Stories of regret and fulfilment from the Class of ‘73
The article reflects on the life experiences of individuals who were in Grade 12 in Ontario in 1973, based on a decades-long study by researchers including Paul Axelrod and Paul Anisef. Many participants expressed satisfaction with their lives, particularly valuing family, while also acknowledging regrets and unfulfilled possibilities. Their stories illustrate how personal choices and broader social forces shaped diverse life paths over five decades.
- ▪The study followed individuals from Grade 12 in Ontario in 1973 through surveys and interviews over 50 years.
- ▪Most participants, now in their mid-60s, reported life satisfaction, with family life being the most valued aspect.
- ▪Jack, an entrepreneur, regretted missed opportunities despite a successful career, while Sophia, a librarian, prioritized family over other career paths.
- ▪James, a tool-and-die apprentice, reflected on curiosity about alternate paths like becoming a doctor or lawyer.
- ▪The research highlights how class, gender, race, and economic conditions influenced life trajectories alongside personal decisions.
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Open this photo in gallery:Students from a 1973 Ontario high school yearbook. Over five decades, Paul Axelrod and Paul Anisef followed the lives of a group of people who were in Grade 12 in Ontario that year.Illustration by Students from a 1973 Ontario HigShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountPaul Axelrod and Paul Anisef are retired York University professors and co-authors of The Story of a Generation: Life Course Pathways of the Class of ’73, along with Carl E. James, Wolfgang Lehmann, Karen Robson, Erika McDonald, and Erica Fae Thomson.Regrets.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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