History, History, History

I seem to be in a pattern.  Don't blog for months at a time, and when I do, be sure to bring up History.  Why break the pattern now? 
The funny thing about History though, is that as much as everyone readily admits to not liking it, it gets used a lot.  Especially Politics/Current Events-people love to bring up The Good Old Days. 
In the Good Old Days, no bad happened.  It was a bucolic time with less violence, less selfishness, more time to stop and smell the flowers.  An era when people used their time wisely and really connected to nature and her environs.
Can we say bullshit?  Horse-puckey?  Rose-colored glasses?
Okay, some things were better.  People did connect to nature more.  When you are shoveling horse poop on your farm, or smelling it through your tenement apartment, you were forcefully reminded of nature.  People did connect with one another more, as the only "media" that existed was the newspaper (depending on how far back you go).  The whole community could usually tell you what your children were up to, and you usually knew the whole community so that was helpful.
But it was not all easy.  Statistically, most children died before their 5th birthday.  If you spoke a funny language, or even had a weird accent (think of all the regional areas of the United States) you could be denied service ANYWHERE.  Violence was rampant but not talked about in the form of spousal abuse and child abuse.  Was someone in your family handicapped/mentally challenged?  That person faced a life if derision and outcast.  And don't get me started on drugs-most order-by-mail drugs were rife with drugs that were legal, but knowingly harmful.
Life in the city sucked for a lot of years.  Horses, that look so quaint in pictures, pooped-everywhere.  The city smelled, and sanitation wasn't so hot, so people smelled too.  Disease was rampant, hence the reason so many young children died of diseases most of us can't pronounce anymore.  The work week was 6 days a week, if you were lucky, and an employer could let you go for any reason-from being to ugly to pissing off your boss.  Plus, there was discrimination, sexism, etc.  You know the drill.
The countryside had it's own perils.  Farm accidents claimed a lot of lives-children and adults a like.  Nutritional diseases were rampant-when there was no crops, there was no food.  If something went wrong, and it often did, your nearest neighbor was available by foot only after walking many miles. 
Also regardless of where you lived, life was a struggle.  Food preparation began with growing it, or getting it fresh somewhere.  Then you washed it, preserved it, and hoped to God it was there in the lean months.  Light in your house was candles that you made.  Clothes were ones that you made.  There was NO leisure time. 
There are things about The Good Old Days that sound nice.  I am still learning about growing food, and learning to do without so much materialism.  I also work to make sure my kids can actaully play a game that doesn't involve batteries and identify some of the animals in our area.  But I think most parents will agree that we don't want to lose our kids at age 5 and there is no way I want to go back to a time where all cooking involved a fire. 
Instead of hearing about The Good Old Days, let's hear a politician talk about how they can Make The Current Days Better.