It’s getting disturbing how things I could swear happened the day before yesterday are turning out now to be located way far back in the mists of time.  So I almost welcome finding clues that things have indeed changed in the few blinks it took me to get to old age. 

I have been looking at a special double issue of Life magazine published January 9, 1070, entitled “Into the ‘70s.”  Apparently, after the 60s (I had to restrain myself from inserting the invariable adjective “tumultuous” here), they were expecting equally big things of the 70s.  I’m not sure what to make of their findings.

There was reflection on some of the less dire trends of the 60s:  wig sales had gone from $35 million in 1960 to $500 million in 1969*; sunglasses had leaped from $14.5 million to $39 million; guitars $35 million to $130 million; and panty hose more than tripled in sales between 1968 and 1969 alone** People were eating a lot more spices, planes were being hijacked to Cuba all the damn time now, the whooping crane population had gone from a mere 33 to all of 55 in ten years, and a lot more people were skydiving. 

But it’s a Harris poll and Life’s interpretation of it that really has me scratching my head.  I expected the difference in attitudes over forty years would be greater.  A quote:

“Despite the areas of agreement reflected in the poll, no one who has lived through the last 10 years in America can doubt that angry division beset us.  The causes become clear when people’s attitudes are broken down by age, race, economic and educational levels.  What emerges, in Harris’ words, is “a nation of minorities.  Geographic regions, community size, age, education and race have all become indicators of division and fragmentation.  Blacks, denied the benefits of economic growth, are unwilling to accept second-class status.  Middle-income whites feel they too have been denied the benefits of economic growth by rising living costs, and they tend to blame the blacks.  The old feel forgotten and the young feel that what they say goes unheeded.  Blue-collar workers still struggle for the good life, but college students reject the material values of the broad middle class.* Out of these challenges and defense of traditional values, a new social structure is almost certain to emerge.”

Did it?  I don’t know.  It doesn’t seem like it to me, in spite of some improvements.  The article goes on to talk about changing moral values and attitudes towards integration, which I guess did happen.  Then there’s this surprising bit, which is not at all how I remember things, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

“A more widespread trend is the belief that the U.S. cannot solve the rest of the world’s problems by force.  Although 62% think Communism is a greater threat than it was five years ago (with more people afraid of China than Russia), only 38% say it would be worthwhile going to war if the Russians took over Berlin (68% were willing to fight in 1963), 36% if Castro invade a South American country****; 24% if Red China invaded Taiwan; and 16% if Israel were losing to the Arabs.  In short, people are less willing to commit U.S. military forces to crises overseas.” 

Hunh.

Also along the lines of “the more things change…” is a report that people of all ages (including teenagers, themselves) agreed “parents have become too permissive,” thus predictive of an imminent change back to “old-fashioned upbringing.”  Yeah.  Hah.  So much for that. 

Here’s what the poll determined Americans wanted most out of life in 1970, from a rating of 26 choices.  Top six items agreed upon: 

Green grass and trees around me                             95%

(Would anyone think to ask such a question today?  But maybe it’s the turn of phrase that’s odd)

Neighbors with whom I feel comfortable                  92%

(This one was loaded)

A church of my faith nearby                          86%

(Americans lie like rugs about church attendance, so I don’t trust this one)

A first-rate shopping area nearby                             84%

(Life before the internet – one forgets)

A kitchen with all the modern conveniences            84%

(Poor things didn’t even have microwaves yet)

Good schools nearby                                                 81%

(Ranked below church and dishwashers, hmm)

I don’t know what choices made up the middle of the list, but at the bottom were

Living near close relatives                            40%

(The nuclear family hadn’t yet imploded)

Living off the beaten track                            35%

(Quaint!)

Living where the action is                              27%

(So quaint, it hurts)

Mind you, it’s a poll (only 4,047 people were questioned), and not a collection of essential truths.  I don’t know what it all means.  It’s easier to think about time and change in terms of  how you can’t buy a new car for $2000 anymore. 

 * Which actually seems alarming the more I think about it.

**  624 million pairs sold in 1969, up from 200-odd million the year before. 

*** Okay – something did really change!

****And yet, we invaded 133 sq. mi. Grenada.