Simple Question(s)? YES or NO?

[Dennis1209]

[size=4][size=5](1) Today, is this a nation your grandfather, great grandfather and ancestors would be proud of? If not, why?[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5](2) If possible having a face-to-face with your ancestors, would your deceased ancestors be proud of your modern morals and acceptance of today's law's and moral values and law?[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5](3) Personally, I believe our forefathers were tougher, smarter, more rugged, wiser, and more educated in matters that matter the most.[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]If it were possible to go back in time, what would you ask your great, your great great grandfather if you only had the opportunity to ask three questions, what would they be? [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be what he/she/they thought of our modern technology and exponential progress over the last century?[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be about our new age laws, one world involvement, and moral decline?[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be about our children playing with the computer, games, smart phones, etc., instead of going outside and playing Army or Cowboys & Indians. Eating Big Mac's instead of healthy food?[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]I don't know, you tell me???[/size][/size]

[broox]

Those are not simple questions

[Motasyco]

Ask my ancestors? Heck, I'm fed up with moral decline, technology, and fast food.

If I could speak to my ancestors, I'd want to know about life in their time.

I expect they would be in awe of today's world, for a couple of minutes. About as long as it would take to witness some kid with his a$$ sticking out of his pants, cussing at his cell phone in a fast food restaurant because he can't get signal to text a naked picture of himself to his boyfriend.

[Dennis1209]

[quote name='broox' timestamp='1354671125' post='855018']
Those are not simple questions
[/quote]

That's absolutely right! But don't you think those are questions we need to ask ourselves?

Who are we as an individual?
Why have we strayed from the ways, values, morals and teachings of our parents, their parents, their parents parents?

[broox]

I am not sure what you are looking for, but here are a few of my thoughts in random order:
there is nothing new under the sun
3 of my 4 grandparents were alcoholics
my dad, as a teenager, was very racist
there are just as many examples of how to act in the past as how not to act

[Dennis1209]

[quote name='Motasyco' timestamp='1354671925' post='855024']
Ask my ancestors? Heck, I'm fed up with moral decline, technology, and fast food.

If I could speak to my ancestors, I'd want to know about life in their time.

I expect they would be in awe of today's world, for a couple of minutes. About as long as it would take to witness some kid with his a$$ sticking out of his pants, cussing at his cell phone in a fast food restaurant because he can't get signal to text a naked picture of himself to his boyfriend.
[/quote]

Yea Motasyco, I know what you mean! I don't like many of the things going on today myself, in fact, I find many things despicable, but..

By way of miracle, you find yourself face-to-face with many of your ancestors for a Q&A, what would you really ask them?

Myself, after I inquired about my family tree and allot of other stuff, I would ask how we got where we are today, even though I already know how we got here. I would ask how we could have prevented how we arrived here today and how we could correct its course.

Not to start a political debate but, I'd love to talk to great presidents and statesmen like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, (Dolly Madison), Jefferson Davis, Theodore Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson to name my favorites. That would be awesome.

There is one I most would like to talk to back around 30 A.D. to answer my questions. Fortunately I will not have to fantasize about getting an answer, as I will be able to talk with him in person and ask questions before too long and get the truth.

[gunwhatgun]

I fear that they would be heart broken that they fought and died for us to become what we have as a country.

[JWC]

Yes

[TrickyNicky]

1. Yes. It may not be what it was but its still better than an impoverished nation torn apart by civil war. And before anyone can ask the difference, things may not be great but we're still a lot better off than Ireland during the "The troubles" you think the job market is bad now, imagine being black listed by the IRA for joining the English army to fight the Nazis

2. Probably, I'm a man of conviction who stands up for what he believes in. I've been told I would have gotten on well with my great grandpa.


3. Tougher and more rugged? Absolutely. Then again so where the cavemen.
Better educated? My grandpa started working at a brewery when he was 8 years old and had left school to provide for his family by age 13 after my great grandad could no longer work. You do the math.
Having said that he was an incredibly capable man who did a number of great things and could build or fix ANYTHING. He worked as a millwright and eventually completed his education at a very late age. He was probably smarter than me but not better educated, if that makes any sense.

[Jonnin]

"Why" makes it not a y/n question.

1) Both. We have made a lot of progress in some areas and gone backwards in many others.

2) probably not. My granparents were the type that would have said that it is OK to enforce morality and that there is only ONE morality (theirs, based in religion).

3) I disagree. My granddad was so racist he almost walked out of my HS graduation because one of the speakers was japenese. I sorta understand that as a WWII vet but a 17 year old kid is 2 generations out from his enemy ... a little of that religious based forgiveness might be in order but it never worked that way. He would probably have had a heart attack to find out 2 of his grandkids were gay (Ive got a LOT of cousins).


Three questions? Why do you think children are slave farm labor is all I can come up with. Having kids you can't afford just to get some help didnt work out all that well.

[Guest HvyMtl]

[size=4][size=5](1) Today, is this a nation your grandfather, great grandfather and ancestors would be proud of? If not, why? Impossible to know. They are dead, and therefore do not have an opinion. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5](2) If possible having a face-to-face with your ancestors, would your deceased ancestors be proud of your modern morals and acceptance of today's law's and moral values and law? Morals change with society and time. Values do to. They did things then, we find immoral and barbaric now, and they would find the same with us. Again, irrelevant... And again, deceased = no opinion. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5](3) Personally, I believe our forefathers were tougher, smarter, more rugged, wiser, and more educated in matters that matter the most. - No. Perhaps tougher, since they did not have the luxuries we have, such as motor vehicles, air conditioning, etc. More educated? No. Though recently our public education system has dropped the ball. They also were not informed, and had little to no clue as to whom they were voting for due to lack of communicative ways. The few Founding Fathers, mostly educated, realized this issue, and created the Electorial College to prevent the "ignorant" to overcome the few educated. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]If it were possible to go back in time, what would you ask your great, your great great grandfather if you only had the opportunity to ask three questions, what would they be? Dangerous, at best. He may look at you, and decide not to marry Great, Great, Grandmother. XD Seriously, though, I have no clue who they were, so I could not ask them. I would suggest they buy certain things, and do certain things, so they may have a better financial life, to allow them to do other things than work their guts out. Such as buying certain stocks, or moving to a better location. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be what he/she/they thought of our modern technology and exponential progress over the last century? They would be shocked, obviously, cause they would not have to farm, just go to the grocery. And food spoilage would be less, and they would live longer due to better medicine, and on, and on. And they would bathe more than once a week/month. Etc. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be about our new age laws, one world involvement, and moral decline?[/size][/size] [size=5]Again, morals change, theirs would be different than you expect, as you do not know for a fact what they were. Would they attempt to burn you at the stake, for being a witch or warlock? Depends. Your ancestors from Salem? Would they stone you for being mixed race? Point is, you do not know, and will not ever know in your life time.[/size]

[size=4][size=5]Would it be about our children playing with the computer, games, smart phones, etc., instead of going outside and playing Army or Cowboys & Indians. Eating Big Mac's instead of healthy food? And yet, look at their lifespans, vs ours. Ours is double theirs. Better food, medicine, hygene, etc. They would probably try out the Big Mac. They would be mind blown over technology. [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=5]I don't know, you tell me??? I cannot tell you, cause, simply put, no one knows. These are questions which I find to be a mental exercise with no answers. Perhaps an irrelevant exercise. Why? Cause they, too had their faults, and would not respond as positive as you believe. They might just run away, or accept it all. [/size][/size] Edited December 5, 2012 by HvyMtl

[Jonnin]

I was fortunate enough to know several of my great grand parents and talk to them some -- at least 3 were alive when I was around 10 or so and one made it until I was 17 or so. Of course they knew their parents and so I have some idea of what it was like 2 greats ago. Wish I had talked to them even more of course.

[Guest drv2fst]

[quote name='Dennis1209' timestamp='1354669200' post='855003']
[size=5](1) Today, is this a nation your grandfather, great grandfather and ancestors would be proud of? If not, why?[/size]
[/quote]

Probably not, because it would be foreign to their experience and lifestyle. It's better in many ways and worse in some as well.

[quote name='Dennis1209' timestamp='1354669200' post='855003']
[size=5](2) If possible having a face-to-face with your ancestors, would your deceased ancestors be proud of your modern morals and acceptance of today's law's and moral values and law?[/size]
[/quote]

No, but that's not a bad thing. They would not be fond of women and minorities having equality. Our laws are CLEARLY WAY OVERBOARD but there is some progress there.

[quote name='Dennis1209' timestamp='1354669200' post='855003']
[size=5](3) Personally, I believe our forefathers were tougher, smarter, more rugged, wiser, and more educated in matters that matter the most.[/size]
[/quote]

Absolutely!

[quote name='Dennis1209' timestamp='1354669200' post='855003']
[size=5]If it were possible to go back in time, what would you ask your great, your great great grandfather if you only had the opportunity to ask three questions, what would they be? [/size]

[size=5]Would it be what he/she/they thought of our modern technology and exponential progress over the last century?[/size]

[size=5]Would it be about our new age laws, one world involvement, and moral decline?[/size]

[size=5]Would it be about our children playing with the computer, games, smart phones, etc., instead of going outside and playing Army or Cowboys & Indians. Eating Big Mac's instead of healthy food?[/size]

[size=5]I don't know, you tell me???[/size]
[/quote]

It wouldn't be about any of that trivial stuff. Times change. They could not offer a legitimate assessment of our technology and culture no more than we can imagine living without all this stuff. They have no idea what they would do with all this leisure time on their hands as they likely never had so much time to spare. They would not be used to survival being so easy.

What I would ask them would be more about timeless stuff. What were the most important lessons of their lifetime. What wisdom can they share with me to pass on to my children?...

In general people incorrectly glorify the past. There never was a good-ole-days! Life was never better than it is right now.

Sure there are an abundance of things wrong with our lives right now but I absolutely guarantee that ANY of your ancestors would trade with you in a slit second. You live better in the middle class now then King George did at the time of the revolutionary war.

Your city is not likely to be attacked, pillaged, and raised to the ground by Mongrels or Visigoths or any such group.

They would have died from any number of ailments that you can treat with over the counter drugs, vaccinations, or a trip to the local walk-in-clinic.

Your children stand an excellent chance of surviving to adulthood. They buried more of their own children.

It's so easy to survive in our society now that even the dumbest people can do it. The biggest problem we face now is what to do with all these morons that should have never survived to be of voting age.

Falsely glorifying the past is a dangerous distraction. It does not change the fact that it is (and always has been) difficult to be the best person you possibly can be every minute of every day. It's tough to do that in today's modern world. It was just as tough many generations ago too.

[Guest cardcutter]

The first question I would ask would be " how do I turn this damn thing off so I don't have to go back?"
The others would be irrelevant.
As an avid history buff ,I am constantly amazed at what some of us refer to as historic myopia. Looking at the past through the prism of modern knowledge,philosophy,or morals. in many cases we are not qualified to make moral judgements on their actions anymore than they would be to judge ours.
My 3rd great was alive during the salve erra. To him it was neither right or wrong it was just the way it is.
My father's mother burried four of her twelve children before their second birthday.
My father suffered from the rickets due to malnutrition as a child. He could be very racist in his language. Some days the N word was every other word, yet I never saw him act that way when dealing with people of color.
My mother did not believe a black woman could be a Lady.
By todays standards these are terrible things. I,however, think they are more a product of the age of their upbringing.

While the past may seem better in a lot of ways and believe me I long for it often.
I wonder how many of us could make it in the world of say 1924, when my father was born.
Things changed for a reason.We are simply dealing with the unintended consequenses of that change. Edited December 5, 2012 by cardcutter

[Links2k]

[quote name='drv2fst' timestamp='1354723312' post='855242']


In general people incorrectly glorify the past. There never was a good-ole-days! Life was never better than it is right now.

Sure there are an abundance of things wrong with our lives right now but I absolutely guarantee that ANY of your ancestors would trade with you in a slit second.

Falsely glorifying the past is a dangerous distraction. It does not change the fact that it is (and always has been) difficult to be the best person you possibly can be every minute of every day. It's tough to do that in today's modern world. It was just as tough many generations ago too.
[/quote]

Like most of you older guys, I grew up at the end of the hard working farming days. I remember slopping the hogs, feeding the chickens, slop jars, out houses, selling vegetables on the weekend, chopping wood for the stove that we used to warm the house and cook food while still having to attend school. WE WAS POE! I don't recall anyone enjoying the work (especially my grandfathers) or the racial tentions. The past is over rated.

[Jonnin]

Another thought, I would not be here, and many of us probably not, you think? Before age 2 I had a series of ear infections that best case scenario would have left me deaf. By age 10 I had nearly 20-200 vision, correctable so not truly legally blind but close enough. By age 18 I had my gall bladder go out and removed. I had suffered serious flu seasons about every other year until nearly 20. I had pneumonia as a child as well, maybe aged 8 or so. One of those would have done me in before I hit 21, hands down. Most likely, the gall bladder: even with today's tech it was a near thing, the idiot doctors tried to send me home with belly-ache meds and were sure I was lying about the pain -- 2 more days and it would have done the toxic swell/rupture similar to an appendix.

But, none of that was a huge deal for generation X. I have had laser surgery and had 20/20 vision for a long time, starting to slip a little now. The gall bladder was removed via a 2 inch long cut (my moms slit her from neck to groin and she was messed up for months). the ear issue was treated with tubes and medicines. The flu was just annoying for a couple of days. Etc.

I expect TEOTWAWKI scenarios will have a massive toll from lack of modern medicine. MASSIVE. The flu alone could take 1/2 the population with a low medicine society.

[Guest cardcutter]

"The flu alone could take 1/2 the population with a low medicine society. "
It did in 1917. The only thing that kept it from decimating our society was the large number of young men deployed to France during ww1. Jasper Ga. had a death toll somewher around 80 from the flu. People left own until is subsided. A good friend of my wife's family lived through it.The cemetery she is burried in is full of childrens graves from that time. Edited December 7, 2012 by cardcutter

[Djay3]

[quote name='LINKS2K' timestamp='1354728922' post='855281']


Like most of you older guys, I grew up at the end of the hard working farming days. ... I don't recall anyone enjoying the work (especially my grandfathers) or the racial tentions. The past is over rated.
[/quote]

I think we do look at the past with rose colored glasses. I've been reading a biographical trilogy of Teddy Roosevelt's life. One fact struck me hard. In the early 1900's the lynching rate in the South averaged 3000 per year! Just one facet of life then compared to now. In the early 60's in Memphis, my Dad took me with him to bail a black employee out of jail. Turns out the fellow had the tar beaten out of him by the cops during his brief sequester. Just one side of the "Then and Now Coin". The last example, of course, still is known to happen. Edited December 5, 2012 by Djay3