A couple of people here have made the point that previous generations were no safer or happier than today.
I would agree that children have always been at risk from an unpleasant minority and that's not new or exclusive to any era but as far as more "innocent" times I can certainly testify to the fact that my own childhood in the 50's/60's was a happy, uncomplicated round of climbing trees, playing football, stealing apples and being able to go off on our bikes without the need to check home every hour the way that most kids are required to do today.
Maybe we were just lucky, it didn't seem to be an issue. Older folks would stop and talk to kids or stand and watch the football game on the back field. If an adult is seen "loitering" around kids these days the police are called and questions asked!
The point has been well made that EVERY generation sees failings in the next, GMTs' song from 1967 illustrates the same sort of concerns and issues as today, and Wilco 48 clearly understands these matters far better than me, having raised 8 kids over three decades. I recognise myself in his remark that it's "amazing how conservative these kids become when they become parents" and would be the first to admit to being over-protective where my little girl is concerned.
My main point in starting this conversation was to underline what I see as the deliberate targeting of the "pocket-money" section of our society with adult images and aspirations and comparing it with the childrens entertainment of my own youth.
I have no doubt that there are some people here reading this that had an unhappy childhood and would pour scorn on what seems to them to be sentimental, nostalgic nonsense. For those people I'm truly sorry. Every child should be allowed to grow up in a happy, safe environment and have fond memories to treasure in later life and I'm determined to do what I can to ensure my daughter can remember being a child and what it meant to feel free of the cares and woes that we all carry in later life.
C-flat