Which Decade Defined Your Generation

I’m a father with children ranging from in their twenties down to twelve year old twin girls. I have always found it very amusing when I have conversations with them about the past. It’s very funny when they ask me have you ever heard of this person or that person, and it turns out to be a very famous person, that, yes, I do know of!

One particular story that has always made me laugh was when I was having a conversation with my son. At the time he was about fourteen years old. He’s now 25 years old. He asked me if I have ever heard of Dave Grohl as he read that he broke his leg while playing a concert but finished the concert in a wheelchair which he thought was amazing. So I asked him do you know who Dave Grohl is and he didn’t have a clue. After reeling in shock I said well, he is one of the greatest rock stars of all time and part of the bands Nirvana, and Foo Fighters. He still had absolutely no idea!

What this actually told me was how different decades will define each of us in different ways and of course what was important to me won’t be important to my son.

I have recently read the most amazing article: The Decades That Defines Our Generations. This really is a very insightful article that starts in the 1960’s all the way through to the 2000’s.

It’s really interesting. For example, my mum was a child of the swinging sixties and I can remember her talking about the Beatles, the best pop band ever and watching Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl. Of course her generation invented the miniskirt. There is no doubt that the sixties defined my mothers generation and you can see that until today with people who grew up in the sixties.

It moves onto the 1970’s and wow, how things changed! The era of prawn cocktails and baked Alaska! Elvis Presley died and Bohemian Rhapsody was the best selling single of the 1970’s which is still played everywhere today. The first Star Wars film was released and of course those films are still going in 2024.

The article then starts to highlight the 1980’s which is now all about me. It was a tough time especially with strikes and tensions in the world generally but I was also introduced to Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and the best selling single of the decade Relax. Band Aid took place and technology was starting to move at great pace. Reading the article made me smile and laugh out loud as I remember those times so well as if it was only yesterday.

We move into the 1990’s and the 2000’s and I remember the 90’s with great affection, and the 2000’s. As I read through it’s actually a fantastic trip down memory lane, but my decade without any doubt were the 1980’s and reading about the 1980’s actually made me feel very nostalgic and made me smile. It also reminded how the 1980’s have shaped my attitudes and beliefs in life and unfortunately for my family, how I always go on about good the 1980’s. Nothing ever will match that decade! Of course the truth is depending on what decade you grew up it will have the biggest impact on your memories and quite often your attitude to life.

The article is a fascinating read and I highly recommend you give it a read. What decade shaped your life? I would love to hear in the comments below.