Train up a child in the way he should go, and
when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6.)
Don't panic, I'm not about to preach to you, but the above verse has a remarkable degree of truth to it. However, it doesn't just apply in the case of morality; it has other implications. I'm talking about how impressionable we are as youngsters, to the extent that our early experiences shape our sense of how we expect things to be (that's how it seemed to me anyway) for the rest of our lives. Not convinced? Allow me to give you a few examples.
Currency for one. I still think of £sd as 'real' money and view decimal coins as a recent introduction. Bar codes on comics for another. Although that wee box was introduced over 40 years ago and has graced the covers of the majority of comics I've ever bought, to me it still seems like a fairly new interloper (a squatter) that I'd be more than glad to see the back of. Next is Jeremy Paxman, current host of University Challenge. In two years time, he'll have been presenting the programme for 25 years, equalling his famous predecessor Bamber Gascoigne, the 'real' presenter in my opinion.
And how about Snickers, M&Ms, Oil of Olay, and various other items? To me, they'll always be Marathon, Treets and Oil of Ulay (not that I use the last one, I hasten to add - despite perhaps needing to). Doctor Who? There'll only ever be one, and that's William Hartnell. I could go on and on (and some of you no doubt fear that I will), but you get the point. Our first experience of how things are in our early years becomes the template for how we feel things should be for our entire allotted span on this planet.
That's how I feel anyway. No doubt there are exceptions to the rule, but what I've just outlined probably goes a long way in explaining why, in the main, I don't like change. I have difficulty coming to terms with familiar things disappearing from my life; I hate it when trees get cut down, or lampposts or paving slabs are replaced, or when buildings are demolished, or fields where I played as a child are built on. I want things (as I first knew them) to stay the same forever, and what's more, I want to be around forever to enjoy them for all eternity.
What about the rest of you? Do you think I'm talking my usual load of old pants, or do you feel the same as I do on the matter? Hey, I've got a great idea - why don't we put on a 'show' right here? Okay, we'll do it in the comments section. So, which one of you is up first? Get typing.
13 comments:
I feel the same way about the bar codes, Kid. That one really hits close to home for me. I didn't realize how long it had been until you pointed it out. It was around the Bicentennial over here, so I remember some of the comics had this garish Bicentennial banner obscuring the top part of the cover and now this bar code on the side..
I'm the same way about actors and hosts and such......sports franchises that relocate....bands who undergo personnel changes.
Recently, a church in town (the one I attend, actually) bought three houses next to them and ended up demolishing all of them. All of this took place in the neighborhood I grew up in. I walked by those houses many a time and visited with the people who lived in them. I live about two blocks away now and it just crushed me to drive by and see those vacant lots there. I don't like change anymore than you do, even if it is for the better sometimes.
Hi Kid
I know exactly the way you feel about change. I'm told that I live in
the past to much.I often walk past the location,s of my former schools,one,s had a
New school built on the site the others an up market housing development.
But when I walk past I'm back in the 60,s and early 70,s.
And yeah Doctor who is still William Hartnell and American comics looked better
when they had 1 shilling stamped on them.
G, it pains me more than I can say to walk in some of my childhood neighbourhoods nowadays and see the changes wrought in them over the years. Thing is, I live in what is called a 'new town', and playing fields (for example) were part of the plan, not only to give kids somewhere to play, but also to give residents a sense of space. When the local council build on them, or sell the land to private builders, it flies in the face of the original design for the town.
******
That's exactly what's happened in my town, S - old schools demolished ('though still structurally sound) and new ones built on or near them. And, like you, the site of one is now a housing scheme. Luckily, I took extensive photos of various places over the years and they survive as they were in pictorial form at least. However, it's sad to see the changes nevertheless, whenever I visit the places of my youth. Oh, for a Tardis, just so's I could go back and see my home town in its heyday.
I'm afraid I'll have to mostly disagree with the consensus so far, Kid. I'm quite relaxed about change and even find it quite exciting on the whole - I live near the town centre and there has been a lot of change around here but it has all been an improvement in my opinion. And I started watching Dr. Who at the time of the Troughton/Pertwee changeover but for me the very best Doctor was Tom Baker. I'm not that keen on new Who but NOT because it's new, just because it isn't as thrilling as I remember in the '70s. Of course I enjoy reminiscing about the past (that's why I follow this blog) but we have to keep moving on (not that we've got much choice) and there are lots of great things about the modern world such as the internet - can you really imagine returning to a life without the internet ???
Yeah, but you always were a contrary soul, CJ. Wasn't it you who was bemoaning the fact that your local WHS had closed down? Talking of shopping centres, mine is now about five times (or more) the size it used to be in the '60s and early '70s, and I can honestly say it's nowhere near as good now than it was then. As for no internet, some people would say such a thing would be a plus, because then my blog wouldn't exist. Can you believe the cheek of them? However, I think there can be a subtle difference between 'new' and 'change'. I don't mind some new things, as long as they don't consign old things to oblivion in the process. So if DCT said that they were going to replace The Beano with another comic, I wouldn't be happy. However, if they introduced a new comic and The Beano was still available, I wouldn't mind that at all. See the difference?
OK, I forgot about WHS and I also recently mentioned that my neighbour had died so I admit some change is regrettable - however, I always just shrug my shoulders and accept that times move on and we can't do anything about it. By the way, if you don't like change then why did you vote for Brexit ? That's going to be a pretty big change !
Number one, I didn't vote at all in the referendum, CJ. Number two, you haven't thought things through, have you? Even if I HAD voted, it would be to REVERSE a change - much like voting to change the name of Snickers back to Marathon.
I don’t think I really miss brands as such (in most cases it’s just the name that’s changed the end product is similar or the same) although in saying that I will at times mention (in old man style) “you know Snickers and Starbust tasted better when they were called Marathon and Opal fruits" etc (rubbish of course) . I do regularly call “W H Smiths” as "John Menzies" but that’s more down to senility on my part.
What I do miss is:
• being young and being with my family and friends that are no longer here
• independent record shops.
• Scotland being good at football
• “traditional” UK comics
• Bowie
• People being less “gobby “ than they are now
• Kids being allowed to be kids
I have fond memories of the past but thats where it needs to stay its brilliant visiting it again though in your mind. Thing are changing though at a rate that at times, I find hard to keep pace with.
Incidentally you can still buy “Peanut Treets “ in the UK
I miss Aztec bars, Old Jamacia, Amazin' Raisin bars, Junglies Jellis, Super Mousse, Bar Six, Fry's Five Boys, Milk Tray bars, Fry's Five Centre bars, Zing, Cresta, and a whole host of other things, PM. I occasionally refer to Sainsbury's as Safeway's, so I'm obviously going senile as well. Where can you get the peanut Treets?
Two things I miss from Sainsbury's... Baconburgers and Skinless pork sausages, both their own brands.
Maybe they'll start selling them again one day, LJ. I also miss Zoom ice lollies - forgot to mention it before. Sainsbury's sell one that looks like it 'though, under a generic 'rocket' name. Oh, and that was meant to be Junglies JELLIES in my previous comment. Couldn't have hit the 'e' key hard enough.
Kid, I could have sworn you said you'd voted for Brexit - OK, my apologies on that. But when we entered the EU on January 1st 1973 I wasn't yet seven so I don't really remember not being in the EU. For me Brexit is the change - but, like everything else, I'll have to accept it.
No need to apologise, CJ - HAD I voted, I WOULD have voted to leave. However, my main point was that, to me, it was a RETURN to what things were like BEFORE the 'change' of joining the EU. That's the interesting thing 'though - different generations have a different idea of what constitutes 'change'.
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