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From Historic Talk at:
by Jason Pasos
Images That Shed a New Light on History –
Nostalgia can be a powerful thing. We've all heard people say things like, "Things were different back then" or "When we grew up back then...." But it can be pretty easy to forget about many of the not-so-wholesome trends and ways of life that were considered normal only 50 or 60 years ago. Following is some vintage media from that era that reflect the reality of the good ol' days.
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What They Meant When They Said "Fun for the 'Entire' Family":
Gender roles were much different even a couple of decades ago, and it wasn't hard to find advertisements similar to this one. This is an early advertisement for Milton Bradley's classic Battleship game. The ad shows a father and son playing the game at the kitchen table, but the mother and daughter are suspiciously absent.
They're absent from the fun for the "entire family." Instead, they can be seen washing the dishes in the background. Historically, that was where women were expected to spend most of their time.
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One Ahead-Of-Her-Times Woman Had Something to Say About This Car Ad:
While a lot of the ads and photos on this list reflect popular views from a different era, not everyone shared those views. This graffiti on a billboard advertisement in the U.K. is a perfect example of that. The vintage advertisement would no doubt be considered sexist by today's standards, and apparently, it was also considered a bit sexist even by standards back then.
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Back in 1962, Workers Competed in "Asbestos Shovelling Competitions"
Today, it's common knowledge that asbestos is extremely dangerous. However, it used to be hailed as a miraculous material and used in everything from cigarette filters to roofs. This vintage photo was taken at an asbestos shovelling competition in the town of Wittenoom in the Pilbara region of Australia. At the time (1962), there was an asbestos mine there, so it was common for workers and their families to be exposed to the material.
Today, the area is deemed contaminated and unlivable. Historically, the surrounding town had around 20,000 residents living there at its peak. More than 2,000 of those residents have since succumbed to asbestos-related diseases.
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"Undercover" New York Police In 1969:
This photo is pretty funny. In 1969, New York was seeing a spike in attacks on women, so police went undercover in drag in order to try and catch the criminals. However, from the looks of this vintage photo, not everyone was fooled. The two women in the background are obviously wondering what's going on here. It's also good to note that this was a historical time when drag wasn't widely accepted.
So that could also help explain why the two women have such perplexed looks on their faces. Reportedly, this tactic did help clamp down on violence and crime, though.
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Old Lysol Ad Encouraged Women to Use It for Feminine Hygiene:
If you needed any more proof that things were different back in the day, then look no further than this old historical ad from Lysol. The company is still around today, but they aren't putting out ads like this anymore. It tells the story of a wife who won her husband back after using Lysol... for feminine hygiene. Today, we know that this kind of stuff is actually pretty unhealthy.
We also know that ads like this are outdated and that nobody should be put in a position where they're expected to try and "win back" their significant other back.
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This Toy Set Would Never Fly Today:
Here's another photo that shows just how drastically things have changed in the last 50 to 60 years. It used to be okay for companies to sell children's toys like the one pictured here. Historically, even after toys like this were removed from shelves, it wasn't uncommon to see characters smoking in cartoons or candy cigarettes being sold on supermarket shelves. Today, such things would be virtually unthinkable.
The toy set in this photo also includes batteries, which is pretty weird to see, considering you have to buy your own no matter what kind of toy you buy today.
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Mama Was Shocked, to Say the Least:
Countries around the world celebrate Mardi Gras or Carnival in some form or another, but not everyone is familiar with Sydney, Australia's take on the holiday. In that country, Mardi Gras is used as a sort of Pride celebration. The celebration started in 1978, although this photo was taken in 1994. The woman looks like she's a bit surprised to see some of the attire worn by local revellers.
By the time this vintage shot was taken, the Sydney Mardi Gras had been going on for a couple of decades, so this shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise.
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More to come.
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