Agreed- even in the 60-70’s life was pretty tough compared to today (though we had it a bit better than previous generation)- growing up we kids didn’t have things like computers or cell phones- and were always outside, even in winter- running and playing and also doing chores like cutting splitting wood, feeding ht animals, caring for them- cleaning out stalls, etc- gathering hay in summer- working aroudn the land to improve it- always doing something- usually physical- helping out neighbors who had larger farms etc- We kept plenty fit, that was for sure=- and we grew up in the woods too- which was an adventure in itself-
life was just way better, and far more adventurous back then- My Father’s generation before me had it pretty rough- life was pretty tough back then- and it created lots of tough people like you said-
Look at most of the actors back i n the 30’s or before- you could tell that even they weren’t afraid of hard work- they were all really fit- and you could tel which ones had experience using an ax, riding a horse, or working on a ranch etc- Even boxers back then were super tough- they woudl go dozens of rounds sometimes- (and some of them fought bare knuckles lol)- today, you watch an MMA fight, and the contestants are winded by the third round and can’t go much further-
My parents made it through the depression.
My Dad’s family had the family farm and weathered it pretty well. They never went hungry but there was a definite lack of anything you needed money to purchase. Christmas presents were home made clothes and, if lucky, some oranges or other citrus fruit.
All considered not bad for a family with four children during the depression.
My Mom’s family had it much harder.
My maternal grandparents never owned a place of their own. Over the course of time they lived on three rented farms. Her dad would work the farm and hire himself out as a laborer whenever he could. With nine kids to feed everyone had to work to help feed the family. Even the girls because grandma was constantly sick, we now know it was leukemia.
Of the nine only two graduated high school.
There were times when the only thing they had in the pantry was a fifty pound bag of dried beans and a bag of flour. They canned and preserved everything possible but it was always a struggle to make the food stretch until the new crops from the garden came in.
All in all, a pretty rough life by anyone’s measuring.
But those nine children grew up with an amazing work ethic. When all was said and done each one owned a home of their own and never had to move from place to place. And they could pinch pennies with the best.
Not bad for a bunch of uneducated hicks.