Uncle Jimmy.

[Autumnleaf]

This guy was before my time and I'm amazed at what he got away with. He was a nice guy when he didn't drink but most of the time he was a mean drunk. He beat his wife and mistreated his children and nobody stopped him at family gatherings when he did such things. My wife was a child and her cousins felt the brunt of his abuse. She said if it happened now people would probably call the police, but 30 years ago they said that is just how he was. I think even 30 years ago I would have done something if I had been there as an adult. Were times so different back then?

 

[Tropical Wilds]

This guy was before my time and I'm amazed at what he got away with. He was a nice guy when he didn't drink but most of the time he was a mean drunk. He beat his wife and mistreated his children and nobody stopped him at family gatherings when he did such things. My wife was a child and her cousins felt the brunt of his abuse. She said if it happened now people would probably call the police, but 30 years ago they said that is just how he was. I think even 30 years ago I would have done something if I had been there as an adult. Were times so different back then?

First I thought this was going to be a discussion about sausage. Then it wasn't.

Then when I went to reply, I got an ad with a nude woman.

Finally, I figured this thread is haunted and I let it go.

 

[Autumnleaf]

First I thought this was going to be a discussion about sausage. Then it wasn't.

Then when I went to reply, I got an ad with a nude woman.

Finally, I figured this thread is haunted and I let it go.

An ad with a nude woman? CF must be hard up for donations.

 

[seeingeyes]

An ad with a nude woman? CF must be hard up for donations.

That's what happens when you have a site where everyone is talking about sex all the time.

This guy was before my time and I'm amazed at what he got away with. He was a nice guy when he didn't drink but most of the time he was a mean drunk. He beat his wife and mistreated his children and nobody stopped him at family gatherings when he did such things. My wife was a child and her cousins felt the brunt of his abuse. She said if it happened now people would probably call the police, but 30 years ago they said that is just how he was. I think even 30 years ago I would have done something if I had been there as an adult. Were times so different back then?

If you are likely to stand up for the little guy (with no cultural or legal support) now, then you would have done the same thing back then, yes.

 

[akmom]

Yeah, I really do think it was different back then. I think people valued privacy more, so they tolerated evil rather than expose themselves or their families. I think they also lacked individual resources, so they were more likely to tolerate a person's evil, in exchange for the basic necessities that person provided by being there: an income, a home, whatever household contributions they made.

Society's values have changed, such that privacy is not as valued, nor is failure as vilified. So it is not such a big deal to call out a family member's unacceptable behavior. Also, men and women (and even children) are more likely to have resources outside the family, so that they are not facing dire circumstances if they disconnect from that family. Meaning... wives and mothers can provide for themselves, children are taken more seriously and given protections, and the same is true for husbands who might have found the lack of childcare an insurmountable hurdle to leaving their wives in years past.

 

[Hahner Reid]

This guy was before my time and I'm amazed at what he got away with. He was a nice guy when he didn't drink but most of the time he was a mean drunk. He beat his wife and mistreated his children and nobody stopped him at family gatherings when he did such things. My wife was a child and her cousins felt the brunt of his abuse. She said if it happened now people would probably call the police, but 30 years ago they said that is just how he was. I think even 30 years ago I would have done something if I had been there as an adult. Were times so different back then?

This situation is identical to a part of my childhood. I had that uncle--two of them. Same thing....my cousins and aunt suffered while we all watched. nothing was done. The family wanted to keep giving them chances and enabling my aunts to stay with them.
I think times were different. People of that generation didn't want to upset the apple cart.
On another note, my mother and father in law are that way.....they don't like anyone to make waves about anything.

 

[bluegreysky]

30 years ago, I wasn't born yet.

 

[Autumnleaf]

30 years ago, I wasn't born yet.

You missed so much, but you will see so much more.

 

[bluegreysky]

should I build a time machine?

I didn't know people treated their families bad but I do think the 70's and 80's culture was fascinating. I love to browse the internet when I get bored at work and look at old pictures and ads and see how much some of my favorite brands and places have changed.

 

[Autumnleaf]

should I build a time machine?

I didn't know people treated their families bad but I do think the 70's and 80's culture was fascinating. I love to browse the internet when I get bored at work and look at old pictures and ads and see how much some of my favorite brands and places have changed.

There are people like that now too. Just not as much.

You will see amazing thing I probably won't. My grandfather never knew of the internet. Their idea of hipster was...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm3HdISZLKc

 

[bluegreysky]

wuttttt haha