conversation today

Mike H Said: lifespans were very short in comparison to today.

Lots of people lived into their 80s and 90s. The difference being the infant mortality rate so the average lifespan was short. If you made it out of childhood, you could expect a long life.

Life was really tough 300 years ago, and lifespans were very short in comparison to today.

We only have cars, computers, phones, electricity, etc... because man has a never-ending sense of wanting to find easier ways to live, and live longer.

I doubt it you offered a car to people 300 years ago that many of them would say, "No thanks, I'll keep walking".

I was just trying to look at both sides of the coin. Not just the flashy side. Of course we need our automobiles in today's world. But did they need them to live like they did 300 years ago? Which way is better? Nearly everyone alive would say the way it is today but would the folks that lived 300 years ago think its better today or back then?

I've never won any popularity contests. Most people just try to say things others will approve of. I just say what I think. Sometimes it's right, sometimes its wrong and sometimes its a little bit of both. I was voted "most controversial" my senior year. ;)

If you're going to bring up auto safety, you can't even think of todays standards in the early days. You have to compare the early cars to horse and carriage. Sure the early hand-cranked cars caused so many broken appendages starting them that virtually everyone knew someone who had been hurt.

But they were comparing that risk to being stepped on, bucked off, tipping buggies, being kicked, feeding, shoveling.......everyone knew someone who had been hurt by that, too.

When my 81 year old Mom was growing up, if a plane flew over the valley, people would ask if you had seen it for weeks afterwards.

Chuck Said: If they had known how many of them would soon be covering up the roads, gas for them would cost $4 per gallon, the pollution they would put in the air and how many people would die from accidents, maybe they wouldnt have been so excited about it. :dry:

If they had known how many of them would soon be covering up the roads, gas for them would cost $4 per gallon, the pollution they would put in the air and how many people would die from accidents, maybe they wouldn't have been so excited about it. :dry:

That sets me to thinking Chuck. Thinking about the value of todays instantaneous communication. I guess that nowadays, many people would have seen That car, due to texting and cell phones.

And that would have mattered.....why? B)

Thirty four years ago when I was 12, I sat on the front porch of my 96 yr. old great aunt's home and listened to her tell me the story about the first car that ever came through the little town we grew up in. She said even though there were no telephones much less computers and internet, that the word got out pretty fast and everyone went to see about it. I said what kind of car was it? She just laughed and said "we didn't actually see the car, everyone just ran up to the road to see the tracks it left in the dirt". :dry:

From the family stories, he had no problems keeping up w/ his age 25 "old lady"

I just had my first kid at 30, made me feel old!

Ive got ten critizied (by assholes) for having children in my 40's. Big dif between 45 and 70. Perhaps the 25 yr old should've been on the pill, or ghe 70 yr old left them a lot of money.

Just kidding ya clover. At least grandpas flag still ran all the way up the pole

I know im enjoying my time with my boys, altho it is hard to relate to a 7 yr old sometimes at age 55 :laugh: Heck relating to ANYBODY is hard enough :dry:

Wow, can you imagine having a child at the age of 70? You just know that you will not be around to help raise them. What would the mother be thinking?

We roofed my Great Great Aunt's house a few months back. She is about 60, my Dad's age. Her pops had her at 70 years old w/ a gal that was 25 years old.

Yep. A lot of people ( especially the young ones ) look at those times as if it were back in the cave man days or something when it really hasn't been that long ago.

A good friend of mines dad lives in the home with him and is 97 years old. Every time I go over there his dad wants me to stay as long as possible. He often asks me to spend the night. He is an incredibly sweet soul.