People Raised In The 60s & 70s Mastered 7 Basic Life Rules Younger Generations Usually Struggle With
fotoak | ShutterstockBefore every problem could be solved with a quick Google search, people had to learn basic life skills to get them through their day-to-day routine.
With cell phones in every pocket, people don’t have to be as self-reliant as they were in the 1960s and 1970s. That's not putting down technology, which has improved life in a lot of ways, but there are some things young people could benefit from learning from older generations.
Younger generations struggle with these basic life rules that people raised in the 1960s and 1970s mastered easily
1. Friends are allowed to disagree
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This will definitely take young people by surprise, but 1960s and 1970s kids were used to disagreeing with people and still getting along with them. If they found out a friend voted for another candidate or would have done something differently, they just accepted it and moved on.
These days, people seem to forget that disagreements don’t have to lead to actual conflicts. A difference of opinion doesn’t mean people have to hate each other. The world might be a more peaceful place if everyone could agree to disagree like people used to.
2. It’s always best to be on time
Punctuality isn’t something people universally agree on across cultures, and you could really argue that the attitude towards it has changed over time in the U.S. alone. We still value our time these days, but showing up a few minutes late isn’t as much of a crisis as it once was.
Back in the 60s and 70s, people didn’t just show up on time because they were supposed to. They also saw punctuality as a way to be polite and show respect. The few times they did run late were probably for much more relaxed plans with close friends.
3. Everyone deserves to keep some things private
Young people still value privacy now, but on a much more practical level. They might describe it in broader terms, like not having their account hacked or their identity stolen.
That’s the absolute bare minimum for older generations. They didn’t share everything they did and every thought they had on social media, and most are still hesitant to do that now when they have the chance.
Kids in the 60s and 70s were taught that everyone had a right to privacy. They never stopped taking that seriously, even when society as a whole decided it didn’t really matter anymore.
4. Older people come with a wealth of knowledge
Respecting your elders wasn’t just a cliché back in the day. It was something that people really did. Young people knew that older folks had so much more life experience that they could benefit from learning about and were always eager to listen.
Things are different now. Younger generations respect their elders, but they don’t really think they need to spend time learning from them like people used to. That’s too bad since intergenerational relationships have advantages for all age groups.
5. Good neighbors are a great resource
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A lot of people from younger generations would say they don’t even know their neighbors’ names, which shows how much priorities have changed over the years. People just don’t care about having solid connections in their communities anymore.
Things were totally different just a few decades ago. Everyone knew their neighbors and many other members of their community, and they all supported each other.
Whether someone needed to borrow gardening tools or needed help moving, people showed up for them because that’s just what they did. And they found comfort in knowing that other people would show up for them when they were the one who needed help.
6. Little things really can make you happy
Different generations think about happiness in dramatically different ways. Young people are used to always being entertained with very little effort on their part, and it usually takes something pretty big to grab their attention.
For people raised in the 60s and 70s, happiness was as simple as finishing a good book outside when the weather was perfect. It probably sounds boring to younger generations, but finding contentment in a basic analog hobby is a sign that someone doesn’t need to chase after luxuries that are hard to attain.
7. You shouldn’t need help fixing everything
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Nowadays, if you need to fix something, there’s a YouTube tutorial that makes it pretty easy. In most cases, people also have the option to pay a professional to do it so they don’t have to worry about it themselves.
Years ago, people were more likely to try to handle minor issues on their own, from repairs to navigation. This helped them in all areas of their lives because it gave them greater resilience when facing everyday inconveniences. Those things didn’t stress them out as much.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
