What was it like growing up in the 80's.

Permabanned
Joined
26 Jun 2010
Posts
0
I'd swap the IRA for Al Queda any day of the week. In the 80's we had proper terrorists who had a well defined, if still mental, agenda, gave actual warnings more often than not, and didn't seem particularly keen on taking themselves out along with their target. And a plane hijacking usually meant some dodgy middle east lads just wanted to go somewhere else, usually another airport, rather than into the nearest building. You knew where you were with your 80's terrorists.

Proper terrorists who killed, maimed and injured far more UK and Irish civilians than all the Islamic terror groups put together........not to mention all the organised criminality and direct threats to the UK public directly attributed to members of the IRA and their affiliates.

Yeah, let's swap what is effectively a distant, albeit real threat for the very real and immediate one that was/is right on our doorstep....
 

Hxc

Hxc

Soldato
Joined
29 Oct 2004
Posts
12,501
Location
London
Actually something that's pretty important is that as a kid in the 80s I had a great deal of personal freedom.

I could go out and play all day unsupervised. I used to walk to the shop age 7 on a saturday morning to buy my football stickers, it's over a mile away.

My mum and dad weren't afraid of paedophiles in the same way that there's all the hysteria now.

I don't think kids now get that kind of freedom and it's quite sad.

I had exactly the same freedom and I was born in the 90s.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,116
Location
The Land of Roundabouts
The internet has had a fundamental effect on our way of life.
Technology has always been improving and we've all heard "Kids, today have never had it so easy" and now we spout it to the kids of today. We all look back with rose tinted glass's, nothing has really changed in that aspect.

But the internet, its made the world such a small place, everything you ever wanted to know or see is at your fingertips. No longer the need to actually research and discover for yourself because its simple already on your phone.

It must be how the Victorians felt during the industrial revolution.
 
Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
58,898
Proper terrorists who killed, maimed and injured far more UK and Irish civilians than all the Islamic terror groups put together........not to mention all the organised criminality and direct threats to the UK public directly attributed to members of the IRA and their affiliates.

Yeah, let's swap what is effectively a distant, albeit real threat for the very real and immediate one that was/is right on our doorstep....

Yup... would have been nice if a certain pig farmer over there had been subject to extraordinary rendition.

Also ironic now that we've got a British Muslim man awaiting potential extradition to the US on the basis that he allegedly raised money for terror groups (an alleged crime he committed on UK soil) when back in the 80s plenty of Americans were doing exactly the same thing, openly, in bars in Boston with no recourse and even convicted IRA bombers on the run were able to escape extradition back to the UK.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2006
Posts
5,269
Location
Midlands, UK
Born in 73
Winters were snow covered and the world didn't grind to a halt.
You walked to school on your own, rain or shine and if you forgot your PE kit you did it in your underpants, no one brought you the kit from home for you.
Schools didn't close because it was a bit windy or there was a dusting of snow on the ground
You had a paper round if you wanted money
and you went to cub scouts and knocked on doors for spare change (forgot the cause :o)
You messed around in the woods and built hideouts without fear of being anally raped
You didn't worry about getting mugged or having the **** kicked out of you
You wondered what the hell that white poo was from on the pavements.
You mowed the lawns without question
You mowed your neigbours lawns for extra pocket money
You helped wash the dishes without question
and you certainly didn't back chat your parents teachers or elders, well unless you liked getting slippered / belted or caned that is.
If you got caught by a copper doing something you shouldn't, you were dragged back to your home by the ear lobe and got more slippering / belting or caning by your parents.
Your parents thanked the police for this service!
You didn't get £1 million quids worth of Christmas presents, you got a few wooden toys, maybe a Tonka toy if you were really lucky and you were thankful.
Your parents had big hair, beards and frilly clothes and didn't sit you in front of a TV to keep you quiet.

OK bored now. :D

Not read the posts since this as it is a natural closure point of the thread right there.

Spot on sir! :)
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Feb 2011
Posts
7,693
Location
Stoke on Toast
Actually something that's pretty important is that as a kid in the 80s I had a great deal of personal freedom.

I could go out and play all day unsupervised. I used to walk to the shop age 7 on a saturday morning to buy my football stickers, it's over a mile away.

My mum and dad weren't afraid of paedophiles in the same way that there's all the hysteria now.

I don't think kids now get that kind of freedom and it's quite sad.

Being born in 1983 I can't say everything was ace because I was too young
I do remember playing happily in my close with all the kids in the street till it got dark.

Also Even I wouldn't have dared swear at a a teacher that changed in my life time :/ My mother has been called some awful things teaching 7-11 year olds. Thankfully she's retired now she didn't let the little ***** get her down and managed to see it to 60 somehow
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2006
Posts
5,269
Location
Midlands, UK
Born in 1970.

I rememebr a few of us going on a 'Stand By Me' type outing to some old rickety railway bridge that took us across rivers, canals and train lines over a whole sumers day. I was only 7 at the time.
Nowadays? Jeez i wouldn't let my son down to the shop on his own until he was about 12. Maybe slightly over protective, but i do think its a sign of the times.
 

FTM

FTM

Soldato
Joined
10 Dec 2003
Posts
6,173
Location
South Shields
Born in 1970.

I rememebr a few of us going on a 'Stand By Me' type outing to some old rickety railway bridge that took us across rivers, canals and train lines over a whole sumers day. I was only 7 at the time.
Nowadays? Jeez i wouldn't let my son down to the shop on his own until he was about 12. Maybe slightly over protective, but i do think its a sign of the times.

my gran had a farm in northumberland a few miles outside haltwhistle that me and my 2 brothers would spend the entire 6 weeks holidays at...we basically roamed like wild kids for miles around, we were allowed air rifles and pen knives...we could go fishing, swim in the river, get dirty and eat wild fruit

I just cannot imagine kids these days having the same freedoms..not because its anymore dangerous, but parents just seem more protective ( I know my bloody sister still frets when I take her boy fishing)

best summer holidays ever though
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Oct 2002
Posts
3,177
i was born in 1975.

BMX, action man, star wars toys (and the movies)!!! and Lego. lego is weird now, all custom bits etc, although i look forward to getting my son some Lego in a couple of years. we made our own toys from cardboard boxes and sticky tape. our elderly relatives used to knit outfits for action men! lol

i think life was more simple. self image wasnt so important. as long as you had odd coloured flourescent socks you were ok :) i think we were generally happy with what we had as we didnt see things like cribs that just make people envious of others.

i feel sorry for kids these days. they seem to be forced to grow up quick. (we wanted to but were often just allowed to play)

i still listen to 80s music. a bit of nostalgia and music wasnt so up its own backside then. music was a lot more fun than now.

the world was MUCH smaller back then. even European holidays were rare. i dont think i even went abroad until i was about 10 when i went to Legoland in Denmark and didnt go abroad again until i was about 12.

cars looked ****. brown Austin Allegros and the like... lovely.

Adrenaline, pumped up, Natural High.

You ever jumped out of a plane, bungee jump, Been in the ring, same feeling :)

i tried that but the mrs told me she didnt like it ;)

Liverpool were amazing and Man Utd were ****. i never got **** for being a united fan in the 80s!

a bit of nostalgia for us 80s kids..... 'high speed dubbing' remember that? :D

Dunno if mentioned, but just watch "This is England" :p

or donnie darko even - that captures it pretty well to. Ferris Beuller's day off is still one of my favourite movies

and you were trapped with smokers

actually the air was much cleaner then as it was air conditioned and fresh brought in. nowadays you have the same air all the flight. They mentioned this on QI a few years ago. i went to Kenya last year and by the time we landed the air was terrible. BO and malaria spray.

im going to get all nostalgic soon as i recently bought a house around the corner from where i grew up (to help look after my father to has parkinsons). my son will get to grow up where i did. that is going to be weird for us both!

Born in 75 and can concur with the playing outside till all hours. Still did enjoy our TV though, especially He-Man, Willy Fogg and the great Cities of Gold! It may be because there wasn't a lot of TV that I appreciated it more. For the same reason it may be why I also think there were much better adverts in the 80's; well at least more memorable. Kia-ora (too orangy for crows), Fudge (just enough to give your kids a treat), Um-Bongo (they drink it in the Congo) and the Birds Eye Steak-House one (hope its chips its chips).

Is it just me and my friends, but can all those around in the 80's remember the songs/tunes to those without having to look them up on YouTube?

I always remember everyone at school having watched the QED programme "John's Not Mad", despite never having even mentioned seeing QED before. It was about a young lad with tourettes. Everyone just started swearing and explained that they were discussing the programme when pulled up by a teacher.

yes to all of this. :) the QED was massive. they also did a program about sexual deviants when i was a bit older and we were all amazed how some people could abuse a toilet roll and sand paper! or a cheese grater!!!! i still sing the umbongo song to my son and he just laughs at me :)

just nipped out for a ciggy - looked at myself in window... polo shirt, side parting and high tops. i guess im still and 80s boy! :)

[FnG]magnolia;21800530 said:
Jesus Christ.

nah, he was much earlier. :D
 
Back
Top Bottom