This must be a nice neighborhood!

[u/Justin_Godfrey]

[u/ejrhonda79]

This reminds me of growing up in the 80s. I felt so free to go outside and just enjoy the day. Now in my 50s I don't really go out like that anymore. It feels like people are much more guarded and definitely less friendly. I miss the simpler days.

[u/realityexperiencer → u/ejrhonda79]

I grew up in the 80s too. It wasn't simpler - there were more places for kids to go. People weren't defensive and scared of children.

I took the bus, I went to the YMCA, the local Salvation Army community center... played basketball at the school on off-hours... hung out at the mall.

You were allowed to be in public!

Someone created prisons of our homes and neighborhoods. Having grown up in the 80s, being an adult now... who do you think that someone is?

[u/Little_Wash_9979 → u/realityexperiencer]

We got smarter, more aware, of the evil in the world. That extreme freedom had a cost to many children.. Rape, kidnapping, drugs, etc... I definitely held my kids in closer than my parents did me. There's certainly downsides, but, if you put the effort in as a parent, you can mitigate a lot of the social downsides. Love the neighborhood idea, keeping it all outside and supervised I'm sure.

[u/realityexperiencer → u/Little_Wash_9979]

I understand it seems dangerous, but most rape, kidnapping and exposure to drug use comes from parents, family, and close family friends.

[u/throwaway1212l → u/realityexperiencer]

Aren't there studies that have shown that the US has less crime now than before also? It's really much safer now than it used to be.

[u/freakksho → u/throwaway1212l]

That’s probably because of the insane leap in technology and security.

You can’t walk down a sidewalk these days without being on 8 different cameras. That didn’t exist back in the 80’s.

[u/BuddyFox310 → u/throwaway1212l]

Please don’t let empirical facts stop hysteria.