I've talked to him about it. All he says is that the 50's and 70's were the best years as a man could work one job at 10k, afford a new home for 20k and new car for 2k and wifey could stay home and raise the kids.

Inflation after Nixon took the US off of the gold standard was so gradual that no one noticed immediately. The frog in the pot if you will. The costs rose and wages couldn't keep up.