It’s Friday, so a little humor is in order. I recently stumbled across this amusing little article comparing scenarios taking place in the 1950s and now. The list is American-centric, but everyone will enjoy it I am sure.
Scenario 1
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957: Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007: School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario 2
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957: Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007: Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario 3
Scenario: Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957: Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007: Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario 4
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957: Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007: Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario 5
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957: Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007: Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario 6
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1957: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007: Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario 7
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957: Ants die.
2007: BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario 8
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957: In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007: Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy. Johnny’s parents sue the school for negligence and the teacher for emotional trauma and win both cases. Mary, jobless and indebted, commits suicide by jumping off of a tall building. When she lands, she hits a car and also damages a potted pot. The car’s owner and the plant’s owner sue Mary’s estate for destruction of property. They both win. [Thanks jeff, for the addition]
Just a little cynical?
Very cynical indeed. Try this one…
Scenario: A black man attempts to vote during a presidential election.
1957: Gets the crap kicked out of him. (at least)
2007: He votes.
^What #122 said.
This list was pretty lame.
I like the blatant one…ANTS DIE! lol
Sadly, this is a pretty accurate reflection of society today. Frivolous lawsuits and over-reactions. Granted, sometimes these reactions are warranted but for the most part are completely unnecessary.
This makes me sad lol
These are amusing but the plain fact is that society and people in particular are failing to take responsibility for their actions, and would rather blame someone else. This leads to paranonia with laws, rules, regulations, lawsuits, claims and counter-claims. Makes money for lawyers and everyone else miserable.
This is reason#8,why I went into self-exile in Thailand.
Gotta love our bubble-wrapped society ;D
I understand the use of exaggeration for comic effect, but there’s way too much moral panic in these, way too much romanticising of the “bygone era”, and way too much conservative fear. Yes some things are over the top about modern society but in general things are much better now than then. This whole thing smacks of those stupid newspaper articles when someone tries to ban christmas or stop people wearing crucifixes, the usual bull***** that makes people think they’re under attack from minorities and makes them yearn for the good old days when the only ones with a say where rich white straight men.
It´s always fun when you find a old list you had not read before. This one was absolutely hilarious! What shocks me is the amount of people who cannot seem to stop taking themselves so seriously. Yes, yes, we all know that in the 50´s black people in the US did not have equal rights. It´s a good thing that some things have changed.
However, when we as a society have our collective heads so far up our collective asses that we cannot even see the humor in the ways our society has evolved, then that just makes me sad. No offense but you people are getting all PC and self-rightous over a HUMOR LIST.
In case you missed it the first time, here´s a hint: remove head from sphincter and laugh a little.
Yes, there were racial and gender issues etc. in the 50s, but lighten up a little! It is a funny list, and Im not saying those things were funny, but you gotta admit, we love to make thing a whole lot more complicated these days…but I wasn’t even alive in the 50s…lol…
is this a list or is it a comedy act
was this imformative or just to make us chuckle
also i didnt really fill like this was a list
kinda just there
but oh well i enjoyed
1957 – 120 pound boy picked on by 240 pound boy, beats the crap out of larger boy with padlock in a sock, everyone says “great job.”
2007 – Small boy charged with assault and sent to prison even though larger boy has been picking on small boy for years while school looked the other way.
True story, I was that small boy and I thank God I went to school in the 80s and 90s before society became ridiculous.
good old days – burglar breaks into house, owner beats him with baseball bat, burglar gets 10 years in jail, homeowner is a hero.
today – burglar gets a month probation, owner gets charged with excessive force, gets 10 years in jail, loses job, home.
Your class is having a pizza party and is impatiently waiting. One of your classmates wants to know what the pizza guy looks like. You say he’s black.
1957: Your classmates says “Oh!” and now knows whom to look for.
2007: She’ll tell the teacher, you’ll get suspended for racial intolerance, and be dubbed racist for the rest of your life.
here’s another one in time for X-mas. The school library has a Christmas tree in it.
1957: People will think the tree’s pretty cool.
2007: Someone will complain that the tree is too Christian to be in such a secular place like a school but he won’t mind anything else religious in the school.
Homeless bum reeking of alcohol, crawling with lice is causing a disturbance and intimindating regular customers at public library. Librarian asks him to leave.
old days – bum leaves.
now – bum sues library for discrimination, win large settlement which he spends on drugs and alcohol.
@59 jfrater.
You can reason with children under that age.
When I was about 4 my mother spanked me for something. I was so angry at anyone treating me like that, that I went and did exactly the same thing again, with tears pouring down my face. When I did she said “why did you do that” and then proceeded to detail the possible consequences of my action. As soon as I knew WHY I shouldn’t do that it was fine, and in future she would explain things and it was all good and I never needed to be punished again because I was being informed of the reasons behind the rules.
I’m now nearly 55 and have two grown children in their thirties. According to them I was always strict but fair and I only remember ever slapping one once, when my son ran into a busy road, and it was a complete reflex action.
My daughter who is now a teacher, said “You never needed to smack us because we always knew what we should do or not do. You only had to look at us”.
so you’re saying you remember what happened to you at age 4 (51 years ago)? Also when was the last time you had a conversation with a 4 year old…you CANNOT have a rational and logical conversation with them, I call “you’re a lying bulls***ter who comes up with bulls**t stories to back up bulls**t points”
A few items were left out.
A little girl fails a math test
1950`s – She told that`s ok because girl`s aren`t good at math anyway and when she finds a man man to take care of her she won`t need math anyway.
Today – The girl is offered an extensive selection of tutoring to help her improve.
A student makes a statement which may be seen as slightly sympathetic to people in Russia.
1950`s – The student is removed from the classroom or perhaps just shunned by their classmates for humanizing the enemy, all the while the students continue to wait to practice their duck and cover drills, preparing to hide under their desks in the event of nuclear attack because the government has took them their desks will protect them.
Today – The student is seen as able to appreciate the common humanity of all people regardless of political differences.
A young black boy seats in an empty seat on a public bus.
1950`s – He is called a nigger and told to get to the back of the bus.
Today – He is left unmolested and allowed to ride to his destination in peace in a more progressive time.
I wonder if any one can just have a smile at something like this list without taking it too seriously. But some of the people who have written in obviously take themselves very seriously. Times have changed, somethings for the good somethings not.
On average I would rather live today, but I do miss the simplicity of the 1950′s. Oh! by the way we have all sorts of silly laws in the UK as well. In fact we sound very similar.
Thank God I was’nt born in the 50′s.
I should be happen with myself as at time I came to this world
If the world remained like this, then people wouldn’t get so *****ing *****ed off at everything. XD
Additional Scenario
1957 African American tries to eat in a restaurant and gets thrown out,and possibly beaten. (Any other instance of racial injusticce that were rife during the time could work here.)
1990 African American sits down and enjoys a nice meal.
1957 For every story of a parent that used physical punsihment appropriately, I’ll show you unabashed beatings by abusive parents.
1990 As a teacher I have seen the cases of child abuse drop significantly over the years. I taught over 300 students the last four years and haven’t had to report a single incident. Compare that to the previous four years which saw multiple instances. I can only imagine what it was like in the 50′s.
1957 Date rape is widely considered a rite of passage for adolescent boys. Countless young women are subjected to unwanted advances, and do not recieve justice
1990 Young women who speak up about these indecencies have a better chance of seeing the provocateur punished.
I didn’t read it at first, there were 142 comments before mine, but Progresso’s comments eclipse mine. Read their’s.
Unfortunately we are all to blame by letting the social engineers in government dictate to us how our lives are to be run,if you don’t believe in social engineering you need to WAKE-UP !!!!,everyday your freedoms are being eroded by silent,invisible propagantists in government.Freedom of speech is disappearing,what is a terrorist? a freedom fighter? anything you or a group does that the government doesn’t like or feels threatened by, results in some sort of radical statement that effectively shuts any plan you had for securing a better future.You really think that President Obama writes his own speeches,hahahaha
Cool story bro.
I remember fighting in school. Other than bloody noses that was about it. This list is so true. I went to school in the late 50′s and 60′s… Makes you want to laugh but cry at the same time. This is what government does when given too much power…..
I wish i was born in the 50s
freakin hate this time
and this world
S#*t… i mean golly. the only solution is that everybody should go to a therapist and then do whatever they want.
Oh feces, I meant “Johnny AND his father.”
It's make you wonder if the world we live in today is better than what its was 60 years ago.I find it quiet sad that things like a teacher careing for a hurt child is now condemed our socity.
This would make a great email chain. I will send it out tomorrow and see now long it is before I get it back
And apparently the FBI and SWAT teams are called in for next to nothing in America (I know this list is a joke, I'm kidding but still it's kinda true).
This is so almost accurate it's depressing. I found myself sniggering but also nodding and agreeing. Bloody bollocky PC-obsessed societies we live in…
Where are we going?
so many posts are clearer now:
Spanking Linked to Lower IQ in Children http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/709477
September 24, 2009 — Groundbreaking research suggests children who are spanked have lower IQs than those who are not, and that the difference is large enough to lower national IQ scores in countries where corporal punishment of children is routine.
Murray Straus, PhD, head of the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, told Medscape Psychiatry that his landmark 32-nation study of corporal punishment by parents and IQ also suggests that recent increases in IQ in many nations may have been partly a result of the worldwide decrease in the use of corporal punishment by parents.
"The longitudinal part of our study showed that children who were spanked the most fell behind the average IQ development curve, and those who were never spanked advanced ahead of the average," Dr. Straus said. He presented his results at the 14th International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma in San Diego, California.
you must've been beaten nearly to death to believe that load of crap. or did i just create a paradox?
this is pretty retarded. the 50's are being highly romanticized, and whoever wrote this is obviously a huge cynic. they are basically assuming the worst in every one in every modern day scenario. these are some really extreme cases.
I can definitely relate to the "SWAT being called" portion of this post. In my sophomore year of high school a kid who I've known since second grade brought an airsoft gun about 100 yards away from our bus stop to show one of the other kids who rode our bus. This airsoft gun was clear, by the way. Well, he sees the bus coming, and walks back to his house to put his airsoft gun away, and I assume get a ride from his mom since he didn't come back. When we get to school our school is on lock down. Police cars everywhere, SWAT is showing up, bomb sniffing dogs being led throughout the school, news teams, the whole bit. We're rushed off the bus and searched then rushed into classrooms by armed police officers. Apparently "a kid brought a gun to school and is going to shoot up the place." Well, when nothing happened, we found out at the end of the day some "concerned parent" at our bus stop, who was seeing her child off to school, called the police and said she saw a kid with a gun in the field and was trying to sneak it onto the bus, but wasnt sure if he actually succeeded. The kid was expelled, put under house arrest, and has to see a psychologist for a minimum of three years. All in all, his life is now *****ed over. Pretty horrible.
Scenario 11
1957: Black guy walks into a store. He is refused service, ridiculed and threatened, and must go to a black store.
2007: The man is promptly served
On a purely comedic level, a good list, but I think you tend to gloss over the strides we have made since then, although I guess that's probably the point. Their are, though, some ridiculous examples of paranoia and to permissive parenting and society, and many things are sensationalized that used to be no big deal.
In particular I have to agree with the restless kid being given Ritalin and becoming a zombie. I know far to many children that this has happened to.
Funny, but not all that accurate
its cool.very cool.ill visit this website more often to be updated
This is soooo true!
I remember last year this guy took a video of him slapping a girls butt and posted it on fb without her permission and he was immediatly suspened for the year, had to go to court and was sued by the school, and another student was suspended just for being there.
I havent seen a list this dumb in a while
this is the worst list i have ever read. not remotely funny. the sort of awful essays i mark for my class of 11 year olds
I have not read any of the list but i have read all of your comments and you guys are all *****ed up i mean some of you guys are putting stuff on here about how this stuff isnt true but i mean whenever you think about it how do you really know if it is true or not i mean unless you were alive in the 1950 you (which some of you might be) you really dont know how it was back in the fifties because maybe all of this is true because i have grandpas and grandmas that are over sixtie and i have asked them and some of this stuff is true. And for you guys who are putting your own scenarios an here well if that stuff is really true then you should really report it and then maybe it wouldnt be happening you keep *****ing about how this generation is *****ed up well maybe if ***** heads like you would report when that kind of stuff happens then maybe just maybe we could start putting a stop to it.
I think that all you guys who are arguing about how this is not true and how it is far fetched well why dont you pull your head out of your ass because this stuff is actually happening and thase who are trying to go against it are *****ed up i agree that some stuff gets a little extreme but its all for the good of the nation so quit *****ing and just shut the ***** up because back then it was seven times worse for the nation
Wat the hell is this shiit that ur postin…i came lookin for a comparison between the 1950's and now and i find this BULL*****!!!!!!!!!!! smh……
well if you want to look for a comparison between now and the 1950s why dont you pick up a history book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ummm y dont u but him one?
Wat the hell is this shiit that ur postin…i came lookin for a comparison between the 1950's and now and i find this BULL*****!!!!!!!!!!! smh……
Scenario: Black man walks into diner.
1957: Diner is whites only. Black man is beaten severely.
2007: Black man enjoys the ***** out of some waffles
Apparently girls don't do anything now or in the 50s except grow up and become a teacher.
LOL JIM that is some funny stuff but your missing just one thing the black man would enjoy the ***** out of some chicken also!And Teo girls these days sodly dont just grow up to be teachers anymore but more and more are becoming ***** victims and prostitutes or sluts
Very racist – using a spanish name for trouble in english class?? The owner of listverse is clearly white trash.
Lol…………
Great list! Hit it on the nose.
But remember how grandparents lamented about how bad the 50's & 60's were?
brilliant list – shame its all true
If this is how you see it, the title should be re-named to Differences Between The 1950s and now in USA.
bwahahah sumpah ini comment kocak abis
salut buat J Frater
… Wow. Amazingly stupid, paranoid, and reactionary, much? I don’t think the old days were quite as good as you remember, otherwise nothing would have changed.
Bahahahahaha! so true…sad…but true!
Paddling never hurt anyone I got my butt busted 1st grade thru 12th Didnt do me any harm In fact Ive had 2 Security clearances carrying a gun.
great list
god this list made me roll my eyes so much.
this is my best list