Born 1956 grew up on Long Island, NY. Rode bikes everywhere and no helmets. Slept often outside in tents summer nights with friends. We even had a short prayer in public schools until after 3rd grade. Would shovel snow and cut grass for a little extra spending cash. There was more discipline yet a better quality of freedom in a much safer and saner enviroment.
I also grew up on Long Island, NY....in the 1960’s.
We had two acres of land. I remember my mother raking leaves, putting them in piles, and burning the leaves and branches. Perfectly legal. No permits required. Impossible to do now....not allowed.
One day I came home from school, and a number of oak trees on our property had been cut down with chain saws. As it turns out, a guy had knocked on our door and asked my mother if she wanted any trees cut down, for a small price. My mother pointed out some trees she wanted him to cut down, and the guy with the chainsaw did so. Shawn Hannity lives in the same general area, and nowadays you have to get a permit to cut down a tree, according to him.
Fourth of July.....as a kid, the fireworks started in the morning and continued all day. I could hear them in the neighborhood and beyond. It sounded like World War III throughout the day and night. Now, fireworks are banned.
We had Christmas trees in the class rooms, and sang Christmas carols and religious songs at school assemblies.
Now, it’s called winter holiday or some such crap. No religious songs allowed.
My parents sold my boyhood home in the 1970’s....it took three years to sell in a lousy real estate market. Sold for very little. Today, the home would be worth $ 1 million. From what I heard, the property taxes are more than $20,000 per year these days.
Also, boarding an airliner at Kennedy or La Guardia Airport as a kid was a breeze. No hassles. Now, you’re treated only slightly better than a prison inmate.
Like you said, no bike helmets, no seat belt laws. No PC bullcrap.
Went to a public school. The Christmas concert was filled with “religious” Christmas songs that would cause a major incident if sung now.
Silent Night, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, The Dradle Song, even Oh Tanenbaum, and on and on and on.