If I could pick both a time and a place, I would pick France in the early 60s. From my experience, I spent an autumn in France in the early 70s then returned for a visit in the early 80s. The first time I was there, France had still not fully recovered from the WWII era and retained a certain degree of resentment toward countries they saw as having fared better post-War e.g. Germany or the US. Ten years later, France seemed fully recovered, modern, confident, and much more friendly than previously.
The 70s were a rough time in the US and although the US "regained its footing" in the 80s this came with a high price of an abrupt return to puritanism and an increase in militarism. It seems as though the 70s were an exciting time in France and not only did they advance economically and societally but they became a very secular, permissive society. Certainly a wonderful time and place in which to have been a young person.
Too bad there are so few French people on this board to comment on what I've written. Considering the recent Gilets Jaunes protests in France, I suspect France is now one of the less desirable Western countries in which to live, at least compared to other countries in Western Europe.
30 Apr 2020, 6:37 am
