The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

You do have a point there, Sheriff. It's easy to say "I wish I had been around during the Enlightenment/Ancient Rome/Ancient Greece/insert other choice here" but the fact is that the social elite -- about whom the "popular" history books are written -- were a small minority, and those are the folks most people focus on when talking about a time period. Unless you are actively involved in the history of a time period, you rarely encounter examples of how the common Joe lived, and what his experiences were.

That said, I still vote for the 13th century for myself. Commoner or noble, it's the time period that fascinates me, and I've looked at it from every angle - from serf and peasant (whose lives were not as bad and oppressed as popular belief holds) to king and pope (who didn't have it all as grand and easy as popular belief holds). Given my choice, I'd like to have been a comfortably well-off merchant in one of the rising cities (as mentioned in the opening post, Troies), but that doesn't mean that would be my ONLY choice.

I believe that there are advantages and disadvantages to most any social position throughout history (with the obvious exception of slaves and the absolutely destitute). Peasants may not have had the wealth and opportunity afforded the king, but they had the security of a place to live, a job they knew (and that their parents and grandparents had done), and relatively unmolested freedom, within certain parameters. A peasant in 13th century France, for example, could choose his wife, and marry for love... something the king of France could not. The king had the money, but might sleep with the shrew... hmm... I think I'd take the peasant's position

 

Very good point you brung up Sheriff. It didn't occur to me that that is what a lot of peeps were doing. I don't think I was thinking along those same lines though, with my wanting to go back and work the land for food and a living.

I guess it's the simpler times I want. Things that I love seem to be disappearing. For one, my family are all singers. 100 years ago, the community we live in would host sings that would draw hundreds of people from the community. Now it seems that there are less people in our area doing it, and it seems that there is a shift happening in this music, going from community singings to more of a spectator music. Used to everybody around sang, now most people love to hear it, but most don't make the effort to learn it like they used to.

Also, I would love depending on no job to pay for my bills. Back then people grew their own survival. They didn't need much money. Work was harder, but people were better for it. It sucks so bad sitting here at a desk, looking out the window, wanting to be home, shoveling pig shit, chopping weeds, putting up fence..... I'd rather do all of that instead of working an office job any day.
I guess one good thing that comes from the modern day rat race is not many people try to make money farming the way I do. So.....I tend to be able to make a few dollars doing it, simply 'cause hardly no one else does.

Sigh... Oh well...