Oopsie, rant over  

[Nephthys]

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...Nothing holds any awe for them, the magic of childhood is slowly being chipped away by overinformation.

Couldn't agree with you more. I long for a time of 10 inch snow and faries at the end of the garden. My little cousin's only 8, and he's not allowed to believe in Santa, as the other children pick on him. Modern world scares me far too much. Where greed, lust and corporations rule what we think, believe and imagine. I guess, I suppose I belong in an era of innocents.

[Siara]

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I'm glad to be living now. I've seen many amazing things and am likely to see many more.

I've been here for when man first set foot on the Moon. I saw the Berlin wall crumble. I saw Nelson Mandela sweep apartheid from South Africa. I've seen Mars displayed in such detail as we couldn't imagine. I saw the start of a new millennium (well, if you follow the Christian calendar) and global celebrations of such.

Yes there have been terrible things as well, we still have ignorance and intolerance displayed in many ways, but I can see us finally starting to realise we have a natural place on the planet and that we have to act responsibly towards that.

I agree with a lot of what Leonardo wrote.  These are fascinating times-- things are changing so rapidly that we can see big change during our lifetimes.  Also, we have the media so we can see the entire world and ourselves as part of its story.

Most people who lived in past centuries didn't know much about what was happening outside their immediate communities.  When I fantasize about living in the past, I always fantasize that I am reasonably well off and in perfect health (I guess if I'm going to fantasize, why not go all the way and make myself beautiful, healthy and rich?).  I also tend to ignore the fact that in most centuries, being a woman would have sucked.

The thing about contemporary life that I don't love is the fact that it's so easy to feel like a cog in a giant piece of machinery.   This is probably wrong, but it seems like in the Middle Ages people had clear-cut roles in their communities.  Like, if you were a shoemaker you'd start out apprenticing and eventually go on to become an independent craftsperson.  You'd have the security of being good at something necessary (assuming that you weren't a clutz!).  Nowdays we spend huge amounts of time shuffling paper.  Lots of us have jobs that are intensely repetitive and don't culminate in the production of a well-defined product.  Walking along the main street of your town and thinking, "Wow, those boots I made for Joe have held up well" seems like it would have to be more rewarding than walking along thinking "Wow, I've been sorting forms for 15 years and I've never even met my boss".

[Reality Shift believer]

I feel like I was born twice. One 2000 years ago and now. I come up with this one on accident. And boy do I feel fustrated. I just mysteriously wanted to know why my birthmark was where Jesus was stabbed. I regret researching it. I got scientifical proof. It Sucks! First, the plantary alignments match up, then my birthmark placement, then my appearance being handsome, then my intelligence was high. Do I need anything else? I stood there with my jaw dropped about a foot for 10 seconds and fell back on my chair. Or am I his brother? I don't know and wish it weren't true. Will someone tell me that I'm missing something here...please, with proof. Don't just sit there and tell me because I want to hear it.

[Reality Shift believer]

Hey Siara

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I agree with a lot of what Leonardo wrote.  These are fascinating times-- things are changing so rapidly that we can see big change during our lifetimes.  Also, we have the media so we can see the entire world and ourselves as part of its story.

Most people who lived in past centuries didn't know much about what was happening outside their immediate communities.  When I fantasize about living in the past, I always fantasize that I am reasonably well off and in perfect health (I guess if I'm going to fantasize, why not go all the way and make myself beautiful, healthy and rich?).  I also tend to ignore the fact that in most centuries, being a woman would have sucked.

The thing about contemporary life that I don't love is the fact that it's so easy to feel like a cog in a giant piece of machinery.   This is probably wrong, but it seems like in the Middle Ages people had clear-cut roles in their communities.  Like, if you were a shoemaker you'd start out apprenticing and eventually go on to become an independent craftsperson.  You'd have the security of being good at something necessary (assuming that you weren't a clutz!).  Nowdays we spend huge amounts of time shuffling paper.  Lots of us have jobs that are intensely repetitive and don't culminate in the production of a well-defined product.  Walking along the main street of your town and thinking, "Wow, those boots I made for Joe have held up well" seems like it would have to be more rewarding than walking along thinking "Wow, I've been sorting forms for 15 years and I've never even met my boss".

People end up in places where they don't and sometimes do want  to be. Look at me, I'm 18 and a supervisor of a full-fledge power equipment repair and retail center and afraid of success because the overwhelming feeling makes me screw up. www.mowerdoctor.com It's kind of fun, we have funny workers, but are productive. The place I don't want to be in, is a person without a female in my life, 18 yrs and not even a peck on the cheek. So I'm sure there are qualities in your life that you enjoy. If I was a poor, lifeless person, I'd end my life when I got the chance.

"Wow, I've been sorting forms for 15 years and I've never even met my boss" that sucks. I certainly wouldn't want to work for someone I don't even know.
My mother always told me, take what you can get. Well , I never followed that because that would mean I'd be the rest of the keyfood workers. In my eyes, I take what I want and earn what I want. Education gets you 70% there, you just figure out the rest, just as I did.

[Siara]

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Hey Siara

"Wow, I've been sorting forms for 15 years and I've never even met my boss" that sucks. I certainly wouldn't want to work for someone I don't even know.
My mother always told me, take what you can get. Well , I never followed that because that would mean I'd be the rest of the keyfood workers. In my eyes, I take what I want and earn what I want. Education gets you 70% there, you just figure out the rest, just as I did.

Hey R. Shift,

I wasn't saying that I myself am in that position  (I'm not), just that modern life makes it hard for people to quantify their accomplishments.  I think this is a bad characteristic of our times, and it makes many people wish they were living at another time.