Toxic Positivity Did Not Exist in the 1970s, But Temporary Layoffs Did

Most people remember the 1970s television show “Good Times” for its overuse of the word “Dynomite!”

I remember it for its theme song, and one line in particular.

“Good Times” was a Norman Lear show (although Eric Monte and “George Jefferson’s first son” Mike Evans actually created it), and as such it wasn’t always traditional or pleasant. It wasn’t traditional because it depicted an African-American two-parent family, something that had never been done before. (The Cosby Show came much later.) It wasn’t pleasant because it dealt with then-controversial subject matter.

Including unemployment.

Which brings me to the line in the theme song:

“Temporary layoffs

GOOD TIMES!”

Yet this was NOT an early example of 21st century toxic positivity, James, Florida, J.J., and the rest didn’t run around manifesting positive vibes. They KNEW that life in Cabrini Green sucked, but they moved onward; maybe not “moving on up,” but onward.

Oh, and by the way, temporary layoffs were not TV sitcom fiction. In the 1970s, layoffs WERE temporary. They would close the plant for around two months, then call you back to your job. Around 70% of workers returned to their employer.

A decade later it happened to me. A company laid me off, and I went to work for an associate of the owner. When the second company ran out of work for me, the first company hired me back.

After that, temporary layoffs faded away. The next time I was laid off was in 2020. Not surprisingly, the company never called me back.