They were in old movies ( especially old ANDY HARDY and early ones ), so even big city people knew what they were, once upon a time. Neither were "hot rods" in the '50s.
Re dumbed down kids...this has sadly been going on for many decades now...even in the most ELITE schools and many parents and yes, I fear grandparents don't talk much to their children any more. Nobody writes snailmail, fewer and fewer people read books and the required books, in all schools, are CRAP!
Nursery rhymes, the old fairy tales, myths, great children's lit? How many kids get these read to them/read these themselves anymore?
Lyrics to "songs" today? REALLY? LOL
Once upon a time the likes of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, W.S. Gilbert, etc. were clever, witty, complex, and beautiful. Even the lower classes had a better vocabulary, whether they actually used it or not, and they understood the words used.
It's all quite disquieting, if not utterly heartbrteaking!
“It’s all quite disquieting, if not utterly heartbrteaking!”
Yes it is.
My favorite song is What A Wonderful World written by Bob Thiele, George Weiss and recorded by Louis Armstrong. Simple yet eloquent and full of optimism and happiness.
Today so called “artists” throw together as many curse words as possible and call it “music”. Not for me.
Movies? Forget it.
Good movies no longer do well at the box office. Audiences want explosions, nudity, simulated sex and a large body count. Character development? Who has time for that because audiences have the attention span of goldfish.
My favorite movie is The Ten Commandments. Beautiful and biblical.
And how about The African Queen?
Bogart and Hepburn delivering great dialogue with a true happy ending.
Young people have no idea what they’re missing.