The speaker recounts his childhood in **Spain** during the **Franco dictatorship**, noting he was too young (12 when Franco died in **1975**) to grasp its nature, only knowing Franco as **"el salvador de España"** from "the reds." After Franco's death, the **Transition** brought significant changes, including the release of political prisoners, the return of exiles from countries like **Mexico, France, England, and Russia**, and the legalization of parties like the **Communist Party**. However, this period was marked by immense challenges: rampant terrorism from groups like **ETA** and **GRAPO**, a surge in common crime fueled by heroin addiction, and severe economic hardship. This led to the emergence of "nostálgicos" who often wrote graffiti proclaiming **"Con Franco vivíamos mejor"** (With Franco we lived better), idealizing a past of order and peace. The speaker highlights the counter-response: **"Con Franco vivíamos mejor *algunos*"** (With Franco *some* of us lived better), emphasizing that the "good life" was not universal and many suffered. He concludes by cautioning against idealizing the past—be it the Franco era, one's youth, or even the Transition itself—as a selective memory often linked to "getting old," advocating instead for critical thinking about history.