A nostalgia account harked back to the good old days of 1940s America and was schooled into the next century
We live in uncertain and frankly terrifying times so it’s no wonder that we’re occasionally tempted to hark back to the days when life was so much simpler.
But were they simpler? And were they better?
We ask this only after @vaelor0 over on Twitter – not immune to the odd nostalgia post or three – shared this photo of 1940s America and went wildly viral with it.
24 yr old and his family of 3. 1946, Kentucky. Rent was $9/month. This is what they took from you pic.twitter.com/5B3U7ecw7h
— Vaelor (@vaelor0) October 25, 2025
First off, an important correction.
He was actually 60 years old, not 24 at the time of this photo, my bad. His name was William Dillard Eldridge
— Vaelor (@vaelor0) October 26, 2025
But that’s not why we’re here. These are.
1.
Idk who needs to hear this, but your life is almost certainly better than a 1940s coal miner. https://t.co/HpGxPL3Ojg
— Miu ✦ (@Flicky0ps) October 25, 2025
2.
pretty sure you can still be poor and white buddy
— Cats In Boots (@peanis_) October 26, 2025
3.
the racists yearn to live in a company town, get black lung disease, and die young to own the libs https://t.co/AKMwH2RGME
— mindy (@mindyisser) October 26, 2025
4.
You wouldn’t last 72 hours in that life.
— SK Media (@SpaghettiKozak) October 26, 2025
5.
“This is what they took from you” and it’s a man who looks like he wants to blow his brains out https://t.co/NcTETxUgTJ
— rat (@babystreetrat) October 26, 2025
6.
— Twisted Dusky (Age 22) (@DuskedFates) October 26, 2025
7.
I’m glad they took this from me LMAO https://t.co/Zns2LCUfS8
— Kerryist ♦️ (@Kerryist04) October 26, 2025
8.
I promise you we don’t have to romanticize black lung and no indoor plumbing. No one is asking you to do that. Your great grandparents would cut off a leg for an email job with cold brew and air conditioning
— Rep. Jessica Grill (@jessica4nh) October 26, 2025