As a parallel to the question of 1963 vs. 2006, I would like to pose the question, what was the best decade to grow up?

I was born in 1974 (just turned 33 last week), so most of my memories and influences came from the 1980s. Overall, I thought that was a pretty good time to grow up, though it wasn't perfect.

Pros:
* In most cities, there was an independent TV station that had lots of cool, old cartoons.
* We had the GoBots and Transformers (my brother and I were GoBots fans, though many of the kids at our school swore that Transformers were better).
* There were no Internet pedophiles and scams back then.
* Lyrics to the pop music of the day generally did not anger my parents.
* We didn't have to worry about polio or smallpox.
* Our teeth weren't as rotten as those of kids who grew up in the 1950s.

Cons:
* At least in my perception, the boogeymen of the time were AIDS, cocaine, and the threat of a Soviet nuclear invasion.
* As I headed towards adolecense, I increasingly felt that the "feel-good" approach towards drug education used at school was insulting to my intelligence.
* In the sixth grade, I was part of an incident that made me believe that the classroom was being used to push political propaganda and that most of my peers were not sophisticated enough to understand this.

If you must know about the last point, here is what happened: I posed a question to the teacher about why so much attention was being given to smoking, such as in the form of anti-smoking TV commercials and smoking bans. What could the people behind these things possibly gain from them? The teacher said to hold that thought and that he would answer later.

Later in that day, the teacher called me up to the front of the classroom and said, "Alfredo had a question about nuclear disarmament this morning. Nuclear disarmament is very important because there are so many nuclear weapons in existence today that if there were a nuclear war, everybody would be killed..." After he finished his spiel, I said, "But, my question was about smoking." He then said, "Oh, smoking is bad for you," and sent me back to my desk.

Okay, I'm thinking I'll take the late 80's early 90's . . . 1988 was the end of the dark ages in America and graduating in 1992 at age 18 with Clinton as president would have inspired me to complete 6 years of college before his term was up.

Instead, I got Richard M. Nixon in the midst of Watergate saying "I am not a crook!" Frak-all I say.

Well...I was quite young during the 80's....(I'm 23) but I remember quite a bit from the later 80's/early 90's...what a cool time to be a kid! Great cartoons, television was cheesy and fantastic, I've been a fan of the radio since I was three (I remember rocking out to Jump!...the version by the pointer sisters I think)

I just remember thinking that most music during my high school years lacked soul. I was a huuuuuuge fan of classical, since I was a band geek...and the pop music floating around school just wasn't moving like sibelius or mozart was.

I was one of those kids that got into vinyl and older stuff...along with 80's pop, that was what I listened to. Oh! and GOOD hip hop. Stuff that didn't make you want to go rob a bank.

Here's my quick take on the decades. I lived in all of them.

1950's = Simply, but the Korean war affected many. The young graduated with enthusiasm for their futures. They planned careers, looked forward to families and the good American life. Having a new car was a big deal.

1960's = Simple and idealistic. No pressures. Families were a major focus. Vietnam war ruined the late 60's. Cold war kept many a bit nervous, but for most it was enjoy life.

1970's = Lost decade. Music was terrible. Vietnam had messed everything up. The young got lost and disillusioned. Good economic expansion however. Inflation got out of hand however.

1980's = A little recovery from the 70's. Things were still relatively simple, but the liberal agenda was beginning to alter lifestyles. People were beginning to lose there sense of free and easy lifestyles.

1990's = By the 90s total focus had shifted to political correctness, politics were becoming highly polarized, people began having a feeling of frustration with the world around them. The young lost hope of an idealistic future. Companies no longer worried about the welfare of their workers, workers lost interest in their companies.

Deane,

I don't get the big deal about political correctness.

Sure, like anything else, it can be taken to extremes, but isn't being politically correct just being Polite and Considerate of others?

As for the decade to grow up in,
I grew up in the '60's in Medford, pretty insulated from the rest of the world, and wouldn't trade it for anything.

I can say the same about growing up in Rogue River in the 60's and Madras in the 70's, and for each place, maybe it was just the times, but I wouldn't want to grow up in either place now.

Notice the ones Deane grew up in are the ones he remembers the fondest.

That's probably gonna hold true for everyone here. People are gonna pick the decade THEY grew up in, because there's no real frame of reference for any other possibilities.

I didn't particularly LIKE my childhood, so I thought the 80's were shit. It was probably cooler for kids to grow up in the 70's, for all I know. It certainly SOUNDS more kid friendly to me. Everyone dressed like a muppet, the music was cartoonish and stupid, bright primary colors everywhere, and Star Wars. Plus if you were into sports, a lot of REALLY cool things were happening CONSTANTLY.

not so much in the 80's, for me.

I agree, whatever decade you were about 13 to 17 in will probably be your favorite. For me it was the 70's. We remember the good, and while The Brady Bunch was a sugar-coated representation, there were a lot of bad things going on too. Divorce, drugs, war, inflation, etc. And Deane, not ALL the music was bad in the 70's! Afterall, the decade brought us Fleetwood Mac, Boston, Elton, Eagles, Chicago...

> That's probably gonna hold true for everyone here.
> People are gonna pick the decade THEY grew up in,
> because there's no real frame of reference for any
> other possibilities.

Yup. You nailed it. That was my point behind starting this thread. The other issue is that for us that had a stable family life, our childhood memories are going to be all warm, fuzzy, and comfortable because of the paradigms of being a child (i.e. mom & dad see to it that you have food to eat, clothes to wear, and that the utilities are kept on; school gives you something to do).

Well I have been doing plenty of reminiscing since my mom died less than 2 months ago. I was one of those kids who grew up in a very good home. Not perfect but certainly I knew I was cherished and was considered precious by my parents.

When I think of the 70's, I remember hearing a comedian say something like, "does anyone have a good picture of themselves from the 70's?" By my senior yr in HS it was all about the hair, especially in my senior picture. Long wavy hair, flowered red shirt with a big collar. Oh yeah Mr. Fashion statement.

I see the 80s as the decade of buying stuff we didn't need. The 90s come and I see a spiritual revolution due to getting everything you wanted in the 80s.

The 60s for me were elementary school and being involved with just about any and all activities at school. Now when I walk in that SE Portland neighborhood it's certainly a feel good buzz.

Having made my previous comments about how this discussion is biased for all of us, there's nothing wrong with reminiscing. One thing that I felt was great about my 80s childhood experience was that my mom only had to do occasional part time work to help with the family finances. This left her a lot of time and energy to attend to mom-type things. Her being relatively young at the time (in her 30s) also helped. Sadly, if I were ever to start a family, my kids would probably not have this luxury (even though I believe that I make fairly good money).

Re: Copernicus, Friday, January 12, 2007 - 7:22 am~

Echo that, dude. Did (or maybe, do) you ever (or still) have a Commodore 64, by the way? (I still do, and still use it sometimes hence my added "wordage".)

Also, can't forget Thundercats, Silverhawks, the Ninja Turtles and BMX as products of "our" era......

Love the older hip-hop, by the way. In fact at this very moment I have "Urban Beat" playing on my Muzak and right now they appear to be playing Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight".....the full-on long cut, I might mention. I must say that's when the hippinghopping was still "good".

So at this point I would also have to say the late 80s and early 90s were also "my" era. (I am 22, turning 23 in few months.)

Before I forget (again)~
"I just remember thinking that most music during my high school years lacked soul. I was a huuuuuuge fan of classical, since I was a band geek...and the pop music floating around school just wasn't moving like sibelius or mozart was."

That was exactly how I was in high school as well. Maybe also throwing a bit of smooth jazz (and the traditional jazz too) in for ballast.

Brittney Spears, Savage Garden and Eminnem just didn't move me the way Kurt Bestor, Beethoven and Miles Davis did (do)........

I would say my "soulful sounds" movement didn't start until well after I graduated, like circa mid-2004 or so, right after my so-called "Muzak Cowboy" movement had seemingly gone by the wayside. So far as I can tell Cowboy is out for me, Motocrosser and Skateboarder are in. WAY in. (Speaking in terms of fashion and Muzak, incidentally.)