Would anyone be comfortable being interviewed about social change in their life?

United States
February 24, 2007 7:25pm CST
This may be a strange question but I am working on a Sociology project that requires me to ask a few simple questions of people over the age of 50 to get a better understanding of social change in America over the last few generations. If anyone is interested please let me know, it would be much appreciated and would only take a few minutes! Thanks!
1 response
@Stringbean (1273)
• United States
25 Feb 07
Why don't you tell us what the questions are and we could respond to you here? I don't mind answering reasonable questions so fire away.
• United States
25 Feb 07
Ok well I wanted to make sure people knew that this question is for research purposes and not just out of curiosity and that they would be comfortable with me using their answers for my project/paper. The questions are: What is your age (can be vague if you'd like i.e. 50s, 60s) What do you view as the most significant social change that has occurred in your lifetime? How have these changes impacted your life directly? Thanks for your help!
• United States
26 Feb 07
I am in my 70's and consider the most important social change in my life the change in the way children are raised. Today most children seem only interested in getting whatever they can for themselves. As children, I was taught that if someone invited you to dinner, you were on your best behavior and never took seconds unless they were offered to you first. If I had come into someone's house and opened their refrigerator for a drink I would have been spanked until I couldn't sit down. Kids today think nothing of poking about in your refrigerator, your dresser drawers, your closets, and even the glove compartment of your car. Recently, I have observed parents and grandparents taking their children to restaurants and the kids ordering high priced dinner entrees and then even daring to add a second expensive item to their meal. (Not to mention, leaving half of it uneaten on the plate.) Many young married couples have decided not to send Christmas Cards because it is too time consuming and expensive. Yet they buy the latest electronic toys for their children -- toys that are used a short while and then flung aside. People ask relatives and friends to pick up things for them at the store and never mention paying them back. They think nothing of expecting friends and relatives to run them here and there for errands or to baby sit for free, but conviently are "busy" when they are asked for a favor. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. People today are much more self-absorbed, and are teaching their children to be the same. How has this affected me. Not in any way that changes my life greatly. It just makes me sad to see what kind of a world we will be having soon, where people do not care for other people; where people are greedy and grasping seeking all they can get for themselves. I guess maybe it has made me more determined not to become that way myself. My parents always said that we should give even more than people expect, and I find that in doing that, I find real contentment and happiness.