People were definitely more mature back in the day. But I think they also had different expectations from life. Personal happiness is kind of a new concept. Back then you did what you to do, which was get married, have children, and one day you die. If you enjoyed life or not was besides the point. I feel this a lot in my grandparent's generations. Some of the couples they know seem to be doing very well. But a lot of ladies in my grandma's neighborhood, it's like someone breathed new life into them after their husbands died
My folks are still married, just had their 65th anniversary, and whether it's due to old age/mental decline, or wanting to get everything out there before dying, I've had some very candid discussions with my parents about their marriage. It was an eye-opener, that's for sure.
My in-laws, in my mind, had about as good a marriage as a couple can have. They were positively besotted with one another, from the moment they met up to "'til death us do part." Never witnessed a harsh word between them, they were each other's champion, really, and provided a real-world, everyday example of what a good marriage should be about.
It was really humbling at times, because it wasn't the big demonstrations that stuck with me, it was all the little stuff, all the tiny ways they helped and looked out for each other. That's what got me.
I agree, though, back then, there weren't a lot of people, especially a lot of women, given a chance to buck the old Lifescript of born-married-work-kids-retire-die.
Thank god for the '60's, that's for sure. I'm much happier seeing people who've made their own choices, eyes wide open, and who've grabbed the freedom to live how they choose.