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Man, I grew up in the '60s, and a lot of that stuff wasn't true even then. Grading on the curve? All over the place and I hated it, because I usually aced and upset the curve.
Yeah, fewer were overweight, but there were two kids in my neighborhood who were actual Coke-a-holics -- couldn't get enough. Summer in the burbs really sucked, even in the '60s -- nothing to do. The rich kid down the street got bailed out of every scrape he got into, until he ODed on seconal. I had fights and never got over it. Bullies were brutal. Bottom dogs in the social order got pissed on 24/7. Kids were no better then than now.
If times were better, it was because people were richer then than they are now -- yes, really. Rich in job security, assurance of old-age pensions from unions and companies, rich in cheap or free higher education and easy government scholarships (those who actually took out loans rarely had to pay them back), rich in support at home because both parents didn't have to work or commute long distances even if they did (you could usually live near where you worked).
Society has gone to hell, and we've disguised the fact with technological innovations and gimmickry. There's a lot of money around, but it's in fewer hands. A select few individuals are are richer, but society as a whole is poorer. These feel-good platitudes about how good things used to be ignore all the things that _really_ made the past better. Face it; the '50s and the '60s were a cakewalk. People were spoiled _then._ It's today's kids who have the challenge.
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