Hi Foxy,

Yes we have oodles of past experience on the forum to draw from. Most will present an idyllic picture of joy and contentment, seeing the past through their rose coloured glasses. I much enjoyed Clive James and his 'The Kid From Kogarah' a lighthearted look at Clive's growing up in suburbia and other insights. Thanks for suggesting the topic.

Thanks Foxy for suggesting the topic.

Paul1405,

How realistic do you think Clive James was being?

I concur with you that there are a lot of posters on OLO who see the world through rose coloured glasses. Unfortunately there are a lot of evil people in the world who take advantage of them. Which begs the question: Are people inherently evil and it is good that must be enculturated within the social context? Rather than the proposition that people are inherently good. This is something religions have grappled with: How can we account for the coexistence of good and evil?

Could it be that people are neither inherently good nor inherently evil? Could it be that humans react to circumstances like any other animal? Good and evil are human constructions defined by humans. Possibly, both Hitler and Stalin thought they were doing good.

I think my best year was 1929. I was a little boy who loved my grandmother.

https://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=4977 contains a picture of me as a little boy.

.

Dear Foxy,

.

You ask a simple question, but the reply is not so simple.

I’ll narrow mine down to the following.

I see the Forum as a laboratory of ideas, beliefs and opinions and a wealth of information and personal experiences. I come here to bounce my ideas off the critical minds of whoever accepts the challenge, reciprocating with a similar service whenever I have something to offer in return.

Instead of a laboratory, the swinging doors tend to create quite a different atmosphere, more like that of the local pub where the exchange is more robust, the language more rugged and less polite, less respectful. Just plain confrontation to put it mildly.

Pushing the heavy oak doors of the Forum, sometimes gives me the impression of having entered the nave of a house of worship with people praying and reciting verses from holy scriptures, while the high priest sings psalms to some hypothetical God from the pulpit.

On other occasions, the Forum seems to be taking place in the streets where crowds of people are demonstrating and parading about with banners and flags and drums, gesticulating and waving and shouting slogans. Who are these people ? Is the Forum "awash with Lefties" ? Greenies ? Or are they Nazis, fascists, anti-Semitics, white supremacists, monarchists, or just fairly harmless “conservative old men" ?

Whatever it is, not too many “ordinary people” on this Forum, I guess.

.

Dear Paul,

I think that the 1950s era would make an interesting topic
of discussion for quite a few on this forum.
And a lesson for others.

Dear David F.,

What a sweet picture.

Thank You for sharing.

I've always been interested in history. In ancestries.
Where our families came from. I often watch the TV show -
"Who do you think you are?" It never fails to entertain.

You loved your grand-mother. That's wonderful.
My grand-children love coming to my home. They also
bring me so much joy. Family means a great deal.

Hi David,

What a little angel ! I'll bet ;)

Keep writing articles for OLO ! You have so much to contribute !

Cheers,

Joe