We were so poor in the 70's...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up very wealthy and can relate to most of these posts. I think wealth back then was relative, the same as it is today. Hindsight shows that kids who are loved and having their needs met are foreign to poverty. I was not loved and lived in the lap of luxury and I bet many would resent me.
I resent many of you. What does that tell you?

You are not alone. Start a thread on this topic.

[Anonymous]

I loved being a kid in the 70s, I tell my kids about it all the time, fluffanutter sandwiches, handmedown clothing, bowl haircuts (trying to look like Toni Toneille), clipon rollerskates, playing in the creek and forest, brothers trying chew tobacco. We were lower middle class, maybe poor? But so was everyone else we knew.

[Anonymous]

SES poster hère. I grew up in a wealthy and very educated town, but we were not wealthy (details withheld for obvious reasons). Half of my friends were like us, barely making it. And half of our friends lived in houses that would make Potomac look like it was on welfare. We realized it.

The town also had subsidized housing, where people got by on public assistance. In such a town, you really only saw those three groups. I don't know how different it is from this area, it seems (the three groups I mention).

In most of America, one would not see such disparity in the same zip code to such an extent. But in places like "here", there really does seem to be the haves and the have nots. If my parents saw it that way, they thankfully did not pass it on to us. I am grateful, because noticing the disparity does not seem to help grown adults much.

[Anonymous]

Not poor, but blue collar working class. Steak dinner was
"Cube" steaks, took our own popcorn to the movies, one car ( always used and old), one vacation ( Ocean City) in my entire childhood which I now know my parents must have saved up for a long time. books only from the library, clothes were always hand me downs. However, I had a great childhood and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

[Anonymous]

My HHI income is about $150K and I ate a bologna and egg sandwich just the other day. I don't know but I guess I was surprised to see it on someones list here. I'm a child of the 80's, from a poor family, so it's really interesting to see the differences.

[Anonymous]

For those who describe themselves as poor in the '70s, three questions:

1) How would you describe your SES now?

2) If you have experienced upward mobility, to what do you attribute this?

3) If you attribute your upward mobility to postsecondary education, how did you finance it?

(DCUM -- where would all of us amateur sociologists go without you?)

[Anonymous]

I remember the 70s:

One black and white tv, all library books, and Tang. Lots of Tang for breakfast and dinner. Oh plus 5 outfits for each day of the week. Just 5.

[Anonymous]

Also:

Jodie Foster
CHIPS
Christie McNichol
and

RETURN TO WITCH MOUNTAIN

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Wow. I thought this was all normal for before-the-internet living!

People that were brand whores were always trying to hide something. I still believe that to this day (no one will change my mind, don't bother).

Somewhere along the line, someone dropped the ball and we could only become sheeple. Unless we have "certain things" we're not really living life? Diamond earrings but no job? Really? According to whom? How sad is that?

Disgusting and pathetic, I say.

I might be in agreement of I could understand what you are saying. Can you re write please?

Point taken! LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who describe themselves as poor in the '70s, three questions:

1) How would you describe your SES now?

2) If you have experienced upward mobility, to what do you attribute this?

3) If you attribute your upward mobility to postsecondary education, how did you finance it?

(DCUM -- where would all of us amateur sociologists go without you?)

My head is spinning with this display of intelligence.

[Anonymous]

I remember I had a slumber party when in 1979. My friend thought my house was shabby(it was) because we had hardwood floors and not colored wall to wall carpet!

[Anonymous]

I remember I used to think if only my mom had nice clothes like the people in the Sears catalog or if we could decorate our apartment like the rooms in the Sears catalog my life would be perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember I had a slumber party when in 1979. My friend thought my house was shabby(it was) because we had hardwood floors and not colored wall to wall carpet!

OMG!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember I used to think if only my mom had nice clothes like the people in the Sears catalog or if we could decorate our apartment like the rooms in the Sears catalog my life would be perfect.

you mean like this?

http://lileks.com/institute/70s/sears1973/1.html

[Anonymous]

I remember when a hole rusted through the floor of our car, and you could see a small path of the roadway blurring by if yo looked down. My dad welded a baking sheet to the floor to patch the hole. Problem solved!