What's the biggest change the world has seen in your lifetime?

[Paddy]

The biggest change has been the loss of the long hot summers and the loss of freedom. As a five year old I could walk half a mile to school on my own and even play with other kids in the woods without fear. In my teens I used to cycle to school being a six mile round trip and from June onwards regularly cycle to the beach after school being and eight mile round trip.

People never bothered locking the doors of the house. Summers were long and hot. When I first started driving, nobody locked their car and they would often leave valuables in the car without fear.

[Ignis Fatuus]

But it would be nice to be able to change a headlamp bulb without dismantling half the front of the car.

I have heard it said cynically that the fact that you can't is a present from the manufacturers to their dealers.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Just 10 years ago the internet, smartphones and social networking weren't mainstream. What will the next decade bring I wonder.

Perhaps not so much technically, not every decade brings great changes. I spent most of my younger decades dreaming of the future, since nothing was happening then.

It may bring the abandonment of privacy and liberty as unworkable utopian notions from past history.

[d000hg]

Positive: the Pill
Negative: HIV

An interesting insight into your life there.

[NotAllThere]

The first TV I remember couldn't receive BBC2 - it was only 425 lines.

Biggest changes:

Standardisation of containers for freight.
End of the Cold War
Internet
Begin of the War on Terror

[Mich the Tester]

I have heard it said cynically that the fact that you can't is a present from the manufacturers to their dealers.

Who then had to deal with a stroppy MTT last Saturday insisting that the bulb is replaced and the labour is not charged to me; eventually they got their recovery service to come and fix it, and indeed have not invoiced for labour.

I was informed by the mechanic that 8 out of every 10 calls are to replace light bulbs and his employer send the invoices to the car manufacturer.

[Mich the Tester]

The biggest change has been the loss of the long hot summers and the loss of freedom. As a five year old I could walk half a mile to school on my own and even play with other kids in the woods without fear. In my teens I used to cycle to school being a six mile round trip and from June onwards regularly cycle to the beach after school being and eight mile round trip.

People never bothered locking the doors of the house. Summers were long and hot. When I first started driving, nobody locked their car and they would often leave valuables in the car without fear.

The introduction of a culture of fines and punishments for minor misdemeanors or youthful exuberance, where a straightforward warning from a policeman would do the trick. So-called 'zero tolerance' policies, which actually amount to 'zero brains' policies. Not only in the UK this, but here in NL the police stop people for all sorts of mistakes, minor traffic offenses or silly business and the first words are literally 'you are going to recieve a fine', where a talking-to would suffice and probably maintain better relations between police and citizens. I also get the impression that young people don't have much freedom any more. Extremely strict legislation on underage drinking, tuning up mopeds, swimming in open water etc mean that if I was 16 now I'd probably have several ASBOs or a list of offences to my name; I was a bit rebellious in my explorations of booze, motorbikes, heavy metal and girls, but absolutely not a criminal teenager and certainly didn't do anything (deliberately) to harm other people.

[Ignis Fatuus]

The first TV I remember couldn't receive BBC2 - it was only 425 lines.

Biggest changes:

Standardisation of containers for freight.
End of the Cold War
Internet
Begin of the War on Terror

405 lines. BBC2 (i.e. UHF) was 625 lines.

The "War on Terror" is just another way of keeping the populace in line. Nothing new there, just a replacement for Communism, the Nazis, whatever. Just call it a "War" so that the government's seizure of undemocratic and illiberal powers to "wage" it can not safely be opposed, for fear of being accused of treachery.

Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. ...
No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

-- James Madison, 4th President of the USA

[NotAllThere]

The garage where my car is serviced have always changed the bulbs for free. I suspect they're also invoicing the manufacturer.

[Mich the Tester]

The garage where my car is serviced have always changed the bulbs for free. I suspect they're also invoicing the manufacturer.

According to the mechanic that replaced my bulbs it's impossible to replace the bulbs on the newest e-class without removing the bumper. I guess I'll be shopping around for something different next time then. Shame, I'm otherwise very satisfied with the car.