This is a topic that is widely considered to be one of the biggest differences between our era and all others. We've advanced very far. But what was it like back in the 1960s regarding technology? To help answer that question, I've asked my grandparents what it was like when they were my age, growing up the way that they did.
When you look at technology, you need to remember some things. The first is that it can range from much more than how quickly your video games ran and how good your graphics were. Really, way back in history, iron and wheels were considered new technology. So, in this discussion, we are mainly going to look at the technical side of it all. What you usually think of when you hear "technology": TVs, video games, telephones, and so on.
"Growing up, all we had was one black and white tv. Our whole family watched a show together on weekend evenings. We rarely watched tv during the day - always outside playing and inventing our own adventures. We had one telephone and kids were rarely allowed to use that. We had a lot of fun just playing, used our imaginations, and never needed computers or video games, etc." - Grandma.
"When I was your age my Dad (your great grandpa) asked me if I wanted a new reel-to-reel tape recorder or one of the new fangled cassette players. Since I had only used reel-to-reel players that is what I chose... There was no such thing as a computer back then. Even our hand held video games were black and white screens." - Grandpa.
On the other hand, I remember it very differently. Although I did play outside and often used my imagination, I also remember a world full of technology. At school, we had a computer lab, TV's, and all sorts of gadgets that we would use. At home, my dad had a computer, not to mention a television for movies and an old Xbox 360 for Minecraft and LEGO games. Even little things like putting a movie in the DVD player, that you don't think much of, would have looked very different in a different time period. It didn't seem like a lot, but it was. Especially compared to the childhood of my grandparents. They would have experienced none of what I did regarding technology in that area.