Monday, August 11, 2008

Living in the Past


A while back I posted about Tasha Tudor, the artist and homeschool mom who lived as though it were the 1800s, shunning modern conveniences for most of her adult life. Of course the Amish are known for living the same way; a few homeschooling families I've read about have also made this choice. As much as I like modern conveniences, I find the lives of those who "live in the past" quite interesting.

But I found it especially fascinating to learn that there are young women in their 30s who shun today's culture in an effort to return to the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. They particularly revel in their roles as stay-at-home wives (though one does work part-time), but they also wear the clothes, use the appliances and drive the cars of the era they admire.

According to this article, their choice of lifestyle is a reaction to the problems in our modern culture as well as the vagueries of modern marriage and roles of men and women. One of the women says:

I admit I am in retreat from the 21st century. When I look at the reality of the world today, with all the violence, greed and materialism, I shudder. I don't want to live in that world.

I relate to that sentiment, but realistically, I can't help wonder what pushed them to this point. I mean, I've always had a fascination with the 1920s and 1930s (in high school, I had a crush on Humphrey Bogart, who died the year before I was born), but I live in the modern age, with a computer for each of us, a 2003 car and a couple of cell phones. What is it that makes a person retreat this far into the past?
Do check out the article, if only for the photos, which are really interesting.

5 comments:

Middle-Aged Moi said...

Oh, I'm DEFINITELY checking this one out. How interesting!

Christine said...

Oh my goodness. They don't read newspapers or keep up with any modern things because it is too depressing. This is frightening. I noticed at least one of them has no children by choice. She is definitely not living as a woman of her chosen time period in that respect. I can understand all of their desire to be more modest and to be lovely for their husbands, but they are all living in a dream world.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like they are living in fear.

Melissa Markham said...

I loved the photos. Very interesting that they live that way. The sad thing is is that they are living in the romanticized version of those days. Sure there were good things, but there were bad things too. People just weren't as aware.

It's a shame they don't see the good of life now. They are missing out.

Barbara Frank said...

Janet, I'd love to hear your opinion of the article.

Christine, it does make you wonder what happened to them that pushed them to this point, doesn't it?

Barbaralee, I agree!

Melissa, you make a good point. If this were the 1950s, several people I care about (including my son) would not be alive now because the medical procedures that saved them weren't around in the 1950s.

Great comments, everyone!