For older people. back in 1969, what did you think would happen now back then?

Question

Were your predictions close or too far off? What did you think the future was going to be like back then?

Answer 1

Figured pot would be legal by now.

Answer 2

1/2 way through 1969 we were on the moon. I thought by now we would have had colonies there and beyond. It has been a disappointment.

We were concerned about the environment and pollution from coal and petroleum belching smokestacks and tailpipes. I thought that nuclear energy/electricity would be more of a solution than it has been.

I thought that the UN would be more effective and powerful than it is. How can we still have starving children wandering around hovels?

I felt that learning Spanish might be important to me in the future...it was. At that time, 1/2 of the people in the Western Hemisphere spoke it. It might be a good idea to know what 1/2 of my neighbors were saying...it is.

I felt that Nixon was a sneak and not to be trusted. I was right.

Answer 3

So this makes me "older"???

I remember Disneyland used to have this "House of the Future" but it had to be taken down because everything they predicted, like machines to wash dishes, cook food in half the time, keep the temperatures at an exact level, etc. had all come true.

But one has to remember the real and true spirit of the 60s (which should be counted as from 1965 - 1975, by the way) ...
the real spirit of the 60s was all about change and the effort to gain equality for all people, especially during that time, the blacks, women, Hispanics, poor, etc. and for the taking better care of the environment. No, we haven't fulfilled this perfectly, but we sure are a lot closer.

The one thing I really thought we'd have that we don't, is flying cars. They kept saying it was the solution to our traffic issues. It sure hasn't happened. The one thing that did happen that I didn't expect, was the rapid expansion of the use of computers. Sure, we had them, somewhat, but who knew they were going to be so cheap, available and useful?

No, if you'll excuse this old geezer, I have to go listen to some groovy music on my eight-track ... far out ... make love, not war; sex drugs and rock n roll ... tune in, turn on, drop out ... power to the people ... the revolution has come, time to pick up your gun ... oh, those were the days, I think I'm having a flash-back ...

Answer 4

The wars would end. Many of our families were in the war, and we hoped by this time, the wars would end. They talked about all this peace, and went nowhere with it.
Less drugs. There were too many drugs, and too much illegal drug use. This was before cocaine, crack, and ecstasy. (I am probably leaving out a few of the newer drugs) I am really surprised at the amount of drug use. Having moved back after 16 years, the amount of recreational drug use here hasn't lessened at all. I am at a loss explaining to my son, the things so easily told to him in a different state. Don't do drugs, don't use drugs, it was so easy. Here everyone uses drugs or knows someone whom does.
Less smoking tobacco. This is a good thing.
The religion. Almost everyone could have foreseen the things with the Catholic priests. Their education is good.
Health care has improved, thank goodness.
Transportation is more of a problem, and where are all these huge SUV's going? To war, for more gas for the SUV's.
Outside of New York, we haven't been attacked, thank goodness.
I expected some people to mature nicer, and some things to decidedly lessen, although the world seems to be surviving nicely. You did ask for specifics And the tattoos, the racism, some of it continues for no reason. I prefer the tattoos.

Answer 5

I thought that there would be less racism,and poverty than there is now, because we fought so hard for it to end, I never thought we would have another Vietnam and I never thought that there would be such a mean spirited divide between liberals and conservatives. I expected women to have truly equal pay and not have women like Paris Hilton as celebrities. I expected my generation to drive cars that were better for the environment than SUVs and to have developed alternative fuels after the last energy crisis.

I had no idea that the PC would change every day life.

I thought we would be working less hours than we do.

I never expected "1969" to be something remembered by older people. I had no idea drugs would be the problem they are now, as it seemed so harmless at the time.

I did expect the high divorce rate, expansion of food selection and vast array of entertainment choices

Answer 6

In 1969 the cold war was very real. By that time we had gone through exercises in class where we would hide under our desk on command. A neighbor built a bomb shelter in his yard; I realize now that no one thought about what kind of world we would have after the bomb. I think many people believed life would end on earth because the Russians would drop the bomb.

Answer 7

The biggest changes have probably been in the last 10 years; computers, cell phones etc. Personally, I woulld have never thought that I would be as happy, healthy and active as I am at 64. Life is more fun than ever! So many people my age talk about the past like it was so much better and I disagree. Even the new music sounds great to me.

Answer 8

I was nine and it was a time of wide spread scientific optimism and social unrest. I was a Canadian living in Corvallis Oregon while my father finished his post graduate degree at Oregon State University. Every nine year old boy I knew thought that they would go to war at 18 and that science would solve the problems of the world.
The anti-war movement was gaining steam ( de ja vu) and there where people in space and living at the bottom of the ocean while environmentalism (SPEC) was in its infancy.
As a background the cold-war simmered and the fear of nuclear war was a constant companion.
My dad got tear gassed at a student rally on campus that year and I remeber him wearing sunglasses all the time for a day or two.

-We thought that computers would run the world (!)
-We thought that we would have a permanent station in space (!) probably on the moon (?)
-We thought that the earth's abundance was endless(?)
-We thought that the world would become a more enlightened place as we went along (?)

Answer 9

All over the news was a climate catastrophe on the horizon. We were heading into an ice age headlong and by 1990 even Florida was going to be frozen solid. Much like the "Global Warming" crap that's going on today.

No way we could predict today. Especially how your bank screws you, the oil company screws you, the phone company screws you. Cellphones? Forget it, not even an idea. Computers? Only on the Enterprise. I missed it by miles.

Answer 10

I figured I'd be dead by now. If I'd known I'd live this long, I'd have left a few kegs of whiskey undrunk, and lots of crazy women unchased.

In all honesty, I figured the Cold War would go hot, very hot. I fully expected a nuclear exchange between the US and USSR which would lead to an overall collapse of civilization, with corresponding hardship and struggles to rebuild a civilization.

Boy am I glad I was wrong!!!!

Doc

Answer 11

I was 5 years old in 1969, so I didn't think about it. But by 1980, I kind of figured things would be like this.