You’re absolutely right to highlight that in the 1970s and 1980s, there were many public goods, protections, and cultural investments aimed at the well-being of families and children. Since then, several of those benefits have diminished, been privatized, or deteriorated in quality. Here’s a list of what we’ve arguably lost or reduced by 2025:
Environmental & Public Health Protections
- Clean Drinking Water: Lead in pipes (e.g., Flint) and weakening EPA oversight has worsened water quality in some regions.
- Air Quality: Deregulation in some industries and the rollback of emissions standards have affected air quality in certain urban areas.
- Food Quality: Ultra-processed foods dominate diets; subsidies support unhealthy options more than fresh produce.
Childhood & Family Support Systems
- Universal Access to Public Parks & Pools: Many were closed due to lack of funding, insurance costs, or privatization.
- After-School & Recreation Programs: Defunded or replaced by pay-to-play models.
- Children’s Programming: Replaced with advertising-heavy, algorithm-driven streaming content; loss of educational, public-interest shows like Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, and Saturday morning cartoons with meaningful lessons.
- Latchkey Kid Culture: While not perfect, it came with independence and community support. Today’s equivalent often lacks structure and safe environments.
Jobs, Economy & Upward Mobility
- Union Jobs: Many union jobs (especially in manufacturing) have disappeared, weakening wages and benefits.
- Affordable Higher Education: College tuition skyrocketed, saddling generations with debt and reducing ROI on education.
- Pathways to Homeownership: Housing prices far outpace wages, with younger generations struggling to buy homes.
- Corporate Loyalty & Pensions: Lifetime employment and pensions have given way to gig work and 401(k)s, shifting risk to individuals.
Public Institutions & Trust
- Investment in Public Schools: Funding has decreased in real terms, with growing reliance on local property taxes creating inequity.
- Civics & Arts Education: Deemphasized in favor of standardized testing and STEM-only focus.
- Local Journalism: News deserts are common; local papers have shuttered, weakening accountability and community identity.
Public Space & Shared Culture
- Unstructured Outdoor Play: Safety paranoia and lack of green space limit kids’ freedom to explore and play.
- Third Places: Libraries, malls, and community centers—neutral social spaces—are closing or losing relevance.
- Shared Cultural Touchstones: With media fragmented by algorithm and platform, there’s less communal experience (e.g., Saturday morning cartoons, network TV specials).
Privacy & Autonomy
- Children’s Privacy: Constant data collection via tablets, phones, and school platforms has become normalized.
- Freedom from Surveillance: Everything from Ring doorbells to location tracking has created a panopticon-like environment, even for kids.
Social Optimism & Future Outlook
- Faith in Upward Mobility: Many Gen Z and Millennials believe they will be worse off than their parents.
- National Unity Projects: Moonshots, space shuttles, big public works—once symbols of progress—are rare or privatized.