Favorite Old-Time Decade

[Kirkman1987]

The national fixation with WWII isn't going away anytime soon, It's become such an important part of American Mythos through the years.

I think every American secretly imagines themselves as Rick Blaine

For me personally, and this is mostly subjective, I do think America hit it's peak pop culturally in the late 30's and 40's. Universal Horror, The golden age of the animation, The Marx Bros, almost every damn movie released in 1939 (Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Gunga Din etc).

I certainly wouldn't want to live there though. I remember my grandfather telling me a horrid story of how little blonde Hitler Youth girls assaulted his Soldiers with grenades, and the resulting aftermath. That's pretty much the true reality of those times

 

[scotpens]

Gotta be the 50's...

You had the space race with Sputnick, the invention of television, the Chevrolet Corvette...

Practical electronic television was invented in the 1930s, but development was interrupted by the war. Commercial TV broadcasting began in the late 1940s.

But the Corvette -- definitely a product of the Fifties. And it was awesome!

 

[Lord Garth]

I see no love for the decade that gave us Miss Blankenship.

I only even really put up the Gay '90s a choice because it's not the "gay" most people think of and it's not the "90s" anyone thinks of, so I like the name.

Those horseless carriages that partically no one had and those pointed beards were killer.

I don't know about the movies, though. They had no story whatsoever. Just people walking around. You'd think they were art films. Then there was one that was only about special effects. In one frame, a person was there and in the next he was gone! What the Hell? They don't even try to explain it. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[Sector 7]

we should make a best century poll next time as well.

But then the Americans will only have about 3 to choose from.

*ducks*!

Maybe the White Eyes will only have 3, but the Native Peoples were here many, many centuries prior.

I suppose that isn't as obvious from a "safe" American point of view.

Excuse me?

If it weren't for America, the 1940's would have been a hell of a lot more unpleasant for the rest of the world. So, as an American... you're welcome.

Although I agree with you, Europeans on this board will never give us credit... no matter what our nation did, do, or will do.

Well, yeah. I based my thread off the other one which looked to be about which decade did people most want to (re)live through.

But the language of "favorite old-time decade" is broad enough to be taken in any way.

I wouldn't want to live in any time prior to 1975. At all. Visiting would be nice, but not to live there. Today's technology is also such that I wouldn't really want to live in any time before the 21st Century either.

The Great Recession is the only thing holding back the time we live in. When the economy improves, we'll be living in one of the best times ever. We're not there yet but I know that one day we will be.

So favorite styles, culture, etc. for a previous time works too.

I agree there Lord Garth, I have no desire to live in a past decade. Now 1975, that would give me enough time to earn some money so I could start investing in Apple in a few years.

If I could go back as a teenager again, knowing what I do today... then YES I would go back. A do-over would be great!

Within the parameters given... I choose the 1950s. I'd know my dad when he was a famous race car driver and healthy. Now all I have are memories.

 

[scotpens]

I only even really put up the Gay '90s a choice because it's not the "gay" most people think of and it's not the "90s" anyone thinks of, so I like the name.

I was invited to a Gay Nineties party once. Everyone there was either gay or 90!

 

[thestrangequark]

we should make a best century poll next time as well.

But then the Americans will only have about 3 to choose from.

*ducks*!

Maybe the White Eyes will only have 3, but the Native Peoples were here many, many centuries prior.

Nah. Most of our history was systematically destroyed. Most of what remains is myth.

 

[CorporalClegg]

we should make a best century poll next time as well.

But then the Americans will only have about 3 to choose from.

*ducks*!

I don't really think that would matter. Most of us silly 'Mericans have heritages that extend beyond the confines of North America.

I have Polish, Italian, Finish, German, Scottish, Welsh, and Dutch to choose form. It's a real smörgåsbord of humans killing other humans that I get to nibble from.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Plus, I would totally be an Einstein groupie.

[tangent]Did I ever tell you about the time when I was in high school and my friend and I wanted to see Stephen Hawking give a lecture, but couldn't get tickets, so we stood outside the venue with signs scribbled on notebook paper that read: "HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS NEED TICKETS!" and we got called "Physics groupies," by one of the guys going in? Because I've considered myself a physics groupie ever since![/tangent]

Yeah, I did remember the story, and in fact I was totally thinking about you when I wrote that sentence.

I think a lot of people here have a romanticized vision of what that decade was like. I mean, look at all our movies from and about that time period -- the vast majority are almost cartoonish in their depiction of the war. Hitler is the perfect villain, and I think it's easy for people to fit him and his regime into classic hero sagas. There is also sort of national fixation Americans seem to have with WWII -- contributed to not only by the media, but possibly by the fact that WWII (at least in my experience) is one of the few well-covered historical topics in American public schools.

As you said, it's the last great conflict in which good guys vs. bad guys is very clear and defined. Sure, you have the Cold War, but that never ignited, so it's hard to have the same kind of transfer. Speaking about which: I think another reason why some Americans seems so fixated on WWII is that their experience about it comes mostly from Hollywood movies, or at most the stories of an old relative who fought in the war. It's all very theoretical. But here in Europe, you realize that the war was fought in your city, that tanks rolled in your street, and that planes bombed your neighbourhood, it all becomes much more real. And very scary. Not something that you want to repeat. Ever.

Personally, I want to take credit for rock & roll and chocolate chip cookies. As an American, you're welcome.

Rock'n'roll, I can agree (even if I'm more a fan of British music). As for chocolate chip cookies, meh. I vastly prefer French patisserie.