Transcription
40 years ago, things were very different. MTV was just catching on and Atari was still very popular. We didn't have all the constant news in our face, but our social media was hanging out with friends and family.
Some of the things we used to do would probably get you arrested now. Safety standards in cars were pretty well absent. The regulations were more like mild suggestions rather than rules or laws. Nobody wore seat belts, and many people just wondered why they were even there. As a kid, you could sit in the middle of the bench seat up front and control the radio. If you wanted to see over the tall dash, then you could just simply stand up. Heck, dad may have even placed you in his lap so you could help him steer the car. It was also common to see kids just packed in the back of a station wagon or maybe in the bed of a pickup truck. Car seats were available for purchase. But rarely would you ever see one in a car. If your car was packed with kids, then it was usually easier just to leave them in the car and then go into the grocery store and shop. Most people just left the windows rolled down and the kids would be just fine.
Kids were very active and it wasn't uncommon just to tell your parents you were going outside to play and then you would disappear for most of the day, if not all of it. It was always easy to tell where all the neighborhood kids were just by glancing at someone's yard and seeing the collection of bicycles. If that wasn't seen, then most of the kids would knock on their friend's door to see if they were home and if they wanted to come out and play. If you went around riding bikes, then you certainly didn't wear a helmet. Most people couldn't even see these in stores to buy, and if you could, they wouldn't have even wanted them. Same thing with elbow pads and knee pads. Most kids just thought it was cool to show off your latest injury or skinned knee.
If you happen to be too far from home too late, then no problem. Find one of the payoneses that were all over the place. And if you didn't have change, then that wasn't a problem either. Your parents knew when they got the collect call. "You have a collect call from I'm at the community center. Do you accept charges?" Your mom and dad would just come and pick you up and load up the bikes if you had them. Otherwise, your parents just expected you to be home by the time the street lights came on.
Smoking was still very big and parents smoked in the home and in the car with kids still in it. Secondhand smoke was just something that everyone had to live with and most people weren't worried about exposing it to kids. It wasn't uncommon to see people just smoking away in restaurants, and most of them probably didn't even have smoking sections. Things were so different back then that there were cigarette machines in front of some stores and restaurants. No ID check or anything, just insert the quarters and pull the knob. It was also a time when kids would run to the convenience store and pick up some essentials. Sometimes those essentials were cigarettes and all we needed was a note from mom or dad and a blank check.
Considering how most people were about smoking, it's not surprising that alcohol would be much different. Alcohol wasn't something that kids enjoyed, but I'm sure many tasted it just to see what it was like when parents offered it. Being a latch key kid was perfectly fine. Parents were busy working and doing other things. So, it was quite common to see kids at home by themselves or watching younger siblings until they got home. Parents just thought if kids were old enough to dial the important numbers or 911, they were responsible enough to be at home alone.
Physical punishment was also something that was viewed very differently. Paneling or SWAT from parents, family, or teachers was considered completely reasonable if the kids misbehaved or were disrespectful. Punishment was usually swift and painful. Peanut allergies certainly were around back then, but kids still brought peanut butter sandwiches and peanut products to school. Peanut and other allergy bands weren't a thing. Epipens didn't hit the market until 1987. So, if you had an allergy, you just had to hope you didn't die.
If you were a teenager in the 1980s, then you didn't have Instagram or Snapchat. Your social media was hanging out at the mall with your friends. You could do a little shopping, eating, and a whole lot of hanging out. Parents would allow their kids to roam the mall by themselves for hours. Kids may still go to the mall today, but not quite as much. If they hang out there all day now, they might accuse you of loitering.
Chickenpox parties were something that many people had long before there was a vaccine. Most people felt it was best just to get chickenpox out of the way so you wouldn't have to worry about it later. If one kid started showing signs, then it was time to gather every other kid who hadn't gotten it for a good old-fashioned party.
The PG-13 rating didn't exist until July 1st, 1984. And prior to that, they got away with a lot more. People realized that there was a huge gap between PG and R. If you take a look back at the movie Airplane, which was PG, you'll understand how wide this gap was. The movie was filled with a lot of adult humor in it, and it even showed some nudity. On August 10th, 1984, the action film Red Dawn, starring Patrick Sees and Charlie Sheen, became the first ever PG-13 movie to be released in theaters.
Over the last 40 years, there have been many changes, not just in technology, but in regulations on what we can and cannot do. Most of the younger generations do not realize how many changes have taken place during the 80s and have continued to do so. I hope you enjoyed this little walk down memory lane. Thank you so much for watching.
"Why don't you come up here, pumpkin?"
"What are you doing, Larry?"
"Well, Vince, I've asked my pumpkin to sit on my lap to prove a point."
"And what is that your liness?"
"Even if we fasten our safety belts, even if you hold on tight, even if you were watching the road, [Applause] in a crash, your pumpkin will be nothing but a squash. You could learn a lot from a dummy. Use child safety seats. We love that little pumpkin to pieces."
"Okay, Joey, it's all right. Hi, I'm Joey Lawrence and give me a break. After I'm done here, I get a ride home. But the thing is, I will only get into a car with someone who wears their seat belt. You see, kids like me usually do what the driver does. If they don't buckle, we don't buckle. Sounds pretty dumb, huh? But it happens, just like accidents. Give a kid a break. Buckle up. Your life and theirs is in your hands."
"Light it up. Drag it down. that slow down just to cool a shing. You know it just ain't cool. Girl, where you going with that dragon breath? When you walk in a room, they can't stand you. Baby, baby, tell me baby, tell me why you smoke that trash. Everybody saying you ain't got no. Can't you see what you are? You're a dragon, baby. A message for you and me from the American Cancer Society. Don't be a dragon, lady."