Why have standards fallen so far?

[dave50]

After watching a documentary last night on TV about the coronation in 1953 it struck me how well dressed the general public were, even going about their daily lives like shopping of having a day out in the park. The women wore dresses and the men wore jackets and ties. Also all the announcers on public films or TV spoke proper English with the clipped tones that are so pleasant to the ear. Nowadays everyone looks scruffy and the media is obsessed with regional accents, whether everyone can understand them or not.

[d9f1c7]

so what standards do you think have fallen?

[sandyRoe]

Many people were strangers to soap and water then. What's wrong with local accents?

[Old_Geezer]

I get my rubbish collected just once a week, and the street lights are turned off before I get home at night, for starter. And I think there are more folk cycling on pavements or without lights. Fairly sure littering is worse than it used to be. Fly tipping for sure, folk now seem to think it is ok to dump on others. I'm sure we could all come up with volumes of things that have deteriorated if we wished to. Just have to trust that wealth is still increasing and technology and advancements improving other aspects of life in compensation.

[bookbinder]

I suppose you could typify the kind of lowering of standards that you mention simply as "change". Everything changes over time, and that includes styles of dress. Nowadays there are fabrics that weren't available in 1953, and it is much easier to buy clothes that more or less fit, off the peg, than it was then. People are always going to go for the easy option, whether it's clothes, food, ways of speaking, or whatever. Woe betide anyone who criticises this "change", for they will be accused of snobism, or something worse, and that means that "human rights" could be brought into the argument, so falling standards are now tolerated.

[cathfromsaron]

in the 50s people didn't have a great choice, because that was all there was and usually all they had! but i would agree that people can look very scruffy and go out without a care! but is that healthier ...

[Old_Geezer]

Obviously the fingers typed, "once a fortnight", not "once a week", but yet again the typo generator hit did its thing as the 'submit' button was pressed. >:-(

[Old_Geezer]

Obviously the fingers typed, "typo generator did its thing ", not "typo generator hit did its thing ", but yet again the typo generator did its thing as the 'submit' button was pressed. >:-(

[NOX]

Yeah it was great then. If you spoke 'correctly' and got to go to grammar school you were assured of a good job whereas the bright working class kid could flounder in the mire for being unlucky enough to be born in a lower class family. women were still undervalued, gay people criminalised, the mentally ill were incarcerated often for life in asylums and girls who were unlucky enough to fall pregnant often had their babies forcibly adopted never to be seen again. F3cking glad standards have fallen to be honest, and they can fall a bit more for all I'm concerned.

[tamborine]

We travel further than 20mile radius of home, eat foods from far and wide, have global tv & films, sports & travel worldwide.

We have color where we had grey, fog & smoke. Flowers & plants are sooted up, nor our homes. The rivers are not sewers & we CAN see the sun.

[EcclesCake]

Dave, do you wear a jacket and tie all the time and speak RP?

If not you are one of those who have allowed standards to 'fall', or as I like to think of it...'relax'.

It's not a perfect world today but nor was it then and rose tinted specs can occlude a whole load of social problems.

[rowanwitch]

I would be rather pleased if hats made a proper comeback

[tonyav]

I blame the baby boomers.

[seadogg]

Well Dave, I remember coronation day as I went rock climbing with some mates.
We dressed in the shambolic style customary for British mountaineers and shouted up and down the crag in anything but polite accents. Particularly it was a memorable day as I led a route of higher standard than previously.

A great day!

[d9f1c7]

http://www.google.co....1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:115

These guys wore suits, I'm glad "standards" have fallen!

[emmie]

we are just a more mixed and some would say relaxed society. Not sure how standards have fallen. Those clipped tones sound daft now, listen to Harry Enfield do his Tim Nice but dim, you get the picture. Women still wear dresses, but trousers, shorts, and nothing at all if the mood takes them, it's for the most part progress.

[tonyav]

And nothing at all if the mood takes them, I like that bit em lol.

[treetops1]

"Your not going out looking like that," has been taken out of the english language.

[jake-the-peg]

ROTFL!

I believe the Duke of Wellington was once sent home from Parliament because he was wearing trousers and not breaches.

I see nothing changes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-politics-12010365

Jeans in the Mother of Parliaments!!!!

[emmie]

i confess that i wouldn't wear jeans to a function, party, concert or to the theatre. It doesn't seem right somehow. As to the MP in jeans that is a big no no.