Perpetual change and "The Good Old Days"

"You know, I hear people talk about 'The good old days,' and I don't get it. These are the good old days. I would rather be living right now than back then."
These are the words of my father from a recent conversation we had. And I couldn't agree more.
Being in the newspaper business, myself and others get a lot of calls, letters and submitted columns that center on the idea of "The Good Old Days."
I'm not sure what time period that is, specifically. It seems from what I read to be some vague, sepia-toned era when people were happy and respectful, the concept of immorality did not exist (but is very present today) and, of course, everything cost less.
The phrase I read a lot is "It was a simpler time." The person then inevitably goes on to explain arduous farm labor, strict, often corporal discipline from parental figures and an antiquated car.
So, is simpler better?
True, we do live in a time when some would argue we are battling the fruits of a more cushioned lifestyle. There's childhood obesity, a dependence on technology, the preference of instant gratification, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Guess what, each age has its own challenges.
Let's recap the years of American history that would fall under the veil of the "Good Old Days," shall we? The Great Depression, World War II, Joe McCarthy, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, violent civil rights conflict and Moby Grape. "Build-in Berlin Bay of Pigs Invasion ..." etc.
Man, that was so great back in the good old days when they would turn the fire hoses on people of a different race because they thought they had the right to equality. Our morals were so strong back then. And the politicians weren't sleeping around and nobody was gay or took a drink of alcohol or abused their spouse.
You folks are reaching.
Of course, complicated has its complications. We just ended one war, are still in another, the deficit is soaring, people from the good old days still can't stand the idea of a black president, no one's writing any good music, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Look, the world is constantly changing. You solve one problem and a host of new ones emerge.
I'll be the first one to admit I'm not that great at dealing with changes. I make slow transitions in different phases of life. My iPhone is basically a bulky iPod, because I don't use a ton of apps.
But to gloss over my own history and the world context of those times as some sort of rose-tinted period when there were no problems is ridiculous. You have to grow and change.
Let me put it this way, when I think of people who couldn't come to grips with a changed world, three names pop into my head: John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald and James Earl Ray.
Let me also point out that the idea of a time when things were better is not a new one.
Perhaps the people who lived in the good old days have forgotten, but the propaganda films of their time on how people should act and live their lives reflected a tone of decaying American values (just look up any Mystery Science Theater 3000 Short on YouTube and you'll pick up on it).
So, as David Byrne would say, "Same as it ever was."
The thing that will drive me crazy immediately is when someone reflects on the good old days and references a scene from "The Andy Griffith Show" as if it is their own memory.
I just want to scream and shake the person.
"That's not even real, you crazy bastard! It was a TV show!"
I could write an entire thesis on what I call "The Andy Griffith Syndrome," but let's not do that here and now.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that change is constant, nothing is ever simple and the good old days are a myth.
We are living longer now. Less people are dying from giving birth, polio or the plague. In return, we have to deal with the Black-Eyed Peas.
Nothing is perfect.