If you were a young man back in the 50's, you'd settle a dispute with a fist fight, and then you'd shake hands

Question

The best man won, and the loser took his medicine like a MAN. Why is it that we've lost our honor, and become a bunch of cowards? What happened?

LittleBarb, I'm sure your right, BUT, I have. Imagine. Me, a thug! (who knew?)

I should have used "man or woman" I guess, but MAN seemed to express my point more emphatically.

James P- Ha Ha Ha!

I wasn't born in the 50's. But I do know people who were.

Answer 1

Over-sensitive parenting and spoiled upbringings. That's only a part of it, though.

Answer 2

Really good question. I think it has to do with the fact that for 50 years or so, the concepts of Individualism and Personal Responsibility have been systematically downplayed by society. People today are taught that they have to accept things whether they like it or not. This does not breed respect, but rather contempt. At the same time, Individualism is seen as reckless and selfish, while Personal Responsibility is defined as something best left for someone else to do for you.
The idea of Honor still remains, only now we have whole generations of people with no idea of how to defend it without ever more violence. They never developed the tools needed to resolve problems on a one on one basis before things get out of hand.

Answer 3

Where DO you people get your SO CALLED FACTS from??? watching too many cartoons I guess.... I was born in 1950.... men did NOT settle disputes by fist fighting THEN any more then they do NOW----except NOW they tend to use GUNS a heck of a lot more then they did then....what you saw from 1950's TELEVISION was NOT necessarily how things actually WERE.... it was more like a HAPPY DAYS kind of time for a while anyway... Only the guys we all called "THUGS" used their FISTS to do their arguing with and they were usually the LOSERS...... the smart guys didn't HAVE to fight anyone. And WHEN is it HONORABLE to go around beating people UP to settle a dispute????? The Loser uses his fist, the winner uses his BRAINS!!! Just because people settle disputes with REASONING today does NOT make them cowards... I think you best stick to COMIC BOOKS and don't try to make generalized statements when you obviously know NOTHING about the subject......

Answer 4

Hello,

In my opinion we eventually became more hardened, ie desensitized to violence thanks to so much of it in our entertainment over the last 50 years. Social values and priorities also changed though I have to say, some for the better and some for the worst. In many western countries the punishments for murder and violent crime were drastically weakened from capital punishment and stiff jail sentences to a slap on the wrist and light sentences or home confinement.
A criminal under 17 in many places cannot have a criminal record or serve hard time as he or she is considered a minor.
I would also add that family values have eroded since two incomes are necessary in many cases in this day and age just to keep a roof over your head and educate everyone. Perhaps not enough quality time is given to the children. Also many babyboomer parents seem to lack the strong leadership in rearing children when compared to the "great generation" that raised them, ie those born in the early 1900's who were toughened by the great depression and World War 11.

Michael Kelly

Answer 5

You're romanticizing that era. It was seldom like that.

But I agree that men tended to be more honorable over all back then. What mostly happened is that we saw how dishonorable most of the world actually was, and lost a lot of our innocence when JFK was assassinated.

Answer 6

So Person born in 1950, that means you were 0 to 10 yrs old during the 50's doubt you had much knowledge or experience in what men did during those times so it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black...LOL

People in glass houses ...LOL

Answer 7

And in the 1800's you would stand at 10 paces and quick draw pistols..
And in the 2000's the gangs drive by and shoot machine guns..

Answer 8

We have laws to handle this now. Courage is now a denomination of dollars.

Answer 9

in my opinion,the pain was getting imbarable.