We live in a world that is constantly changing. It seems as if life moves so fast that we don’t have time for the kinder things, and sometimes this means that our friendships suffer.
It’s not uncommon for people who lived in the 1970s and 1980s to look back on that time and consider it to be the ‘good old days.’ After all, it seemed as if life was so simple back then and all that was really needed was to get home in time for dinner.
Of course, we realize that the 70s were a difficult time, and the 80s certainly had their problems as well. When you compare them with what we are going through today, however, it seems as if we were living in a dream.
One of the things that many of us miss about the 70s and 80s are the conversations that we had back then. Rather than communicating through text messages, social media, and email, we would sit face-to-face and talk, sometimes for hours on end.
Things have changed over the years, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still enjoy some of the benefits we had from days gone by. Taking a look at why things are different and how things have changed can really help us to make the most of bringing it back again.
Here are some of the ways that relationships have changed since the 70s until now.
1. Communication – Communication was the cornerstone of any relationship in the 1970s. We would often talk face-to-face with our friends but sometimes, we could also use the telephone.
We may have had thoughts about videoconferencing back in the 70s, but it was a matter of science fiction. Writing letters was also something that we did, and we never even heard of email.
About 95% of the homes in the United States had telephones and they were a very convenient way to get in touch with somebody. During that time, we would only talk to those who were in our local area because it was very expensive to make a long-distance phone call.
Today, communication is at our very fingertips with text messaging, social media, and video calls. We may communicate, but it’s easy to miscommunicate as well.
2. Commitment – in the 1970s, 70% of married men and 67% of married women reported that they were happy in their marriage. Marriage was a cornerstone of life at that time.
Many couples would marry when they were young and it was less common to get divorced. That is not quite the same today, as many youngsters prioritize their careers over their personal lives.
Moving in without being married is also something that is generally accepted today.
3. Dating – There was a large difference in the way that we dated and the social skills that we had in the 70s compared to today. One way that this was seen was having to go up and talk to a stranger in the past, at least if you wanted any possible relationship.
Exchanging phone numbers with others was something that was considered the holy Grail of getting one of those romantic relationships started. At that point, you would just call them and hope that it worked out.
Today, the Internet has revolutionized the way that we meet, date, and build a relationship. I wouldn’t say that it was better, it’s just different.
4. Gender – Women were really fighting for their rights in the 1970s and the feminist movement was at its height. Most women stayed at home while the men of the household went to work, and they were often known as ‘homemakers’ and ‘housewives’.
Because job opportunities were limited, many women found it difficult to find a job if they separated from their significant other. If they had children, the employers would wonder how they had time to work.
These days, gender has become a hot topic and it seems as if it is always something that is being debated. With gender roles being fluid, it has certainly changed since what we saw in the 70s.
5. More Friends – It may be possible that people had more friends in the 70s because they had more meaningful friendships. We didn’t have all of the distractions that we had today, so we could focus on those relationships.
6. Social Media – The public was really focused on keeping their private lives private in the 1970s. This included the relationships that we had, whether they were platonic or romantic.
These days, it seems as if any type of relationship we have is only another excuse to post pictures on social media. Some may even boast about having thousands of friends, but the are not actually friends, they are just somebody who clicked the button because you posted something interesting.
7. Mental Health – In the 70s, seeking assistance from a mental health professional was often a taboo subject. Most people didn’t express their emotional needs as easily, and if they did need medication, they would usually just self-medicate.
Things are different today, with mental health support and healthy communication between others is a very common subject that is breached regularly. When problems occur, couples will go to therapy and talk openly about their feelings. This is certainly a way that we have moved forward since the 1970s.
