Posted on 09/14/2005 9:05:10 AM PDT by Millee
I am 40 years old. I don't know how that happened. But here I am.
People my age don't have a lot in common. That is, most generations share a common experience or cultural phenomenon during those magic years from adolescence to early adulthood. Those of us who grew up in the'70s didn't really have any bonding experience.
The generation before mine had the Vietnam War, the civil-rights movement, the Beatles. The generation before that had the Cold War and Elvis. Before that, World War II and Sinatra. Before that, the Depression. People had their impressions of those experiences from their own vantage point.
By contrast, for kids in the'70s and early'80s, life was pretty easy; no war, no civil unrest. The biggest threat to the American way was disco, and we shouldn't forget what a serious threat that was or how many lost their dignity and hair styles in that battle. The outrageous inflation, interest rates and gas prices of the Carter years were your folks' problem, not yours. There were few hardships. And because of that there were fewer shared experiences. There is not a lot that connects my generation together.
We don't run the risk of being called the greatest generation in history. While it would be wrong to label us the TV generation, it would be accurate to call us the rerun generation. In the days before 100 channels of cable, we had four TV channels and rabbit ears on top of the box. And after school we watched re Clampet? Mary Ann. Mary Ann or Jeannie? Jeannie.
Jeannie or Samantha? Let's see, here. One comes with serious mother-in-law issues. The other runs around the house in her lingerie, calls you master, wants to grant all your wishes, and when you get tired of her you can put her in a bottle. Yep, tough choice.
I would, rather embarrassingly, argue that the most shared cultural experience for 40-year-olds is old "Star Trek." We all know the Vulcan neck pinch. If Kirk, Spock, Bones and some security guard in a red shirt beamed down to a planet, we all know which one is going to get blasted. We all know who will pronounce that the red shirt is dead, and how he'll say it. (And we get it Bones, you're a doctor not a bricklayer.) And we all know which one is going to get it on with the hot alien girl.
I'm not proud that nearly everyone my age can mouth every line to every "Star Trek" re run, even the one in whichSpock gets to wear the goatee. But at least it is something.
My generation has many of those shared icons. My sense is that younger generations may have many more icons, but they are not shared. My father's generation had only a few media outlets. Everyone in America stopped to listen to Uncle Milty on radio. Not what you call a lot of variety, but the whole country knew Milton Berle.
My generation had more outlets, but with only a few TV stations, Dick Van Dyke and Brady Bunch re runs were known to all, and gave us some shared reference in entertainment.
Today the outlets for media are customizable; hundreds of channels catering to every varying taste. TIVO and I-Pods now allow individuals to become their own station programmers. A million different kids can be watching and listening to a million different things at the same time. This is a terrific thing, but will there again be a shared cultural experience? Recently James Doohan, Scotty on "Star Trek," Bob Denver, better known as Gilligan, passed away. These icons from our childhood are just the beginning of what will be an avalanche of old TV, movie and rock music names that we will soon be saying goodbye to.
When they all go, they may be the last entertainment icons shared by an entire country.
Actually, I turn 30 next April. I can remember when my mom turned 30 (the day John Lennon was shot). That scares me.
I wish! Had it so easy back then. ;-)
My wife is 30 so we have different memories.
Definitely the first TV generation, which seems to believe their lives are one giant soap opera. They thrive on drama.
I'm 28-grew up on the tailfeather end of the hair band era. I was 11 in 1988 as I discovered bands like Dokken, Skid Row etc...and love them to this day.
It must be great to be a kid. :^}
Comparing them to Snoop or Kanye isn't much of a comparison, since those guys aren't musicians.
I was a bit young and was on the tail end...however floating around my mother's "junk room" is a picture of ME, at age 12, with long Aqua Net hair...yes my mother just LOVED that...lol...(yes I am male...) I was in the "I want to be a rock star" phase.
I've seen Ratt and Poison both multiple times. Poison to this day puts on an amazing show.
Please add me to the Xer Ping.
You're damn right they had talent! They might not have been musically innovative, but they could PLAY their instruments better than the crapola fests today.
Ever seen someone like Mike Mushok (of Staind) do a guitar solo like those bands did? They PLAYED, these newer guys STRUM...
I'll be 42 next month, and truer words were never written.
Their last 4 albums have blown chunks but from On Through the Night right up to Hysteria they rocked.
I didn't get to do the concertgoing thing that long ago...Mom wasn't up for that...but I did watch the Monsters of Rock show from across the street (well couldn't see it but could certainly hear it!) at the Akron Rubber Bowl in June of '88!!
I just turned 42 this summer. One of the most profound influences on me was that of the Jimmy Carter presidency. Remembering back to extremely high interest rates, high gas prices, and high unemployment, I can safely say that I will NEVER vote for a liberal for ANY office.
My favorite song is "Bringin on the Heartbreak" with the instrumental "Switch 625" after it.
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