Was life in the past preferable to today?

According to a new study half of adults over the age of 50 agree that life in the past was preferable to today, compared to just 19 per cent who think the present day is best.

Seven in 10 people think that the past was better as there was not so much traffic on the roads, while 68 per cent say things used to be built to last.

Having the freedom to go out to play at an early age and the fact people had more respect for each other also feature highly on the list of things that were better years ago.

Geoffrey Dennis, Chief Executive of SPANA who carried out the research, said: ‘It’s clear that many people in the UK are nostalgic about the past – and, whether it’s for proper music stars like Bowie or a lost sense of community spirit, some people wish they could turn back the clock.

The study shows many over-50s consider the old days to be better because people were more patient and there was a slower pace of life.

People also fondly remember the time when the whole family ate around the dinner table and everyone enjoyed face-to-face conversations.

But one in five people over the age of 50 believe that modern day living should be celebrated.

What are your views? Is it easy to recall the past with rose tinted glasses, or was life in the past preferable than today?