When I Was Young, Dirt Was Still Clean
1940s - The 1940s were seen as a transition period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s.
The first half of the decade was dominated by World War II, the widest and most destructive armed conflict in human history. The second half marked the beginning of the East-West conflict and the Cold War.
1950s - The Fifties in the United States and much of Western Europe are generally considered conservative in contrast to the Social Revolution of the next decade. Mass suburban developments and nuclear family ideals serve as symbols of the era from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the inauguration of United States President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Education grew explosively because of a very strong demand for high school and college education. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States played out through the entire decade. The fifties also revolutionized entertainment with the mainstream introduction of television, rapid growth of the recording industry and new genres of music, and movies targeted at teenage audiences. Due to the conservative norms of the era and the sometimes violent suppression of social movements, seeds of rebellion grew and were manifested through Rock and Roll, movies emphasizing rebelliousness, expansion of the Civil Rights Movement, the so-called Beat Generation of poets and artists. All of these played significant roles in the Social Revolution of the Sixties (1960s).
1960s - The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends which occurred roughly during the years 1958-1974 in Western countries, particularly Britain, France, the United States, Italy and West Germany. Social and political upheaval was not limited to these nations, but included such nations as Japan, Mexico, Canada, and others. The term is used descriptively by historians, journalists, and others documenting our collective past; nostalgically by those who participated in the counter-culture and social revolution; and pejoratively by those who perceive the era as one of irresponsible excess. The decade was also labeled the Swinging Sixties because of the libertine attitudes that emerged during this decade.
1970s
- The 1970s were basically what happened when the 1960s woke up with a hangover, put on bell-bottoms, and walked into an oil crisis.
Disco ruled the dance floor, punk yelled at disco, everyone's pants were dangerously wide, and wallpaper looked like it was trying to hypnotize your grandparents. Politically, things got awkward — especially when Watergate proved that even presidents could get caught doing extremely dumb stuff.
Cars were huge, gas was scarce, hair was bigger than most apartments, and every living room was some combination of orange, brown, and questionable carpet.
In short: the 1970s were loud, funky, suspicious of authority, and smelled faintly of cigarettes, vinyl records, and fondue.
1980s - The 1980s were what happened when the world discovered hairspray, synthesizers, shoulder pads, and decided moderation was illegal.
Everyone dressed like a neon highlighter, music sounded like robots learning emotions, and every movie featured either a muscle-bound hero, a group of misfit teenagers, or a talking car. Computers started sneaking into homes, video games took over arcades, and people genuinely believed fax machines were the future.
Politics got dramatic, capitalism got louder, phones got bigger, and workout videos convinced millions that leg warmers were acceptable indoor clothing.
In short: the 1980s were flashy, loud, overconfident, aggressively colorful, and powered almost entirely by pop music, perms, and cocaine-adjacent energy.
1990s - The 1990s were what happened when the world discovered the internet but didn't yet understand it.
Everyone wore denim the size of camping equipment, teenagers looked permanently unimpressed, and every band either sounded like they were angry in a garage or dancing inside a computer. Phones had cords, computers screamed when connecting online, and downloading one picture required patience, faith, and possibly a snack.
TV was full of sitcoms, cartoons got weirdly excellent, and every kid's toy was either neon, sticky, collectible, or banned at school. People carried pagers like they were government agents, blew into video game cartridges like ancient rituals, and thought frosted tips were a personality.
In short: the 1990s were grunge, dial-up, boy bands, baggy jeans, questionable snacks, and the magical belief that putting "cyber" in front of anything made it futuristic.
2000s
- The 2000s were what happened when the internet got faster, phones got smaller, and everyone collectively decided low-rise jeans were a good idea.
People customized MySpace pages like digital shrines, burned CDs with titles like "Summer Mix 2004," and took blurry photos on flip phones that somehow still felt futuristic. Every ringtone was either a tiny symphony or deeply embarrassing.
Reality TV exploded, pop-punk ruled the malls, rappers wore jerseys the size of tents, and everyone owned at least one item covered in unnecessary flames, rhinestones, or tribal patterns. Technology was advancing rapidly, but we were still asking Jeeves things.
In short: the 2000s were flip phones, frosted lip gloss, iPods, emo bangs, chunky highlights, energy drinks, and the firm belief that putting "i" in front of any product made it revolutionary.
2010s - The 2010s were what happened when everyone got a smartphone, joined Instagram, and slowly became their own unpaid marketing department.
We started the decade saying "YOLO" and ended it asking if our phones were listening to us. Avocado toast became a political issue, every restaurant served food on wooden boards for some reason, and people lined up for hours to take photos in front of colorful walls.
Music went from dubstep drops to sad bedroom pop, movies became 90% superheroes, and every company decided it needed an app, a subscription, and a "relatable" Twitter account.
Fashion was skinny jeans, flower crowns, galaxy leggings, athleisure, tiny sunglasses, and looking like you were either going to Coachella or a startup meeting.
In short: the 2010s were memes, streaming, selfies, influencers, iced coffee, panic about algorithms, and pretending we were all "just building our personal brand."
...adn here we are in the 2020s and it seems impossible that we will continue as a civilization!