I suppose it would be mostly practical skills, cooking, fixing things. Usually had to be done by people themselves.
Maybe also mental things like navigating (with or without paper map) and remembering their daily and weekly agendas.
What other things would be a big difference with the people today?
The lack of cigarette smoke everywhere, at least in the US and probably most other developed nations. In 1965, around 43% of American adults smoked. Today, just over 11% do. You no longer have to sit in the “non-smoking” section of a restaurant that still smells strongly of stale cigarettes. They no longer put ash trays or cigarette lighters in vehicles, which were a standard feature up to at least the late 90’s.
Glad about that. I can’t imagine living in that kind of environment for long
It wasn’t bad. One of the skills lost since then was how not to be a fussy Felix Unger bloodhound. You didn’t notice it. People are much more sensitive to smells today. Between the body spray and the air fresheners, the modern world still stinks, it just stinks pretty. The other nice thing was that there was a clear distinction between places that were uptight and relaxed. Today the smell of a church and the smell of a bar are almost the same.
Edit:
Also, one of the skills lost today is handling fire. Back then everybody lit a match or flicked their Bic 20+ times a day. Casually, effortlessly and elegantly handling flame was a skill almost every sophisticated adult had. Today seeing a 26 year old strike a match is like watching a 6 year old strike a match in the 80s. It’s very apparent in films that are period pieces when the actor is kind of terrified of the match they just clumsily struck.
Having grown up on the cusp of smoke free legislation in my country I remember what it’s like first hand.
It is sooOooOOoo much better now without smoking everywhere.
I thought they still did? Just isn’t referred as “Cigarette lighter” anymore?
Automotive cigarette lighters eventually developed a secondary use as an auxiliary power port. The modern ones don’t actually function as a cigarette lighter though. They don’t have the clips needed to hold the lighter coil in the socket.
I’ve been in 3 different people’s cars that didn’t even have the cigarette lighter hole, and I believe they stopped including the actual lighter in cars before they switched to just having USB outlets in cars
EDIT: The cars were 2015, 2020, and 2021 models. My old 2004 had the cigarette outlet
Ahhh. The cars I’ve been in (the most) are pre-2015 (2007 and 2014). Thanks!
My 2025 (urgh, humble brag) car has a “12V port” that can deliver up to 180W. It also has one in the boot/trunk too.
We use it to power an air pump for inflating inflatable camping things.