"Home Ec" stopped being taught in schools in the early 1970s. The mothers of the 1970s kids had a functional grasp of nutrition and the cost of putting together a meal.
The "kids" in the bottom photo were raised in homes where their moms learned academic skills that had value in the marketplace. The kids had fabulous vacations and lots of toys...and hardening of the arteries.
ERJ, I have noticed this very much abroad. It is unfair to completely characterize people such as in the second picture are all Americans, but the ratio of tourists to locals is pretty dramatic.
On a secondary note, I can remember a time not even 6 years ago when obesity was considered a major health challenge in the United States. Now, apparently, not so much.
Hi ERJ & TB, I have just walked a couple of Caminos across northern Spain back-to-back, all up around 1,000km and three months walking. The big cities looked like big cities anywhere in the world, extremely crowded, lacked soul and I couldn't wait to get out of them. The rural country side was a stark contrast. While there were a few overweight locals from time-to-time (usually elderly folks) there were ZERO obese locals were to be seen. The meal portion sizes were tiny compared to my daily fare at home, though they usually had three courses and ONE smallish glass of red wine with every meal. We never saw a single local drink to excess, though we did see quite a few peregrinos get drunk. The fitness of the average rural "Spaniard" was surprising - we are fairly fit, but the locals would walk circles around us. Understandable given this was just a normal Wednesday to them, but we'd been walking for weeks or months on end with minimal recovery time. But they are easily fitter than the average westerner. My hypothesis is that if we were to take the same photo on a beach in a isolated regional area, where most people are NOT driving a computer all day, the locals MAY look a lot healthier & fitter than the beach balls & land whales from the 2020's in the photo above.
I was gonna bring up something about the background colors... as a former printing professional I know a thing or two. You have to look at the 'white' colors to see the shift. A.k.a. those stripes on the beach towel.
People just took Kodachrome for granted like it wasn't an incredible product.
The first thing I noticed was that the beachgoers in the 2020's are considerably more obese.
ReplyDeleteLow T man boobs. Not an encouraging sight.
ReplyDeleteGo find pictures from Woodstock, no fat kids there. What changed?
ReplyDelete"Home Ec" stopped being taught in schools in the early 1970s. The mothers of the 1970s kids had a functional grasp of nutrition and the cost of putting together a meal.
DeleteThe "kids" in the bottom photo were raised in homes where their moms learned academic skills that had value in the marketplace. The kids had fabulous vacations and lots of toys...and hardening of the arteries.
ERJ, I have noticed this very much abroad. It is unfair to completely characterize people such as in the second picture are all Americans, but the ratio of tourists to locals is pretty dramatic.
ReplyDeleteOn a secondary note, I can remember a time not even 6 years ago when obesity was considered a major health challenge in the United States. Now, apparently, not so much.
They labeled it a disability... so now fat people get government handouts. Vote blue!
DeleteHi ERJ & TB, I have just walked a couple of Caminos across northern Spain back-to-back, all up around 1,000km and three months walking. The big cities looked like big cities anywhere in the world, extremely crowded, lacked soul and I couldn't wait to get out of them. The rural country side was a stark contrast. While there were a few overweight locals from time-to-time (usually elderly folks) there were ZERO obese locals were to be seen. The meal portion sizes were tiny compared to my daily fare at home, though they usually had three courses and ONE smallish glass of red wine with every meal. We never saw a single local drink to excess, though we did see quite a few peregrinos get drunk. The fitness of the average rural "Spaniard" was surprising - we are fairly fit, but the locals would walk circles around us. Understandable given this was just a normal Wednesday to them, but we'd been walking for weeks or months on end with minimal recovery time. But they are easily fitter than the average westerner. My hypothesis is that if we were to take the same photo on a beach in a isolated regional area, where most people are NOT driving a computer all day, the locals MAY look a lot healthier & fitter than the beach balls & land whales from the 2020's in the photo above.
DeleteRef sky in top pic: how about hazy overcast rather than air pollution?
ReplyDeleteOr, the use of Kodak Ektachrome 100 instead of quality film.
DeleteI was gonna bring up something about the background colors... as a former printing professional I know a thing or two. You have to look at the 'white' colors to see the shift. A.k.a. those stripes on the beach towel.
DeletePeople just took Kodachrome for granted like it wasn't an incredible product.
It was Dammo Simon and Garfunkel what did it..
DeleteUmmm... no...
ReplyDelete