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In The Root 70s Era, The Country Lived A Daily Life Without Consumer Laws, Without Safety Culture, And With Thoughtless Practices Today, Such As Smoking At School, Drinking And Driving, And Buying Spoiled Yogurt On Sale
Living in the root 70s was to inhabit a Brazil where danger and improvisation were part of the routine. Smoking was a sign of elegance, driving after drinking was not startling, and health professionals treated patients without gloves or masks. The safety and consumer rules that today seem basic simply did not exist.
It was a time when children traveled in the front seat, the doctor examined with their bare hands, and cigarettes sponsored sports championships. The Brazilian daily life of the 70s was a portrait of a country without oversight, without information, and with a very flexible notion of risk.
Products Without Expiration Dates And Spoiled Yogurt On Sale
In the root 70s, labeling legislation was still crawling.
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It seems to have come out of a science fiction movie: A Brazilian city where it rains almost every day, recording over 4,000 mm per year, driven by climatic factors — a direct result of its strategic location in the Amazon.
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The water crisis that could change everything this year has already begun; it’s not just about the climate, it affects technology, raises product prices, and can halt entire companies without warning.
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A Japanese mason transforms raw granite into small cups and handcrafted utensils, collects giant stones, cuts with precision, and impresses with detailed manufacturing and finishing.
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With 1,066 acrylic panels, the building known as the friendly alien is supported by a steel skeleton, has a façade that functions as a giant screen, and impresses the world without any internal columns.
It was common to find products without expiration dates, and consumers only discovered that yogurt was spoiled when they saw the metal lid bulging.
Supermarkets held promotions with expired foods, and the public bought without suspicion.
The requirement for expiration dates on labels only arrived in 2002, marking a radical change in the relationship between market and consumer.
Cigarette As A Status Symbol And Presence On TV
Smoking was fashionable. In the root 70s, cigarettes were showcased as synonymous with power and charm.
Commercials starring artists and athletes dominated prime time, and brands sponsored high-profile sporting events.
The cigarette was the marketing of success, reinforced by the media and advertising.
The ban on advertising only came decades later, when the health effects became impossible to ignore.
Smoking In Closed Places Was Routine Even In Schools And Planes
Going to the movies, a restaurant, or a plane and seeing people smoking at every table was normal.
There were ashtrays even in medical offices.
Teachers smoked in classrooms, and few questioned the risks of smoke.
Only with the public health campaigns of the 90s did the smoking culture begin to change, giving rise to the smoke-free environments we know today.
Drinking And Driving Was Socially Accepted
In the root 70s, family parties and friends’ gatherings ended with intoxicated drivers going home, and no one saw a problem with it.
Oversight was minimal, and the laws were lenient.
The notion of responsibility at the wheel only gained strength with the creation of the Dry Law in 2008, which established zero tolerance for alcohol while driving.
Doctors And Nurses Without Masks Or Gloves
The absence of safety protocols also marked the healthcare sector.
It was common for doctors and dentists to treat patients without gloves or masks, even in invasive procedures.
The use of protective equipment only became mandatory with the rise of infectious diseases in the 80s.
Before that, direct contact with patients was seen as a sign of trust and closeness.
Children Without Car Seats And Traveling In The Front Seat
In that decade, cars were a symbol of freedom, not safety.
Children traveled loose in the front seat, and no one used seatbelts.
The concept of infant car seats was only formalized in Brazil in 2008, transforming a dangerous habit into one of the main protection agendas in modern traffic.
Passengers In The Flatbed Of The Pickup Truck
Entire families went to the countryside, to the club, or to the reservoir in the flatbed of the pickup truck.
It was the symbol of weekend fun, without concern for accidents.
Today, this practice is prohibited and can lead to serious fines, but in the 70s it was part of collective leisure and a lack of awareness about road safety.
Physical Punishments In Schools And Discipline Through Fear
The school environment of the root 70s was rigid and authoritarian. Teachers resorted to pinches, hair-pulling, and physical punishments to maintain order.
The culture of obedience came accompanied by humiliation, and few parents questioned the violence.
The shift only began in the late 80s, with the strengthening of children’s and adolescents’ rights.
Pigs In The Backyard And Trash As Feed
Raising pigs at home was a common practice, even in urban areas.
The animals fed on food scraps and lived close to families, spreading disease and bad smells.
The Sanitary Code only prohibited raising pigs in urban areas decades later, marking the advance of public health and basic sanitation policies.
Motorcycles Without Helmets And Cars Without Seatbelts
The idea that “freedom was feeling the wind in your face” dominated the imagination of the time.
Few motorcyclists wore helmets, and drivers dispensed with seatbelts.
The traffic laws were still recent and poorly enforced, making accidents more lethal.
Mandatory use was only consolidated in the 90s, after a surge in deaths on the roads.
The root 70s were a decade of contrasts: freedom without limits, but also carelessness and ignorance.
The changes in laws and customs show how the country has evolved in collective awareness, safety, and consumer rights.
And you, what impresses you the most when thinking about this lawless Brazil? Tell us in the comments which of these memories shocked or brought you nostalgia.
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