Do We Really Have it Better?
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When I was a kid, we bought Crest or Colgate. Then AquaFresh came out. Now they need three aisles to house all the options.
Same with just about every consumable product.
I don't think it's good or bad, It just is. The web has made the world a smaller place. Now, we know the global options as well as the regional ones we grew up with.
Shoot, I didn't even know what an artichoke WAS until I met my wife. As a child, the only peppers I was aware of were green and red bells and the occasional jalapeno.
In my 20's I thought Jose Quervo was good tequila... :crazy:
Most of us bought what the marketing people wanted us to buy until we learned better. The information age has definitely altered that landscape.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em!
Same with just about every consumable product.
I don't think it's good or bad, It just is. The web has made the world a smaller place. Now, we know the global options as well as the regional ones we grew up with.
Shoot, I didn't even know what an artichoke WAS until I met my wife. As a child, the only peppers I was aware of were green and red bells and the occasional jalapeno.
In my 20's I thought Jose Quervo was good tequila... :crazy:
Most of us bought what the marketing people wanted us to buy until we learned better. The information age has definitely altered that landscape.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em!
You’ll have to excuse me as I didn’t read all the responses because I’m sure they are all very good points.
I just wanted to respond to the OP
I can’t really answer to the extent of having it better with tobaccos because when I started a lot of the heralded blends were already gone or being made under a different blending house. Esoterica was unobtainable already, as was FVF and several others. I do agree though that there are definitely plenty of fine blends by other blenders to fill that void to an extent. I know when I asked my grandfather what he used to smoke he said,”Whatever I could find at the local drug store.” He said that the higher end stuff he could only get if he went into a larger city which he rarely did. Before he quit smoking it was pretty much Captain Black or PA in his lone pipe. He still doesn’t understand why anyone needs more than one even after I explained to him how blends can ghost a pipe. He laughed and basically said to each their own.
I also did find it a bit overwhelming in regards to the correct method until I stopped caring about the proper packing method and just put tobacco in the bowl and got it lit. I mean that’s really all there is to it but I was obsessed for a time trying all the different ones that some swore would “burn perfectly to grey ash”.
Edit: I do want to add that my grandfather did say he had 2 tins of the original Balkan Sobranie he had kept because he didn’t much care for it but tossed them once he quit smoking. Too bad I didn’t start sooner or else I could’ve helped prevent that tragedy 8O
I just wanted to respond to the OP
I can’t really answer to the extent of having it better with tobaccos because when I started a lot of the heralded blends were already gone or being made under a different blending house. Esoterica was unobtainable already, as was FVF and several others. I do agree though that there are definitely plenty of fine blends by other blenders to fill that void to an extent. I know when I asked my grandfather what he used to smoke he said,”Whatever I could find at the local drug store.” He said that the higher end stuff he could only get if he went into a larger city which he rarely did. Before he quit smoking it was pretty much Captain Black or PA in his lone pipe. He still doesn’t understand why anyone needs more than one even after I explained to him how blends can ghost a pipe. He laughed and basically said to each their own.
I also did find it a bit overwhelming in regards to the correct method until I stopped caring about the proper packing method and just put tobacco in the bowl and got it lit. I mean that’s really all there is to it but I was obsessed for a time trying all the different ones that some swore would “burn perfectly to grey ash”.
Edit: I do want to add that my grandfather did say he had 2 tins of the original Balkan Sobranie he had kept because he didn’t much care for it but tossed them once he quit smoking. Too bad I didn’t start sooner or else I could’ve helped prevent that tragedy 8O
Grimpuffer, I was thinking that's how most of the elders in our hobby thought. No real method to it, they just did it. Maybe we just over think things now.
I mean, I know better to click on links that you post Bill, but know I have 'brusha brusha brusha' in my head. Thanks!
Doesn't help I'm about to go to the dentist with the kidlets now either.
Doesn't help I'm about to go to the dentist with the kidlets now either.
"dentist with the kidlets " -- You have my sympathy, for the little I know it's worth. 
My dad always said I was the worst patient he had, & frankly I believe it. Of course he also said not to go into dentistry because you had to work too hard for the money, & I believed that too, so....
My dad always said I was the worst patient he had, & frankly I believe it. Of course he also said not to go into dentistry because you had to work too hard for the money, & I believed that too, so.... 
I think the "Golden Age of Pipe Smoking" is long gone, at least around here. To me, that period was when we could smoke what we wanted, when and where we wanted. Today, smoking in general is greatly frowned upon in nearly all open venues. Local ordinances are being considered to actually ban smoking in all public areas of town, including parks and along the rivers. I used to smoke my pipe in my office well over half of the workday, and often share tobacco and piping lore with other pipers during the day. The last 10 years before I retired I didn't even take my pipe to work. Today, being retired, I am a little more free in that I can lunt in my shop, at the range, and while scaring fish on the river. But I miss those more carefree days.
As to the "Golden Age of Pipe Tobacco", I think we are seeing the winding down of it. The FDA deeming announcement has started the demise of some blends and we have already seen some very talented blenders stop production, and even go out of business. That could change, if we could somehow get the FDA to rescind it's ruling, but I cannot see that happening.
Others have touched on the pros and cons of the internet and its impact on piping. I guess I'm glad I learned to be a codger when I first started the pipe, without having to worry about the correct way to pack, what is the best tobacco, and how to properly light. Stuff, light, enjoy.... yup...proud codger here!
As to the "Golden Age of Pipe Tobacco", I think we are seeing the winding down of it. The FDA deeming announcement has started the demise of some blends and we have already seen some very talented blenders stop production, and even go out of business. That could change, if we could somehow get the FDA to rescind it's ruling, but I cannot see that happening.
Others have touched on the pros and cons of the internet and its impact on piping. I guess I'm glad I learned to be a codger when I first started the pipe, without having to worry about the correct way to pack, what is the best tobacco, and how to properly light. Stuff, light, enjoy.... yup...proud codger here!
I must be lucky. My neighborhood everyone knows each other. All our kids grew up together and played together on "The Green" area in the middle of the development. We have a neighborhood wide block party every year where everyone brings food for themselves plus some extra to share. By the way this is recent. We moved into that development when it was built in 2004 and our son was 4.
Oh and as to the OP. Hell yeah we have it better. Why would I want to go back to smoking whatever pipes and OTC crap the drug store had?
Having kids almost mandates knowing the neighbors. If the neighbors have kids they'll interact with yours. If they do not have kids, you're obligated to drop by now and then, and offer apologies for the actions of yours.
To answer your question, Mike, the only point of reference that I can use is me. I started smoking a pipe and fell in love with the hobby at age 18 back in 1971. Today, there are a kazillion more ways to feed my hobby's fires than there were 47 years ago. To me, it's an absolute slam dunk no brainer to say that I have it better today than when I first started my adventures in the pipe smoking hobby almost a half century ago.
crashthegrey said,
I also believe that the number of people really participating in social media like twitter, facebook, instagram, etc., is a lot less than the media wants us to believe.
I think Sablebrush is right in that pipe forum members are maybe a subatomic part of the real pipe smoking community. Think about it. Kaywoodie and Dr. Grabow are still making and selling pipes. Look at all the old drugstore brands like Prince Albert, Carter Hall - and, yes - Borkum Riff and Captain Black, that are still on the market. They are still making money for the manufacturers because people are still buying them.
I also believe that the number of people really participating in social media like twitter, facebook, instagram, etc., is a lot less than the media wants us to believe.
Agreed pappymac, but I'll note that Kaywoodie still makes great pipes. Each is hand finished by a man who has had hundreds of thousands of pipes through his hands, and there is a handmade line to rival some of the best pipe makers, but selling at the $200 range because he is a fourth generation pipe maker who knows how to batch process even hand made pipes.
It's great for the choice of pipe tobacco and pipes for everyone's budget. Living in Canada, with those taxes, I think that the Golden Age here was in the 70's up to the early 90's.
One shouldn't forget that this hobby is still more expensive than cigarette smoking and that Aromatics are more popular than "uncased, unflavored" tobacco. With this in mind, whatever Golden Age exists today, will be killed by the market, it's a matter of time. So hoard and cellar. Keep your best smoking pipes and ditch the rest to have more money for your tobacco purchase. What is any pipe without tobacco?
One shouldn't forget that this hobby is still more expensive than cigarette smoking and that Aromatics are more popular than "uncased, unflavored" tobacco. With this in mind, whatever Golden Age exists today, will be killed by the market, it's a matter of time. So hoard and cellar. Keep your best smoking pipes and ditch the rest to have more money for your tobacco purchase. What is any pipe without tobacco?
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