The defining events of your generation--This thread is suitable for ages 21 & above — Page 2

Rabin's assassination had the exact opposite effect on me. It was a closing of possibilities, a cynical reminder that things don't change with a handshake.

Sorry, I'm in a mood today.

There are so many events, but the one that really sticks out in my mind is the assassination of JFK. I was coming home from school { first grade} when I heard the news. I really didn't understand what it meant until I saw my mother crying in front of the TV. We went to synagogue the next day. Everyone was crying. Our president was dead. Another local event that happened in our town was when the high school went up in flames. I was five at that time and was climbing the monkey bars. I The high school was across the field. I suddenly heard a very loud explosion followed by a fire ball. I remember seeing students and teachers jumping from the second floor to the pavement. My father was also in that building as well as our babysitters. People survived........and that and healing was accomplished by a small town pulling together.

For me they all overlap as well. That's why I chose 9/11 for all categories. I can't think of a singular thing that will define this generation more than that.

Jagged Little Pill defined my freshman year of college. That and the OJ trial.

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Oh, opposite of the moon landing. The handshake between Rabin and Arafat made it seem (to my innocent eyes) that anything was possible. And then Rabin was murdered, by an Israeli, no less.

Rabin's assasination was a very sad day. It confirmed that an extremism does not discriminate among religions, It was a very sad day.

hmmm....


Political
Reagan shot
Lennon killed
Sadat killed
Reaganomics

Cultural
Madonna music influence
CD's instead of LP's ( I still have some of the sing;e LP's!)
Internet revolution

Social
AIDS - I was an intrepid HS reporter in 84/85 and was called up in front of the school board for publishing a double spread newspaper edition all about what we knew about AIDS...which wasn't much then...that Ryan White kid had just been denied an education and we(the HS newspaper staff) wanted to give the school some REAL information about the disease. I had science diagrams of the virus and a whole column devoted to de-bunking the myths around getting the disease. Boy was I in trouble!

Berlin Wall coming down
Ethiopian starvation
Farm Aid/Live Aid/Band Aid

As for 9/11 - it kinda spanned and effected all generations.

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You know, it's silly, but the crop of Disney films that came out when I was in middle/high school will always be remembered. Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Aladin, Lion King and I suppose Pocahontas. They were amazing musicals.

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Touch, it's interesting that you mentioned books. Since I live in Savannah, GA, you would think I would have mentioned Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. God knows, it made a HUGE difference here.

The original version of SNICK (which was started in about 1992.) It may not have huge overt significance but I can't come up with many people my age (21) who didn't watch it. I'm sure it influenced us a lot even if we don't realize it.

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