How does the stock market of today resemble the stock market of the past?

The way a lot of people paint it, the stock market was just a safe, ol' bird you could get rich on if you stuck your money in there for 40 years. I have only a 5 year history learning about and investing in stocks, but feel like its every day a roller coaster. What was it like in say the 60's, 70's, 80's etc. or before if you were around then?|||well there are many changes and you can get answers for this from ezine articles.....