Sort of spinoff from thread 'conditioned necessities'

**Dutchie** · 10-09-2009, 05:05 AM

The other evening I watched part of a programme that was on a channel that I hardly ever watch (BBC 3 or 4). I came across it while channel hopping and came in mid-way.
I don't even remember the name of the show but it fascinated me and I hope that it will be repeated at some point.

There was a British family with 2 or 3 young(ish) kids and they had been selected (I think) to take part in an experiment regarding lifestyles.
Their (own?) house was redecorated in the begin 1970's style.
So they also didn't have a microwave, clothes dryer, computer, cell phone etc. They had one phone in the entire house (in the hall) and they had one tv (BW) with only 2 (I think) channels.

The members of the family who had the most problems with the adaption were the kids since they were so used to doing computer games/using the computer for email etc./using their cell phones etc. that it ook a little while for them to adjust and i the beginning they got bored VERY quickly.

The members of the family who loved it the most were the parents especially the mother who said that even though she missed her laboring saving 'mod-cons' and it took her more time to make meals etc., she had absolutely LOVED living a less technical era and having more time with her family who weren't constantly sitting behind a computer.

So would you/could you do this?

**britbunny** · 10-09-2009, 06:41 AM

Hi Dutchie,

The series is called "Electric Dreams" the 1970's was the first of a three parter. This week they were living in the 80's and next week they'll be seeing how things were in the 90's.

I think it's been very interesting. Obviously they had to choose a well off family so they'd really feel the hurt of not having alot of the stuff. But much of the technology they had in the 70's show we were using at home right up until the mid 90's! When I was in my second year at uni (1999) we had a twin tub washing machine and it was sooooooo much better than a front loader, other than the fact you couldn't wander off and leave it. But it did make the kitchen a very sociable place.

I wouldn't like to be without access to the internet as it makes things so much easier and I like having hot water, but alot of other technology I could take or leave. Mobile phone, not that bothered about it. I went without use of my washing machine for 6 months last year and it was fine. I don't have a microwave, tumble dryer or a dishwasher. I'm used to living in houses without central heating - as long as there was a fire in one room I'd be ok. Similarly things like the wii and ipod are wonderful to have but I can take or leave them. We live at the edge of a town so we'd even be ok without a car, we did that a few years ago when we were getting out of debt so I know we could do that again!

I'm sure I'd feel differently if I had children though :-)

**Dutchie** · 10-09-2009, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by britbunny

Hi Dutchie,

The series is called "Electric Dreams" the 1970's was the first of a three parter. This week they were living in the 80's and next week they'll be seeing how things were in the 90's.

I think it's been very interesting. Obviously they had to choose a well off family so they'd really feel the hurt of not having alot of the stuff. But much of the technology they had in the 70's show we were using at home right up until the mid 90's! When I was in my second year at uni (1999) we had a twin tub washing machine and it was sooooooo much better than a front loader, other than the fact you couldn't wander off and leave it. But it did make the kitchen a very sociable place.

I wouldn't like to be without access to the internet as it makes things so much easier and I like having hot water, but alot of other technology I could take or leave. Mobile phone, not that bothered about it. I went without use of my washing machine for 6 months last year and it was fine. I don't have a microwave, tumble dryer or a dishwasher. I'm used to living in houses without central heating - as long as there was a fire in one room I'd be ok. Similarly things like the wii and ipod are wonderful to have but I can take or leave them. We live at the edge of a town so we'd even be ok without a car, we did that a few years ago when we were getting out of debt so I know we could do that again!

I'm sure I'd feel differently if I had children though :-)

Except for the decorating (they do have fitted carpet that you need sunglasses for LOL), my parents live more or less like this still.
They do have a microwave (quite recently) but they have one phone in the entire house, in the kitchen, no computer, no cell phone, no central heating and up till a couple of years ago a twin tub washing machine.
It took them years before they bought a video recorder and only bought a DVD player last year when I was there to hook it up for them.
They feel like fish out of water when they come here.

I'll have a look at the other 'decades' - I find it quite an interesting series. Thanks for reminding me.

**Luckybustert** · 10-09-2009, 07:13 AM

I think the most wonderful week I've had in recent memory was a trip to the lake with my husband where I was completely unplugged from much of the modern technology I'm used to. It was so relaxing!

**TheRootedNomad** · 10-09-2009, 07:24 AM

I would miss (if we didn't have it ) air conditioning. Other than that I would adjust pretty well. I'd miss the net for awhile but would probably recover more quickly than most as I was always more of a book person than a monitor person. Without AC though I would be a miserable grump in the summer. Even growing up I remember being miserable before I'd even been exposed to it. I could NEVER sleep all the way through the night when I got hot.

DH and the boys though would be lost. My husband is far worse than any female I know with his cell and we won't even talk about monitor time with any of them. I don't know if I'd want to live in the same house with 3 of them going through withdrawl LOL.

**cab54** · 10-09-2009, 07:28 AM

My Mom and Stepdad live like this and it is soooo peaceful at their house.

**imagine** · 10-09-2009, 08:34 AM

I lived through the '70s

I was ( just born through mid to late elementary school) in the '70.

For much of the '70s that I remember (don't remember much when I was an infant) we had a microwave since I was 6 and a computer since I was 7. Central heat and air all my life (except college the dorms didn't have air conditioning even window air)

I remember 4 tv channels ( ABC , NBC, CBS, and PBS) PBS being my favorite of course.

Also when did Atari come out. I had one of those but had been playing games on the computer before then. Also had a friend that's neighbor owned the arcade games that he rented out to restraunts. We played these with his kids in his garage for free.

We didn't have cell phones, but Dad's company car had a radio you could talk on. I remember using it once when we were stuck out in the middle of no where to call for help. We also had two phones in the house.

Subject change I love those social experiment shows. There has been on from the pioneer days and from the 1900 in England.
I would love to see this 70, 80, 90 show.

here is a shows web page link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricdreams/index.shtml

**monkeywrangler71** · 10-09-2009, 09:13 AM

I feel really old now, if they're doing social experients to see if people can survive the conditions of my childhood.

**britbunny** · 10-09-2009, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

I feel really old now, if they're doing social experients to see if people can survive the conditions of my childhood.

No need to feel old! The context of this series is not a "how we used to live" type thing. It's part of a whole group of programmes discussing how quickly technology has developed and become an integral part of our daily lives. Rather than niche items for the technologically minded or the rich. So they're talking more in terms of how much we take for granted now and it is within living memory that we had none of this stuff, if that makes sense.

**lotsadebt** · 10-09-2009, 10:09 AM

In the states years ago there was a PBS series similar. It took families into an era ie1800, Pioneer living, Victorian. They had to live, dress, and eat of that era. Quite interesting

Sad, yes that I was a child of the 70's. I do remember some bad clothes, and the rage of The Hustle.

**IntlMom** · 10-09-2009, 11:08 AM

I would love this.

True, I would miss the internet connection, but other than that, I would love it.

Hardly use the microwave. In fact, we only have one if the house we buy has one built in. I've had a couple homes in the last ten yearrs without one. Didin't miss it. One phone? great, I'm the only one that uses it. No video games?? FABULOUS!!! The kids love them and the parents hate them in this house.......

And hey, yellows and greens are coming back into vogue......

everything that's old is new again, they say

**melanies** · 10-09-2009, 12:21 PM

We DID do that! I was born in 1961 so all of my childhood was void of most of that, although I did have a phone and a TV in my room. We also had a dryer. Some people had microwaves in the mid 70s.

I was fortunate enough to live about a mile from the beach and a library, so I spent a lot of time at both places. There have also been times in my adult life where I did not have those things (the late 1980s and early 1990's) because I was so dirt poor, but guess where I spent a lot of my time? I would also go to free places like museums and so forth.

I would really miss the internet though if I had to do without it. Its soooo handy to be able to do all of my banking online.

Remember life with no ATMs? Awfuullllll!!

**shoiji** · 10-09-2009, 04:50 PM

I lived through the 70's. We had a black and white tv, washer and dryer. No atari, microwave, or any other high tech stuff of the time. Parents did put in a swimming pool in the middle of the 70's. I would probably be ok, but it would take awhile. Then again I would probably spend more time drawing, painting, knitting and listening to music.

**frugalfranny** · 10-10-2009, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by lotsadebt

In the states years ago there was a PBS series similar. It took families into an era ie1800, Pioneer living, Victorian. They had to live, dress, and eat of that era. Quite interesting.

I watched a lot of that........it was really good, I enjoyed it.

Not sure about the microwave as I use mine A LOT but I could probably 'manage'........the rest of it would be a piece of cake. I only have one phone now......cordless. No cell phone. Might miss the computer for a spell but have gone on vacations and not missed it.

**Thevail** · 10-10-2009, 01:26 AM

I lived through the 70s..3- 13.. the clothes were frightful.. no wonder there was a sexual revolution.. naked was definitely better.

However.. I think that people can and do adapt to nearly anything. There are people who live in the Siberian tundra that knit udder containing thongs for their cows so that the cows can go outside to drink water at the river and not have their udders freeze solid.

I watched the Victorian House on PBS.. that was cool.

Of course it wasn't very real.. ie.. the servants couldn't really be sacked and left to a life of prostitution and petty crime, also the servants weren't even remotely dealing with the idea that they were simply doomed to be considered inferior for life by people who on average had the morals of alley cats. Oh, and everyone had dental care.

I'd miss the fact that modern life is EASY. But it's also busy and stress-full and expensive and complicated and, I think, lonely.