Any one notice the lack of tattoos in Woodstock crowd photos?

[Ernesto]

Were we smarter back in those days?

[cwydro]

1. I notice how slim everyone was.

We’ve become a nation of fat.

[SunSeeker]

5. Indeed. nt

[Dave Starsky]

7. There was a lot more manual labor back then...

And everyone still smoked like chimneys.

[cwydro]

11. Well, no one in my family smoked.

We were all slim.

Yes, we were all very active folks too, not labor so much, but very involved in sports, being outside, not sitting on the couch all effing day.

[Dave Starsky]

57. The Woodstock generation played HARD when they were kids.

They were basically out of doors running, jumping, playing tag, playing "tackle the guy with the football", "Red Rover", "Snatch the Bacon", swimming, bicycling; playing basketball, baseball--from dawn's early rise to the time the streetlamps started going out in the neighborhood, about the time when their parents would stand out on the front porch to call out for them to come home.

Activity levels in childhood make a huge difference going into adulthood. Going outside to play is a major part of that.

[sdfernando]

66. Forgive my ignorance but "Snatch the Bacon"

I've never heard of that one.

[Dave Starsky]

71. Two teams line up on different sides of a football field.

A flag, baton, whatever, is set in the middle between both teams.

Each person on each team has a number. These are designated oppositely--so that, say, 1 lines up across from 23, 22 from 2, 21 from 3, etc...

A number is called out. Both people with that number run out, try to grab the "bacon" (flag, baton, whatever) and run back to their own side without their counterpart on the other side stopping them.

[TheRealNorth]

178. When we played it in elementary school (WI)

We used bowling pins as the bacon.

[Dave Starsky]

179. A fun variant was playing it snorkeling at the pool.

Using a dive weight.

Those were good times.

[The_jackalope]

150. Smoked yes, but

a) sitting in a circle passing a joint isn't exactly cardio; and
b) weed does not predispose one to hard physical labour...

[highplainsdem]

16. Less junk food then. Much smaller portions. And "screen time" was only TV/movies and

not hours spent staring at a computer/tablet/phone. And there were only a few channels/networks to watch so there was often nothing worth watching on TV.

People would go out to see others to socialize, not just text them or use social media.

[DetlefK]

129. Not just junk-food. Preserved food has way more additives nowadays.

Do you know what one of the most common additives in preserved food is?

Sugar.

Sugar is added to bolster the other flavors and aromas. Added sugar is everywhere.



A few calories here, a few calories there, and all of a sudden there is an obesity epidemic.

[Johnny2X2X]

145. Bingo it's SUGAR!

People still look at obesity as a character flaw. Sugar is the problem. It's highly addictive and tricks the body into storing fat for no reason.

The people at Woodstock were not much more active than most people today, in fact going to the gym or even jogging/running weren't even popular things back in the 60s. The difference is diet, period.

And it snowballs, once a kid is addicted to sugar he or she adds weight which makes it harder to exercise.

[lagomorph777]

190. +1 A lot of processed/restaurant food tastes sickly sweet now.

Sugar is in EVERYTHING. Yuck.

[Johnny2X2X]

199. And the body processes all of it the same

It's shocking to learn that 100% fruit juice might not be healthy because the fiber has been removed. Sugar is sugar, once your body is addicted to it, even natural sugars can be harmful in excess.

Scientists determined if they got mice addicted to cocaine and sugar at the same time, they'd choose sugar over cocaine when they could only have 1.

Imagine being addicted to cocaine and everyday you walked past hundreds of signs for cocaine, everyday you were offered cocaine dozens of times a day and things you had to ingest you had to double check that cocaine wasn't in them. And in some cases things that you ate would have labels that lie about cocaine being in them or not. It would be impossible to stay clean. People are literally dying of sugar addiction. The country is in big trouble healthy wise.

[Farmer-Rick]

156. Sugar and starchy snacks

I'm old, and could have gone to Woodstock....if my parents would of let a pre teen drive their truck.

And we rarely ate things like potatoes chips, Fritos and Pringles. We had them but only got them as a special treat, maybe 3 to 4 times a year. The same with things like ice cream and soda. Only Mom was allowed to drink coke and you better not touch it. We had to drink milk direct from the dairy, water from a spring fed well and sugar free teas.

About 3 times a year Mom would bake pies and cakes and homemade bread. But it was all special treats that most of the time we never ate. And then I grew up and realized I could eat all the junk food I wanted.

I'm still trying to lose the weight.

[The_jackalope]

151. Thank god we never ate Doritos

by the industrial-sized bag.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

206. Smaller portions.

While no one thing is to blame for our collective overweight, that's a significant part.

[Hortensis]

25. In those days my girls' PE class finished up by running a mile

before heading for the showers. This was high school 5 days a week.

Our GA grandson in 8th grade has no PE -- it's an elective and he's going for a full scholarship and says he needs all academics. In all of HS, he'll be required to take 2 sessions of PE, but it can be taken in the summer as a compressed elective for $500. Meanwhile in AR, it's much the same;
our grandsons' parents are paying a fortune for private after-school classes in athletic toning and training, in addition to organized sports. Nice for already athletically oriented kids whose parents can afford it.

[cwydro]

27. Yeah, we had to run too.

I’m grateful now.

[Hortensis]

49. Me too. Sure wasn't then. And what I'd do with all that stamina now!

[MuseRider]

61. In those awful

blue jumpers? Yeah, we ran too. We also ran as a punishment.

[Hortensis]

81. Ohmygosh. Those ugly blue jumpers. Us too.

And in another school baggy blue shorts with white blouses that never stayed tucked. How they managed to make beautiful young bodies look so dumpy was truly inspired.

[zeusdogmom]

84. We had white snap front rompers

Ugly as sin

[Hortensis]

88. I was remembering those snaps! First time in

going on 50 years. I must have blocked them for most of that. Ours were quite possibly from the same manufacturer.

[zeusdogmom]

126. Sorry to have drudged up old repressed memories

In truth hadn't thought about that lovely gym wear in many years. Probably last time 25+ years ago when my girls complained about their required P.E. uniforms - green t-shirts, black shorts.

[Hortensis]

202. Lol. Guessing we would have killed for your girls'.

[ChazII]

118. We had the snap romper but in light blue. n/t

[zeusdogmom]

125. Probably just as ugly as the white ones. 😁

[MuseRider]

110. The boys laughed at us

rather than being interested. They got shorts and long tee shirts. I have no idea why they made us wear those things. We had to take ours home to wash at the end of the week but they boys got theirs washed at school. Bad time to be a girl in a lot of ways.

[stuffmatters]

201. Yes. I couldn't wear royal blue for 2 decades after high school.

[beveeheart]

135. Blue? Sounds much better than the eggplant-colored ones

we had to wear.

[MuseRider]

139. Ewwww.

LOL.

[dchill]

50. The running was fine, but those jumping jacks...

...permanently ruined my knees.

[Hortensis]

54. Oh, no kidding. Sorry. I was killer at double-Dutch jump rope

for years before jumping jacks.

Handsprings were my downfall, just couldn't get the spring consistently right. A mean PE teacher (were there any other kind?) made me keep trying until I landed on my left shoulder, and it was never right after that (no obligatory lawsuit-driven orthopedist checks in those days, and "physical therapy" was standing and watching everyone else). But I'm able to scratch my back with my right hand, so okay. Definitely better than ruined knees.

[dchill]

56. I'm sure you're right about mean PE teachers...

...especially back in the sixties, when I was in their grasp. A lot of them were overweight chain smokers, too. Always chomping at the bit for a smoke, which probably explains much of their attitude.

[Hortensis]

77. :) Remember mine as tanned, athletic drill sergeants

with short easy-care cuts. Looking back, they packed a lot of whistle-blowing and orders into each hour, some smokers seems likely for those days, but I never saw that much frailty when I was there.

[llmart]

109. Let's not forget the straight legged situps...

where someone would hold your legs down at the ankles while you were supposed to do situps. If you got a friend to do it and they counted, they would sometimes cheat and tell the PE teacher, "Yeah, she did 50."

I could never manage getting up the rope. I don't think I ever got more than three feet up. And yet I was a very active, sports person. Just didn't have the right body type for rope climbing.

We had the blue, one-piece suits also.

[Blue_true]

82. My PE class in middle school did a mile run to finish each class.

EVERYONE had to do it at their pace, even if they run-walked. There was always a competition within the different groups to see who in a particular group finished first. Of course the more athletic kids finished first overall, but everyon had fun.

When I reached high school, mandatory PE had been stopped, replaced by an hour "break" where kids did whatever they wanted except leave campus or have sex on campus. If kids chose to go running, they could but needed to be done and ready for class within an hour, no one bothered.

[Hortensis]

85. :) Of course no one bothered. Getting sweaty, ruining your hair

and makeup? Missing whatever those you hung with were up to? This was adolescence after all.

[The Genealogist]

130. PE class was a nightmare for me

In jr high, I was an overweight and had issues with gynecomastia. Not the only one. The solution was nearly daily skin shirt basketball in PE class, which should be called "body shaming nightmare hour." The coaches never stopped it, if anything they egged it on. My self esteem was in the toilet til after I got to adulthood, and I still have body image issues. Miserable experience.

[Hortensis]

140. I believe it was pretty much the same at my high school.

So unfortunate. At least a lot of kids are spared that these days, and that's a very good thing.

[The Genealogist]

141. I certainly hope so

Kids can't learn right in an environment like that.

[Dave Starsky]

158. Junior-high PE class was pretty much a hell on earth.

I've repressed most of it. I remember running around a lot and endless games of fucking dodgeball, while "Coach" sat in the bleachers reading the newspaper and smoking a cigarette.

[The Genealogist]

160. That sounds like high school PE to me.

I took a class called "individual and dual sports" in high school. The teacher would throw some dodgeballs in the gym and go plan her basketball games for her girls teams. The, the football players would tske all the dodgeballs and slam them at the little guys. This was called "suck ball." Ya know, I learned very little about exercise and healthy activity in school. The coaches and teachers just didn't care and weren't required to.

[Dave Starsky]

177. I got into running, martial arts, and weightlifting in high school.

ALL of it outside the purview of the school system, of course.

Junior high was especially bad, because kids start maturing at different rates. We had monsters with full beards throwing balls as hard as they could at little pipsqueaks like me.

What was funny was going to my ten-year high school reunion. I didn't stop growing until I was in college. All of those guys who seemed so formidable to me in the ninth grade were about a foot shorter than me, all with beer guts. They were A LOT nicer to me then!

[consider_this]

207. how bout the 'president's council on physical fitness' award...

of yore.
argh!
every year - so embarrassing if you could not make the cut - or get the special patch.
Another way to make kids in the old days hate gym.

[Iwasthere]

32. Fast food / junk food

I ate a whole food diet, and nearly everything was organic then too. Fewer gut problems as well, so our immune systems were really strong (cancer connection).

[Johnny2X2X]

152. The Agriculture Lobby is to blame for today's diets (SUGAR)

In the 80s they took fat out of everything and replaced it with sugar. The agricultural lobby knows this means bigger profits, they have the government on lock down.

Ever wonder why on the side of any food product it says Daily recommended allowance next to everything save for sugar? Next to sugar it's left blank, politicians and people at the FDA tried to get this populated, but the lobby shut them down. 25 grams daily, an adult is supposed to get 25 grams of sugar each day. The agriculture lobby knows people would change their eating habits and it would effect profits if people read the side of their food and saw 24% of daily recommended sugar per serving on the side of their coffee creamer, or 90% on the side of their kid's cereal, or 260% in a 20 oz bottle of coca cola.

If you drink 1 single 20 oz coke, you have taken in your daily recommended amount of sugar for over 2-1/2 days.

SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR is the problem!

Even Michelle Obama when she first became First Lady succumbed to the pressure from the lobby, she started out talking about sugar and diet and changed it to mostly exercise. In other words. "It's you're fault you're obese, the food industry hiding the facts about sugar in your diet has nothing to do with it.

[bronxiteforever]

33. Cigarette smoking. Can't see the cancer in the crowd but it's there.

[cwydro]

37. Lol, so if we're not overweight - we have cancer?

Nah.

[bronxiteforever]

42. Lol! Cigarettes are good

Nah.

[Hoyt]

2. I think our parents -- who got tattoos in WWII -- pounded into many of us it wasn't a good idea.

My dad got an anchor on his forearm, but was always trying to hide it years later.

Tats weren't big back then.

[Submariner]

68. A Navy Chief who just advanced to become an Officer, and was my deck boss in '65,

had to get his forearm tattoos removed to become commissioned.

It looked like someone took razors and sliced and diced the surface tissue of his arms. Whatever the method of removal was, it was a truly mangled look with a lot of scarring.

[TeamPooka]

72. In 1969 I feel like everybody that I knew or saw that had a tattoo

In 1969 I feel like everybody that I knew or saw that had a tattoo had been in the service or was a biker

[spanone]

75. yep. that's how it was.

[lunasun]

80. I was thinking wasn't that when bikers or greasers had the tattoos ? I forgot about military service

Anyway I don’t associate hippie Woodstock types with tattoos

[HockeyMom]

134. Yes

I was thinking the same. The Bikers had tats then but not the Peace and Love people.

[mr_lebowski]

102. Or in the Joint ...

Some Truckers had 'em too ...

[Buzz cook]

113. Many bikers were vets.

That's how a lot of the clubs got started vets from Korea buying surplus motorcycles
.

[hunter]

172. My grandfather worked as a welder in the shipyards during World War II.

He had the requisite tattoos.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Hardly anybody had them then, partly because

in many cities, tattoo parlors weren't even legal then. The only places you could easily get tattoos were the military (mainly in foreign countries) or prison. Personally, I think they're hideous, but to each his own.

[blueinredohio]

99. That's funny because my mother thought everyone who had a tattoo

had been in prison until her grandkids started getting them.

[lapfog_1]

4. In that era

tattoos were thought to be either for WWII vets (the parents of the woodstockers) or for bikers and biker gangs.

In addition, the people who did tattoos in that time frame weren't the best artists or the cleanest places in the world... and while this was well before AIDs, there were blood transmitted disease so it was considered dangerous to get tattoos.

[highplainsdem]

23. Exactly. Back then tattoos were associated with bikers, criminals, or military personnel who'd

often get the tattoos while drunk.

[mopinko]

52. hepatitis was a big one. that ink looked different when your skin turned yellow.

[marybourg]

6. No. But I notice the prevalence

of them now.

[cwydro]

8. People weren't all trying to be cool all the time either.

Really, people so badly want to be seen as “cool” nowadays.

Kinda sad.

[lame54]

14. I'm playing the long game...

Soon everyone will be tatted up and I'll be the true individual

[cwydro]

30. Lol, my faves are some of the memes showing oldsters with their tats.

When I was in my 30s in Key West, many of my co-workers had tats. Many of my co-workers were also the age I am now.

I remember thinking, oh no, never never never.

[tinrobot]

101. Oh come on. In the 60's, plenty of people were trying to be cool.

To be cool back then, you grew your hair long, went to shows like Woodstock, and looked down on people in business suits.

A decade later, you cut your hair short, went to punk rock shows, and looked down on hippies.

In the 90's, you got tattoos and wore flannel...

It never ends. Each decade may be different, but there are always people who try to be cool.

[misanthrope]

215. And we have a winner

There's a lot of condescension in this thread. Some of it sounds pretty narrow-minded, too.

[Mariana]

216. Some folks just can't pass up an opportunity

to put down people younger than themselves - even if they have to lie outright to do it.

[Dave Starsky]

105. People have always tried to be "cool".

I am an old man. This has gone on for generations, centuries.

But I don't remember a time where you needed to have permanent pictures inscribed, willy nilly, on your body in order to seem like the greatest, "coolest" thing.

[Act_of_Reparation]

210. Everyone grew their hair out because of a massive shortage of barbers, I guess.

Seems legit.

[nocoincidences]

9. "Nice people"

didn't get tattoos which is why ex-military guys were embarrassed about the ones they picked up on drunken shore leave/R&R.

And as was said in another post, tattoo parlors weren't nice places to go, either.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. We were more into face painting, y'know?

[hlthe2b]

12. Yes.

sorry to the tattoo-obsessed, but, I am not among you.

[littlemissmartypants]

13. One thing about multiple tats, that many may not consider is

that they destroy sweat glands. The more tats, the more difficult it is to regulate body temperature.

[diva77]

22. Interesting - have a link? I know the Red Cross won't accept blood donations if

your latest tatoo is less than 12 mos. old. https://www.healthline.com/health/can-you-donate-blood-if-you-have-a-tattoo

[littlemissmartypants]

74. I don't have a link.

My doctor told me.

[Mariana]

15. I don't know. Were you smarter? nt.

[wasupaloopa]

17. Tattoos for women began in the 80's in my neck of the woods

They got them on the small of their back just above their bottoms.

[rampartc]

131. that is called a "tramp stamp"

[obamanut2012]

18. There is nothing "stupid" about getting tats

You didn't see any because the no tattoo attitude was classist, as only military and "low class" people got them, and even most "low class" women never did.

[Spider Jerusalem]

20. FDR and Churchill both had tattoos (not in places where they'd be visible though)

[cwydro]

39. Churchill had a tat?

Link?

[Spider Jerusalem]

59. Here:

https://www.mic.com/articles/78927/14-historical-figures-you-probably-didn-t-know-had-tattoos

(an anchor on one arm, apparently)

[Vinca]

51. I don't know. When I see Daffy Duck on a bare leg I kind of think stupid.

Maybe it's an age thing. Or a Daffy Duck thing.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

100. Roger Stone has a tattoo of Nixon on his back, which is really stupid.

[Vinca]

123. Don't forget the guy who got a Mitt Romney logo tattoo on his face. Not a rocket scientist. LOL.

[bluedigger]

19. Otzi, the 5,300 year old iceman, had 61 tattoos.

But he also died on a glacier, so I guess the jury is still out on any tie between tattoos and intelligence.

[lunatica]

34. He died of an arrow wound

They missed the arrowhead the first time they did a forensic exploration on him. It was lodged in his upper torso between his shoulder and chest, close to his armpit.

[bluedigger]

91. Getting shot on a glacier doesn't make you smart.

Otherwise, everybody would have a go.

[bronxiteforever]

36. He was murdered! Don't blame the Iceman, he was running for his life.

I still grieve for Otzi!

[bluedigger]

90. Too soon.

My bad.

[bronxiteforever]

92. Lol! Don't get me started on the dinosaurs!

[Blue_true]

86. Wasn't the location and design of tats a tribal thing then?

Maybe he ran into an opposing tribe or got seperated from a hunting or war party and got attacked by members of another tribe. Or maybe he had an illness and superstition led his tribe to take him out and murder him.

[Fritz Walter]

21. And, all you kids: get off my lawn!

It’s a generational thing, although some señors(!) have gotten into body art, including ink and piercings. I’m just not one of them. Whatever.

I try not to judge.

Except when it comes to skill/technique. These days, when someone comes at me with a needle, their task is typically drawing blood, not injecting ink (nor leaving a permanent hole somewhere). Decades ago, I was a phlebotomist, so I know the difference between a good prep and a quick swipe with an alcohol swab. And — dog forbid — they miss the mark. Or leave a bruise.

Then there are all the jokes/memes about what happens to body-art when decades take their toll (hair-growth, loss of skin/muscle tone).

[maxsolomon]

24. There were a lot more mustaches then.

So no, we weren't smarter.

[Blue_true]

87. I wore a mustache and beard during the early eighties.

It was a young adult thing more than anything else. I was a college educated engineer and lots of the older engineers had mustaches or beards.

[demmiblue]

26. No... they were just different in their own way, in their own era.

What a strange question.

[Celerity]

117. +10000

[virgogal]

28. It was illegal in many places.

[quickesst]

29. tattoos....

....are nothing more than graffiti for the human body. Nothing against graffiti. Tastefully done, I think it's an improvement and looks great on the side of a railroad boxcar or an ugly building. The human body is neither of these. Of course, like everyone else here, it's an opinion.

[Thekaspervote]

31. This!

[quickesst]

47. heh....

[True Dough]

35. Well, I'm insulted!

I've made an appointment with the tattoo removal place. I'm going to get "Ernesto" erased from my chest on Thursday.

[Blue_true]

89. My oldest brother has a chest tattoo.

Any young person that is thinking about getting a tattoo should view Tats on old people first.

[LiberalFighter]

38. They probably had the brains to keep their tattoos if any not as apparent.

Unlike more of the non-sociable types that have it all over their face and/or body.

[soryang]

40. i worked with a psychiatrist at a government agency

...who reviewed disability claims in the late eighties. He regarded tattoos as a sign of personality disorder. When I questioned him because it wasn't in the DSM, he just said "it's a red flag." he didn't use it explicitly in his written opinion but would search harder for signs of a personality disorder to deny the disability claims for acquired psychiatric disorders.

[nolabear]

46. Yeah, just because you're a psychiatrist doesn't mean you're not a fool.

We hope the vast majority of people in mental health professions are capable, smart and don’t let their prejudices get in the way, but trust me, there are some beuts in the field. Humans. What are ya gonna do?

[soryang]

94. it was a thing back then to deny claims for PTSD as well.

it was so political really, it was ridiculous. In my observation mostly republicans did this. They viewed disability claimants as "parasites."

[mikeysnot]

41. Also notice the lack of cell phones?

Things were different back then.

[jmowreader]

43. Back then you got a tattoo if you wanted to find out what hepatitis was really like

Today is different: there's a reason a tattoo shop smells like a doctor's office. You are FAR more likely to get an infection in the hospital than you are from a tattoo.

[redstatebluegirl]

44. I am not into the tatoos everywhere generation.

[OriginalGeek]

45. well I was only 5 or 6 then

so I had no tattoos. I love the ones I have now though and plan to get more.

[nolabear]

48. Nothing dumb about tattoos. They're just body art.

Might not be your cuppa, but it’s merely style.

[johnp3907]

53. Less tattoos, more cigarettes.

Brilliant.

[delisen]

55. Just more aware of Impermanence

Tattoes imply forever; face painting is transient.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

58. Smarter? Y'all voted for Reagan.

[jkirch]

62. Um. No we didn't.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

70. Boomer-age voters broke for Reagan in both 1980 and 1984.

I guess I'd rather have a tattoo.

[appalachiablue]

83. Boomer is not synonymous with Hippie. Our circle of 5 kids and

17 first cousins were both Boomers and Hippies and on the liberal Democrat end of the spectrum. We resided in and around Boston, NY, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle and LA and the large majority are Democrats.

Don't know why this Boomers for Reagan theme is circulating of late.

[Blue_true]

93. The sixties generation powered Reagan to victory.

Denying that is futile, IMO. For more that a few hippies, it was about free sex and drugs, there was no profound goal driving their participation, it was all about getting laid then stoned, or vice-versa. I came of age after that generation and for decades have been appalled by what they became.

[appalachiablue]

96. Some astounding claims

[pstokely]

224. and also avoiding Nam

tRump wasn't at Woodstock

[PatrickforO]

230. I'm a boomer and agree. Back in the day, we all hoped the revolution would come, but

it seems like a whole bunch sold out.

The two biggest illusions that plague us are the lust for wealth and the lust for power. I think all of us get tempted, but some resist. Some succumb.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

97. "Boomer is not synonymous with Hippie."

Don't I know it.

17 first cousins were both Boomers and Hippies and on the liberal Democrat end of the spectrum. We resided in and around Boston, NY, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle and LA and the large majority are Democrats.

Okay.

Don't know why this Boomers for Reagan theme is circulating of late.

It's not a theme. It's a fact. Reagan won Boomer-age voters in 1980 and 1984, that's all.

[appalachiablue]

103. 'Reagan Dems':"mostly white, socially conservative blue-collar"-None in my circle

Reagan coalition, From Wikipedia

The Reagan coalition was the combination of voters that Republican Ronald Reagan assembled to produce a major political realignment with his electoral landslide in the 1980 United States presidential election. In 1980, the Reagan coalition was possible because of Democrat Jimmy Carter's losses in most social-economic groups. In 1984, Reagan confirmed his support by winning nearly 60% of the popular vote and carried 49 of the 50 states.

> The Reagan Democrats were Democrats before the Reagan years and afterwards, but who voted for Reagan in 1980 and 1984 and for George H. W. Bush in 1988, producing their landslide victories.
> They were mostly white socially conservative blue-collar workers who lived in the Northeast and were attracted to Reagan's social conservatism on issues such as abortion and to his hawkish foreign policy.

They did not continue to vote Republican in 1992 or 1996, so the term fell into disuse except as a reference to the 1980s. The term is not generally used to describe the Southern whites who permanently changed party affiliation from Democrat to Republican during the Reagan administration and they have largely remained Republican to this day.

Stan Greenberg, a Democratic pollster, analyzed white, largely unionized auto workers in suburban Macomb County, Michigan, just north of Detroit. The county voted 63% for John F. Kennedy in 1960 and 66% for Reagan in 1984. He concluded that Reagan Democrats no longer saw Democrats as champions of their middle class aspirations, but instead saw it as being a party working primarily for the benefit of others, especially African Americans and the very poor. Democrat Bill Clinton targeted the Reagan Democrats with considerable success in 1992 and 1996. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_coalition

[WhiskeyGrinder]

104. All sorts of people voted for Reagan!

Including boomers, who broke for him!

[progressoid]

163. 54 percent of the voters aged 27 to 38 favor Mr. Reagan, while 37 percent back Walter F. Mondale.

How Groups Voted in 1984

https://ropercenter.cornell.edu/how-groups-voted-1984

New York Times
November 5 1984

At the age of 37, he is a member of the generation, born in the 12 years after World War II. When that ''baby boom'' generation came of age and settled down, the analysts predicted, it would have a profound effect on American political life.

This year it appears that many in this generation plan, like Mr. Merrick, to vote for President Reagan. According to the last four New York Times/ CBS News Polls, 54 percent of the voters aged 27 to 38 favor Mr. Reagan, while 37 percent back Walter F. Mondale. Only the smaller segment of the electorate aged 18 to 26 gives Mr. Reagan a bigger share of their support.

Economic Self-Interest

The polls indicate that Mr. Reagan's appeal is primarily economic in nature. In one recent Times/CBS News Poll, two-thirds of those 27 to 38 years old said the economy was the ''most important'' issue influencing their vote, a proportion well above other age groups.

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/05/us/making-mark-on-politics-baby-boomers-appear-to-rally-around-reagan.html

Los Angeles Times
August 8, 1988

--Baby boomers currently have a more favorable impression of 77-year-old President Reagan than do the older voters, according to a July survey by the Los Angeles Times Poll. The baby boomers in 1984 voted for Reagan over Democrat Walter F. Mondale in about the same proportion as did older Americans.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-18-mn-778-story.html

[appalachiablue]

188. Not in my group as noted in #83, #103. In DC in 1980 I witnessed

the election of Reagan and Bush close up, and endured the reign for 12 long years.

[pstokely]

225. I've wondered, were many white boomers always racist or were the radicalized by 30 years

of RW hate radio and Faux state news, or maybe they just poseurs in the 60s?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

233. All of the above.

We live in a white hegemony; people who grow up in it must work hard to dismantle their own internal racism, and many don't make the effort. Some figure being not-racist is enough, when we need to be actively anti-racist.

[Docreed2003]

136. Boom

Signed a Gen Xer with Tattoos

[Codeine]

60. Well, more self-congratulatory at any rate.

Not sure if that’s something in which one should take pride, but what do I know?

[Croney]

63. In my forties I got the tattoos I wanted to get in my 20's.

A tiny butterfly on one breast, and that sucker flies lower and lower every year.

A vine around one ankle, with leaves and little flowers.

For my 75th birthday on 11/11 I'm getting three little birds around the vine.

Whether I'm smart or not has always been a subject for debate.

[demmiblue]

65. Three little birds... nice choice!

[Croney]

67. Yep! I sang it every morning for many years, rocking one grandkid after another.

[demmiblue]

69. A fitting tribute/remembrance.

[PufPuf23]

122. So sweet. Never would have considered why three birds.

Your tattoos are darn near perfect.

I am male, nearly 67, and identify with hippiedom and have no tattoos (nor piercing).

Took me awhile to find any tattoo attractive but tattoos have turned into something many people do (not just enlisted military, bikers, and those who have spent too much time in jail).

I love rock and roll after all these years.

[elocs]

64. "Were we smarter back in those days?" Judgmental much? n/t

[fescuerescue]

73. Tattoos seem to skip generations.

If the parents had tattoos, the kids found them distasteful. If the parents don't, then the kids find them shocking and cool.


Slightly off topic, Opiates are similar. Opiate addiction is about every third generation. Just long enough for the society to forget how devastating it is.

[Kurt V.]

76. Possible . Anecdotal but my dad was born in 1930. had a tattoo on each shoulder. me, none.

[pstokely]

226. those tattoos get stretched out

that's what turns off kids from tattoos

[Blue_true]

78. I definitely don't like Tats. They just come off wrong to me. nt

[stopbush]

79. Tattoos are ugly.

[Blue_true]

95. Especially as people age. They look even sadder then. nt

[stopbush]

106. A lot of people around here have tattoos. I always imagine what they'll look like

in 20-30 years when they try to have them removed.

[Blue_true]

111. Fortunately for them, the technology of tattoo removal has advanced considerably.

My position on tattoos and tattoo removal is that if you don't want a bad headache, don't hit yourself upside the head with a brick.

[Retrograde]

112. My grandfather had some

so I always associate them with very old people. (He got them when he was in the navy). They seem to have gone out of fashion in the 1920s, and didn't start being fashionable again until the 1990s.

I occasionally see some that I think are well done and are still well-defined. Mostly they tend to look somewhat grungy as they age, especially the sleeve-style ones. But it's not my body, so I say nothing.

[Blue_true]

114. They can get them touched up as they age, most don't.

My adage is if nature didn't give your body something, you should not either. Inking healthy skin cells is an example of defiling nature, IMO.

[Codeine]

115. Some are ugly. Some are astonishingly beautiful.

Some make people look like idiots and some are living art. Few things are so simple that they can be described in one word.

[cwydro]

143. I knew a guy in Key West. Middle aged guy, so proud of his back tat he took his shirt off to show me

We were not friends, so the shirt taking off was weird enough.

The tat was a back size reproduction of the twin towers burning. I really had no words. It was horrific.

[Codeine]

147. Jeeeeeebus.

“I got the second plane tattooed on my shoulder blade, so if I move my arm juuuust right it crashes into the tower.”

[cwydro]

155. Oh god. You know i think there WAS a plane in the tat.

And a giant American flag over the whole thing. He was a big guy, and it was a big tattoo.

Key West is a bizarre place, but that was one REALLY bizarre experience.

Years and years ago and I still remember it. Yuck.

[Act_of_Reparation]

142. So are polo shirts, golf shorts, and moustaches.

[stopbush]

144. Yes, but one can take those off.

[Act_of_Reparation]

146. And yet everyone at country club seems ill-disposed to that idea.

[stopbush]

154. I wouldn't know. I think golf is a stupid endeavor and I don't hang out at

the R-infested enterprises known as country clubs.

[Act_of_Reparation]

159. Uh-huh.

Sitting on your front porch, scowling at passersby, and yelling at the neighborhood kids more your speed?

[meadowlander]

191. Judgmental much?

If you don't want a tattoo, don't get one. What other people chose to do with their own bodies is none of your business.

My tattoo is awesome, has a deeply personal meaning, is attached to great memories, and 15 years after getting it and well into my 40s I'm still glad I have it and would never consider getting it removed.

[Dave Starsky]

98. I have never really understood the tattoo phenomenon.

But I have always understood our bodies as being perfect upon creation.

I might understand a "STRENGTH" tattoo on a knee that you need to rely on for your soccer game. It"s always there to help you. You see that tattoo, and it helps you be the best you can be. It helps you kick that winning goal.

But a skull intertwined with an octopus, on the back of your left arm... I don't get that.

[Act_of_Reparation]

198. That picture you use as your avatar.

That dude with the stupid haircut? Yeah, I don't really understand that haircut.

I might understand a burr if you're a swimmer. A haircut your rely on for your time. High speed, low drag, you know?

But a haircut that makes your head look huge and your face really small... I don't get that.

Oh. And don't get me started on golf shorts, aviator glasses, or LSD. I don't get those, either.

[Dave Starsky]

205. I'm a "live and let live" guy. I don't care what people do with themselves.

It's your body. Do whatever you want to do with it. Tattoo Nipsey Russell reeling in a large-mouthed bass on your right upper forearm. I won't pass judgment about it. I really don't care..

But that doesn't mean I have to understand or appreciate why you did it.

I chose a picture of Paul Michael Glaser playing David Starsky as my DU avatar, but I don't have him enshrined on my body.

The coolest tattoo I ever saw was a guy who had the painter Bob Ross tattooed on his arm. Bob's canvas was blank. The guy with the tattoo invited people to color in Bob's canvas with their own drawing, using whatever pens were available. I think that's great.

[mr_lebowski]

107. My tats are little notes to myself like 'Remember Sammy Jankis'

And 'Don't trust Teddy, he's not who he says'

[xmas74]

169. Do you have amnesia?

Was your wife a fragile diabetic who died under mysterious circumstances?

[mr_lebowski]

171. I guess I told you already about my condition ... BTW, do you know where to find John G? nt

[xmas74]

174. I can't believe no one else picked this up.

It's such a good movie.

[mr_lebowski]

176. Definitely in my all-time top 10 ...

The way Nolan took a relatively mundane crime story and re-ordered 1/2 the scenes to turn it into something awesome ... was genius.

One of the only movies I've ever turned around and IMMEDIATELY watched it a 2nd time. Another one such was 12 Monkeys (actually stayed in the theater to watch again), also a big fave.

[kskiska]

108. I'll bet their names would be a lot different, too.

Most likely standard family names.

[Celerity]

116. oh please

[Niagara]

119. Sandra Bullock, Caroline Kennedy, Helen Mirren and Dolly Parton all have tattoos

All of these ladies seem intelligent to me. There are probably more respected people who have them that we don't know about.


Sandra Bullock:

Caroline Kennedy: Post#5
https://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/celebrity-beauty-2/10-celebrities-you-probably-didnt-know-have-tattoos/



Helen Mirren: Post #4
https://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/celebrity-beauty-2/10-celebrities-you-probably-didnt-know-have-tattoos/





Dolly Parton:

[flvegan]

120. This is a whole new level of dumb.

[jalan48]

121. Do tattoos sag with the skin as a person ages? That would look pretty weird if you were tripping.

[madamesilverspurs]

208. Welllllll..........

Years ago a friend got a unicorn tat just above her heart. Childbirth, time, and gravity have contributed to its elongation. She sighs that her grandkids get a kick out of her weird-looking giraffe.

.

[jalan48]

222. LOL, I know how the sagging goes. I'm glad I didn't get one.

[kentuck]

124. Tattoos are a recent phenomenon...

I was in the Army in the late 60's and it was very rare to see a tattoo....anywhere.

Charles Manson had a swastika tattoo in the middle of his forehead but that was about it....

[maxrandb]

127. I think it runs in cycles

At one point, having a tattoo set you apart. You were different. You were going against the norm.

Soon, some folks will not have tattoos so that they can stand out and be different and go against the norm.

https://m.

[samnsara]

128. yeah they werent big then..started happening when I was in college in the mid 70s

..but i waited til my 50th bday to get my first one.

[JHB]

132. No, it was just that there were simpler ways to look unconventional back then

When you were set against "Mr. Clean-Cut College Boy", just grow your hair long and wear "dungarees".

Then long hair became old hat, so new subcultures & their styles sprung up, some of which included tattoos.

And once some celebrities started getting them, the stigma against them among the wider culture slackened, and they entered pop culture.

Yeah, the above is simplistic, but what do you want from three sentences?

[kentuck]

133. Interesting...

There was a time when long hair (like the Beatles) was cool. It made a statement.

But then, rednecks wanted to be cool, too. So they grew their hair long and it wasn't cool anymore. The counterfeit culture kept popping up.

[JHB]

157. I think that's the wrong take

I mean, by the time Punk developed, you had Glam Rockers with hair the size of a lion's mane. Long hair was an everyday thing. No need to single out rednecks; every punk at the mall had hair down to his shoulders (or nearly so) unless they were being all preppie.


Once that's the state of things, if you want to differentiate yourself you have to move in a different direction, thus the Punks went for hair dyes, mohawks, etc.

Several iterations of that dynamic ended up with tattoos being a mundane thing, depending on what one had.

[kentuck]

186. The punk rockers were certainly different from the rednecks...

But, I guess I can only speak from where I was at the time?

I had long hair but wanted it longer. 'Nam and the military cut back on my hair growth just a bit.

I had a very small strand of "hippie beads", which I thought was cool.

I liked listening to Spanish Caravan by the Doors, and Canned Heat for their Boogie, and Steppenwolf for their drug (or anti-drug) inferences. Who hadn't heard "The Pusher"?

Everything from Simon and Garfunkel to Jimi Hendrix.

But the long hair was not for everyone. They didn't understand the significance of the philosophy behind it?

We were proud to be called Hippies.

[Cartoonist]

137. You don't put a bumper sticker on a Bentley

[Codeine]

149. More of a shopping cart dent on a

1989 Corolla, if I’m being honest.

[Act_of_Reparation]

195. Mine is more like spinning rims on a garbage truck.

[Act_of_Reparation]

138. "We were smarter back in those days?"

You mean, like, smarter than you are now?

Hard to say. Here's hoping you were less judgy, tho.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

148. I like it now

When we aren't super judgy about what people do with their bodies. YMMV

[Codeine]

153. Fuck yeah.

What a weird thread.

[RobinA]

161. No, I Notice

the ubiquity of hideous big tattoos today. I think if I were dating in the age group I'd need to see a Hep C test on the first date.

[Codeine]

165. People don't get hepatitis from tattoos anymore.

Modern shops are clean and safe, staffed by professionals who are trained in the safe use of their equipment.

[Act_of_Reparation]

194. Fun facts:

Last edited Wed Aug 21, 2019, 09:53 AM - Edit history (1)

Tattoo shops must by law adhere to aseptic technique. The good ones—i.e., the kind that would do these yuuuuuuge pieces you so describe—tend to be extremely clean.

[RobinA]

219. Glad To Hear

there has been clean-up in "good" tattoo shops. And...I am well aware of the existing Hep C treatment as well as the former cure. I work with many people who have contracted Hepatitis C in various ways, one of whom died from that original treatment. I'll stay clear of any risk factors, and I will urge others to do that same.

[Act_of_Reparation]

221. You would urge others to not get transfusions or hemodialysis at medical facilities?

I'm thinking that's not really the case.

[LanternWaste]

162. I'm thinking tattoos are an expression of emotion rather than a measure of intelligence.

Your premise seems irrational. Maybe we were "smarter back in those days..."

[nolabear]

164. My kids and their friends have tattoos. They are STELLAR human beings.

I cannot believe people here sometimes. I swear I’m tempted to go get one just in spite. But oh, no! It would mean I’m stupid.

[xmas74]

170. I have 2.

My daughter wants us to get one together.

[nolabear]

180. I've thought about it for years.

I like the idea you and your daughter would get one together. I seem to have an overwhelming fear of buyer’s remorse-😂

[xmas74]

181. Start small but meaningful

You can always add to it as time passes.

Example-a pine tree. As time goes on you can add grass, snow, a moon, flowers, a night sky,etc.

Get on Pinterest and type in tattoos. Maybe something delicate the first time?

[nolabear]

183. Actually there's an artist-Walter Inglis Anderson

I’ve loved his work forever, and some of it has exquisite, simple depictions of animals and people.

One of his descendants actually has a tattoo parlor in Ocean Springs, MS, where he lived, and I’ve considered getting one when I visit my sister there.

But as I said, I’m squirrelly about it.

[xmas74]

184. Talk to the artist.

Express any concerns and see what they suggest.

[Niagara]

211. My best advice

1. Research the tattoo artist. Take a close look at their accomplished work, including any of the artists cover ups. All great artists can do excellent cover ups on previously terrible tattoos.

2. Price is not something you want to be frugal about especially when it's permanent on your body. If tattoo artist A says they can do one for $60 and do they shoddy work and tattoo artist B says they can do the same one for $150 and they do beautiful work, go with artist B.

3. Ask about the recommended cream and self-care beforehand. Most artists will recommend Aquaphor although others will recommend another brand. As the tattoo heals, it scabs and it itches like crazy. You'll want the recommended cream to keep the healing process to go as smooth as possible.

4. Bring a friend or relative for support. And most importantly don't forget to breath and stay calm. Everyone has different pain tolerances and some areas of the body are more painful than other areas. I always recommend choosing a "meaty" area on the body for the first tattoo. Also consider where you would like to have it placed. Consider if you want to have it visible for others to see or in a more discreet area.

5. Don't be afraid to ask the artist questions beforehand. A good artist will answer any and all questions. Also, a good artist will explain the procedure before and during the process. If they don't answer questions or explain anything, that's your cue to get out of dodge.

6. As the previous person stated earlier, go small. You can add later if that's what you want. You'll probably end up getting shaved in the area that you choose, so consider this as well if it's not normally an area that you shave.

P.S. Good luck and keep us posted if you decide to get a tattoo

[nolabear]

213. Thank you! That's excellent advice.

The tattoo artist I mentioned is well respected and likely costly but I agree it’s worth it for good art. I don’t think I’d go for anything big anyway. I’m old enough so certain areas are likely too thin skinned too.

[Niagara]

223. You're welcome, Nolabear

I made the mistake of not researching the first artist that I went to 25 years ago. They did shoddy work but I was able to get it reworked later on.

I hope that my advice helps.

[pstokely]

227. but where?

nt

[xmas74]

234. The placement?

Or the parlor in Missouri?

[Tracer]

166. I am pleased that...

...neither my daughter, son and daughter-in-law have tattoos and don't plan on getting any.

Most of the tats I've seen are randomly placed and quite un-artistic.

[Act_of_Reparation]

218. I am pleased that...

...my parents were more concerned with my education than their subjective takes on the aesthetics of my skin.

[a la izquierda]

232. For real.

I’m covered (still have some blank spaces that will stay blank for the most part). My parents are ecstatic that I have a PhD and teach at a major research institute.
Neither they, nor my bosses, give one iota about my ink.

[progressoid]

167. ...

[xmas74]

168. I've never been called dumb

And I have tats.

I'll dedicate my next one to you. I'm planning on a blood red moon partially covered by clouds. I think it will go on the upper left of my back.

[Mariana]

185. Well, now you have.

There's a first time for everything, I guess.

[Act_of_Reparation]

196. I used to be in the National Honors Society.

Then I got a tattoo.

Now I need my cat to tie my shoes every morning.

[xmas74]

214. Same

I was number 12 in my graduating class of 375. I now need a reminder to both chew and swallow my food.

[Beaverhausen]

173. What a dickish thing to say

Why would you say that?

[meadowlander]

192. Also, in some circumstance, racist.

In Maori culture (as well as many others), tattoos have deep cultural significance. After colonization, people were not allowed to get them so when people of Maori descent get them today they are in part of symbol of pride in their identity and heritage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81_moko

Saying, essentially, that anyone who gets a tattoo is an idiot shows (at the least) a serious lack of understanding of what they mean in other cultures.

[Polybius]

175. No, but I noticed the lack of grooming

I saw some video of Woodstock with full nudity. Yeck!

[AtheistCrusader]

182. So, I'm stupid for owning my skin and displaying what I choose to, where I choose to?

Who is 'we' and why the assumption that it's smarter not to have tattoos?

[Snake Plissken]

187. Not a single person under 30 noticed the tattoos, but they're still wondering

how anyone was able to watch the concert without viewing it through their smartphone.

[Act_of_Reparation]

193. Hardy-fuckin-har

[lagomorph777]

189. Yes we were.

Next question?

[Act_of_Reparation]

197. "Kids with tattoos are dumb"

Says generation famous for its consumption of hard drugs.

Keep on truckin'.

[obamanut2012]

204. +1

[applegrove]

200. When i was growing up tatoos were for the armed forces, bikers, people in jail and polynesians

Then in the late 80s it became a thing for anybody.

[randr]

203. Long hair n beads were identifiers

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

209. I honestly don't understand tattoos.

Especially the "full sleeve" ones, or on the face. I do try hard not to be judgemental, and I sincerely hope that whenever I'm talking with someone with tattoos that my dislike doesn't show in my voice or body language.

I will say that I'm grateful neither of my sons has gotten any tattoos.

But, even though a part of me would like to think that people are dumb to get tattoos, the body art they choose has almost nothing to do with innate intelligence.

And as several people have pointed out, in every era people find ways to distinguish themselves from their elders and from others around them.

[Mariana]

217. "I do try hard not to be judgmental ..."

Try harder.

[madamesilverspurs]

212. Never thought about it, back in the day.

And not being fond of needles, I was almost 40 before I got brave enough to have my ears pierced. So, I'm untatted at 71 and will likely remain so.

That said, there is some gorgeous ink work out there, very gifted artists. I admit to wondering, though, about undergoing the pain (and expense) of pictures that are placed where the wearer can never see them. On the flip side, there are the tats that look like the wearer passed out in a room full of toddlers wielding felt tip markers; gotta wonder.

.

[bloom]

220. It just wasn't the trend then. You could be 'radical' just by having long hair.

Women could be 'radical' just by wearing pants.

As far as tattoos - Some are beautiful, some are not.

My doctor warned that they probably have toxic metals in them.

I'm thinking I may get one when I'm 75. Just for fun.

[Liberty Belle]

228. Back then only sailors got tattoos that I can recall.

I never saw a woman with one, either, until recent years.

[NCLefty]

229. They didn't need them. The long hair was enough to sufficiently upset their parents. :p

[alphafemale]

231. They were pretty hideous then.

Tattoos today are quite beautiful.

[lillypaddle]

235. Tattoos were for the guys in the service

not many piercings either, I suspect.

We spent all our money (what little we had) on pot and beads.

Oh, and on albums. )

[Democat13]

236. A Different Time

Back then, most people would not have gotten tattoos, mainly because it was not considered acceptable, even by those who were protesting the Establishment in other ways. Honestly, I also think that no one felt the need to express opinions or to show a sense of belonging by such drastic measures. There was more of a sense of inner belonging, if you will, to a cause or to a philosophy of life. It might be hard for the younger people today, who seem to think that tattoos are a necessary part of life, to understand that getting a tattoo "just wasn't done" in those days. Very few men had tattoos -- and no woman would dare to even think about having one.

I was 13 years old at the time of Woodstock, and I remember that, even those of us who had the message of Woodstock -- peace and love -- written in our hearts would never in a million years have considered having that message placed into our skin. Since then, I have known and loved many people who have tattoos, and I understand that each one of those people felt a certain "need" to have tattoos; however, being from a different era, the proliferation of tattoos in our world today troubles me at some level.

As someone who is a political liberal, I often wonder why I sometimes react to the idea of tattoos in a negative way. Yet, when thinking about it, I must admit that I am a product of the era in which I grew up. Also, I must mention that, somewhat ironically, most of the people with tattoos whom I encounter seem to be "wearing" messages or symbols that are deeply inspired by right-wing thinking.

Have I ever thought about getting a tattoo? Sure. Yet, except for the five little dots on my chest that were placed there prior to my getting radiation treatments for breast cancer, I have not yet made the giant leap. Do I have messages that I want known by others? I certainly do! For now, though, I feel much more comfortable displaying those messages on a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or bumper sticker. At the age of 63, maybe I'm just too old to change, but as a woman who has seen the remarkable progress made during the past 50 years now being destroyed daily, maybe it's time to reconsider. Whether or not I ever get it permanently etched into my skin or not, the message of Woodstock -- peace and love -- will always be emblazoned in my heart.

One more thought on Woodstock: It occurred to me (and probably to many others) that the thousands and thousands of people who gathered at Yasgur's Farm 50 years ago were not carrying guns, nor were they in fear of anyone who might be. I think that speaks volumes about the real difference between that long ago time and now. Would that we could all go back there again!!!

[zackymilly]

237. I have No Regerts about getting my tattoo. n/t