If you're below the age of 30 like me, chances are you might have heard the phrase "Back in the Good Ol' Days" from one of your older peers. And, if you are like me, it drives you absolutely nuts.
It's not just that we have heard it every day for the entirety of our lives (which we probably have), but in my opinion, this phrase itself isn't even true.
Sure, gas prices might have been cheaper. Everything else might have been cheaper, too, but that comes with inflation and is something a prior generation can always say to a proceeding generation.
The phrase "The Good Ol' Days" more or less, however, is talking about how life was simpler and things were easier.
Here's my problem with that:
Picture the average person that says, "Back in the Good Ol' Days." Be honest with yourself. Chances are more times than not when you hear that phrase it comes from an older, white male. Probably of Christian affiliation, too.
Now let's take a trip back in our imaginary time-travel machine. Pretty much anything from the 1950's to the 1980's.
First off, people are a lot more racist as the non-white population is still fighting for equal rights. White people dominate the job force and pretty much every organizational leadership position. Our public figures no where close to resemble the diversity of our country.
By the way, if you're one of those, "Back in the Good Ol' Days" people reading this and you are sitting there thinking "What is this guy talking about?! Segregation ended in 1964! Colored people have been equal forever" then you are a part of the problem. Face palm for you.
Last time I checked, just because a law passes doesn't mean everything is fixed. Did employment opportunity and salary pay become equal the second female and colored citizens were deemed "equal by law?" No. I rest my case.
That leads me to my next point. Sexism. When you say "The Good Ol' Days", are old white men referring to when woman were expected to stay home, watch the kids, and have dinner ready for them when they walked through the door? Are they referring to when they could get away with rape and it would be the women's fault? Oh yea.... The Good Ol' Days (sarcasm maximized.)
How about homophobia? Back in "The Good Ol' Days" a person who identified as having feelings for an identical gender was terrified to open up about their feelings. They knew it was unacceptable by American standards. Also, legally, they had absolutely no rights.
So, here we are in 2016. Racism is down, woman have more opportunity, and homophobia is more scarce than ever.
To the old white men who miss "The Good Ol' Days", I think what you are really missing is something called white privilege. Now more than ever, our society is more open to equal opportunity for its citizens regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, or religion. Personally, that's something I am proud of this generation for. To me, that's real progress.
And guess what? We still aren't there! Our political representation is still largely old white men. Our CEOs are still largely white males. And so on and so forth. But... things are getting better. But... there is still a lot of work to be done.
So, I'm not going to sit here and tell my kids one day that I lived in "The Good Ol' Days," because there are still many problems with inequality all around us and to me, that is the most important thing we can work to fix heading into the future. It's 2016, and we still face problems because of a simple skin pigment or other biological feature. That's ridiculous.
As more generations come and pass, however, I am confident that as a society we will keep improving on fixing these inequalities. Then, maybe one day, my great-great-great-whatever grandkids can say they truly live in the good days where America lives up to its name of the land of the free.
We aren't there now, and we certainly weren't there back then. "The Good Ol' Days" is just a reference to the simple life for people who lived comfortably due to inequalities for others. Back in "The Good Ol' Days?" Or "Back when I had unearned privilege?" That's the reality of the phrase and that's what I can't stand. Life might have been easier for you, but it certainly wasn't easier for those who didn't look like you. That's how this generation has gotten better.
