When were we a utopia? In my lifetime the best period was the 1980's for sure. We have slowing disintegrated since that time unfortunately in my opinion.
Once you're around long enough (or study enough history), you'll see that these things go in cycles. We've had the kind of extreme division we have now before -- over slavery, civil rights, lots of things. They're typically the death throes of some group vehemently opposed to change. The change usually happens anyway, the screaming opponents die off or learn to deal with it (or just shut up, finally), things settle down, and things run a bit smoother until the next "big change" comes along. Then it repeats all over again.
Thanks for this perspective. The Vietnam documentary series on PBS right now kind of sounds like what you are saying. Things were very scary at different times and folks were really opposed to each other. In some ways things got better but in some ways problems just got swept under the rug too. As for right now, I don't know what's wrong but the unemployment rate should say that everybody is happy since everyone has a job. But folks are scared nonetheless, they don't feel safe, or something.
I'm with you on the 80's thing. It seemed that racism (according to my white perspective) was on the down-low. I felt that racism would become a thing of the past. It feels like we are more backwards now.
Housing was still sort of affordable in the 80's too.
praydude Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Housing was still sort of affordable in the 80's > too.
Not so if you asked people during that time when everyone was weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth over the double digit mortgage rates of the time, particularly in the early 80s. It is all relative.