The US in the '70s

[celluloidprop]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/...ges-of-america-in-crisis-in-the-1970s/100190/

Fascinating and disturbing. I was a child of the '80s - even with the background jokes about rivers on fire and smog, I don't know that I could have envisioned how bad it got in places.

 

[MV72]

Very interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing.

 

[astro8]

I also found it fascinating and disturbing. Thanks for the link.

 

[Chuck Albertson]

Those were dark days, indeed...the invention of light beer, disco, white leather belts...it took bands like the Sex Pistols and the Dead Kennedys to lead the way out.

 

[Harrejesus]

A great link indeed. Thanks.

 

[nlubis]

+1. Great collection. Thanks.

 

[aad]

Interesting in retrospect, though some of the pictures are of things not so horrid, or different from today.

Undoubtedly, the US, at least is a cleaner place than it was, or than many countries now. I remember flying in the '70s and '80s, and you could always see the cities from quite a height by the brown, scummy cloud overhead. Different now.

And in Quito, I was shocked at how my eyes stung from the pollution. In 2008.

 

[RObert Budding]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/...ges-of-america-in-crisis-in-the-1970s/100190/

Fascinating and disturbing. I was a child of the '80s - even with the background jokes about rivers on fire and smog, I don't know that I could have envisioned how bad it got in places.

Not to worry - we could have a chance to relive those glory days if Ron Paul succeeds in eliminating the EPA.

 

[kshapero]

Those were dark days, indeed...the invention of light beer, disco, white leather belts...it took bands like the Sex Pistols and the Dead Kennedys to lead the way out.

Not for me, after Haight Ashbury in the 60"s I dropped out for over 20 years so for me the 70's was a wonderful time of living off the land. Looks naive now but it was pure and clean. Owned a Minolta fixed lens rangefinder and shot slides. :angel:

 

[kshapero]

Haunting photos nonetheless.

 

[kshapero]

I noticed that it said in the byline that the Government hired more than 100 photographers to take these photos. What right has the government to use my tax dollars for this? Oh what a minute I did not pay taxes back then, sorry.

 

[Bobbo]

Not to worry - we could have a chance to relive those glory days if Ron Paul succeeds in eliminating the EPA.

Hehe... bit too political, I'm sure, but still... hehe...

I hear this is what parts of China look like now. There was a big stink (no pun intended) about it during the Olympics. Kinda glad I live in the middle of nowhere now 🙂.

 

[John Elder]

Thanks! Very powerful photos. Great editing! Some famous photographers like Danny Lyons. Thanks again

 

[paulfish4570]

what's the deal about that photo? could have been shot today - except for the vintage rc cola bottles - in any number of rural areas, including where i live, within a couple of miles ... 🙂

oh yeah, i graduated high school in 1969. except for the threat of the draft (i drew a high draft number), i'm stinkin' sure i had a fine life ... 🙂

 

[Neare]

Nice link, obviously the photos weren't put together to give a rosy view on the era, so it's quite a fresh perspective.

 

[charjohncarter]

It wasn't that bad:

 

[Mackinaw]

A very biased, and pointless, bunch of pictures. You could have taken the same pictures in the 1950s' or in 2011.

Jim B.

 

[rbelyell]

i dont think that second picture couldve come from this year, because if it was then every car would look the same. and me'thinks bias is in the eye o' the beholder, as perhaps my above personal observations demonstrate...

 

[charjohncarter]

I've looked at many of these photo journalists essays that are trying to make the point that things are bad (regardless of the decade, or location). And they all seem to use telephotos (but not exclusively) to compress their view of 'bad' for impact (just trying to get it back to photography).

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

thanks for sharing that. really incredible what folks in the 70s had to put up with.

the only thing i missed from the pix, is the plane flying low, not that i condone the noise but i have been wanting to take pictures of female models with low flying planes.