The "Good" Ol' Days: Romanticizing an Era That Didn’t Exist

The so-called ‘good old days’ weren't so good for everyone, so why are they constantly romanticized? When people talk about “the good old days,” what they usually mean is the mid-20th century – and perhaps one of the reasons this is looked on so fondly in America is because it feels like that’s when a lot of what we know about contemporary America was born. There was a spirit of post-war optimism that now, at a time of great global anxiety, there feels like a need to harness. But not everyone had the luxury of being optimistic. This was a time of huge inequality. So by romanticizing that era uncritically – both in art and in our real life politics – we’re in danger of endorsing that culture, which becomes even more dangerous – given that right now, so many of the gains that have been made in the past half century feel like they’re being rolled back. IIf you like this video, subscribe to our channel and support us by becoming a Taker or joining our Patreon for amazing perks like early access and custom polls! Become a Taker: https://bit.ly/jointhetake Join our Patreon:   / thetake   Watch our TikTok:   / thisisthetake   Bonus Content and Articles: https://www.the-take.com Follow our Socials: https://linktr.ee/thisisthetake We are The Take. 00:00 Hollywoods Mid-Century Obsession 01:53 Who were the Good Ol' Days even good for? 05:55 Nostalgia for a darker time 09:05 What mid-century was really like for everyone