Hey Fisherman,
Hello to you. I can't say i have ever seen anyone take up the mantle of defending 1975 or the culture surrounding it at the time. Good for you.
Since the conversation has gone two way let me separate the thoughts.
1) 1975. I was born after this. I have no first hand accounts to relate. I have no specific qualms to support. I didn't not go to college because of it or max out credit cards (which is ridiculous whether encouraged or not). While I would agree there is no smoking gun that just says the world is ending in 1975, I think it would be disingenuous to suggest that the society did not enjoy the fervor and zeal leading up to that date just in case. Franz at least seemed enamored with it as a real plausibility, and many latched on because as JW's we are always taught we have special insight, and to listen to the slave. So at the very least can you agree that they poured gasoline on the situation unnecessarily by the statements made in assemblies, directly from the GB, and in print? As a footnote lets also recognize that the anti-type of creating days related to each thousand years of human history since creation is also not understood by easily 99% of Jehovah's Witnesses, not has it been explained in decades.
I'm eager for your thoughts.