[Conrad Cromien]

I was thinking, when it comes down to it we have been living off of the profits from WWII since the early fifties, All of the infrustructure created to fuel the war was turned into Mass-production afterwards, and now, we are completely saturated with products. I myself am a Conservative, and I agree with Free-Market Capitalism, however I have no love for Mass-Consumerism. Buying things we don't need simply for status is not healthy or productive. But thats another arguement.

What I really wanted to bring up is something I've been thinking of for a while. Aside from the Technological advances are we really any better of than we were 50 years ago? Things are relatively more expensive, the cost of living to wage ratio is more disproportioned than it was during the 50's and when it comes down to it, much of our Western Ideas of ethics and Civil Liberties have been eroded.

We claim we live in peace, but when you look at it, how many wars and disputes and people dead due to the results of "WWII Peace" have their been? We have not made any jumps toward the brave new world we were promised in 1945, we are not any more equal or prosperious than we are now (possesions and income don't nessesarily mean prosperity)
People say the Civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's brought in equality for minorities in the West, but when you think of it, its not true, there is still massive segregation and racism everywhere, even Feminism wasnt truely successful, Women are being objectified more now than they were 100 years ago. Atleast then Women were seen as masters of the household, now Women are portrayed as fuck-holes with tits (to be blunt).
Any Minority or Women with a mind is seen as a threat and is usually discredited.

We now live in a very crampt world, Europes countryside is being eaten up and the same is happening in North America. MOst people lived in Houses with land now most people live in Inner city apartments.
in the 50's people conserved. You reused everything that was reusable. This was the lesson learned from the war. Now even if there is nothing wrong with your clothes, you throw them out because they go out of fashon.

I don't know, I sound like an old man when i speak like this, but when you really think of it, its true.

[Proctor]

I disagree. I think we are a lot better off now than ever before. If you'll excuse those in sweatshops, but we're talking about our own countries here.

Of course, a lot of my justification is technology. But you dismissed legal advances as well. I've heard that there has been little actually gained for blacks since before the civil rights movement, but I ask you; Can you really say with any conviction that things are not a lot better now? And as for feminism, as my mates wise and pretty hot sister once said:"For the first time in history, women have more rights than men." Of course, this is New Zealand, so it will be different, but I think you will be hard pressed to prove that women's rights have deteriorated, no matter what you believe.