Reply #6: yeah, most of them are Ronnies, born in the late 50s or later

[Warpy]

and who only remember the 50s in sitting on the floor in their diapers, fed and cared for, if at all.

Those of us who were a bit older remember them more clearly as a time of McCarthy engendered fear, social and racial regimentation, and grey conformity where social problems were never mentioned as we all pasted smiles on and pretended to be Leave it to Beaver come alive.

It's odd, but that's what all the faux nostalgia is for, regimentation where everyone knew his or her place and there were no uncomfortable decisions to be made. None of the silly gits is ever nostalgic for the only good part of the 50s, the New Deal that created full employment and allowed families to survive and prosper on one income. They sure as hell don't want the strong unions back. I doubt if many of the working women who long for the 50s long for the total dependency in servitude married women faced back then. They want to stay home, but they want the freedom to work in their own field instead of being restricted to waitress, nurse, secretary, or teacher.

In short, the right winger's reading of the 50s is as incomplete as his reading of his bible is. It's easy to love something when you don't know a single thing about it.