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

[Plum]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 2:37pm

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.

[orion59]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 3:04pm

For my era it would have been the development of the PC
MTV
The first reports of AIDS
The Reagan Administration complete with Nancy's red suits and Just Say No Campaign
The Birth of Punk
Anti Nuke demonstrtions and the threat of nuclear holocaust

[The Grovers Corners Yenta2]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 3:57pm

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.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 4:03pm

Sometimes it seems the events overlap.
To me the Women's movement and abortion rights are both political AND social, but very connected.
Politically w me it was Bobby Kennedy's assasination- nothing ever seemed to go right after that.

In Canada the big political issues have been Seperatisim,( the enforcement of the War Measures Act) and The repatriation of the Constitution w the Charter of Rights.Also culturally the self actualization movements that cont today

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 4:21pm

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.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 4:35pm

Political - the Assination of Anwar Sadat, Munich, and the attempted assination of the pope.

Social/Cultural - The Assisination of John Lennon, Magic Johnson disclosing he had HIV, Rock Hudson's death.

Social - AIDS.
Updated On: 12/26/05 at 04:35 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 4:59pm

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.

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 9:08pm

I don't have a worthwhile comment. I just wanted to express enthusiasm for being included in the adults group. Yay for being over 21!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 10:15pm

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

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 10:34pm

From a 23 year-old:

Political
-- I suppose this is happening right now: 9/11 and the "War on Terror" and the reactive, regressive attitude of the current American administration, which has split loyalties around the world.

Cultural
-- The TITANIC phenomenon, the popularization of hip hop and urban culture, and the integration of the home computer with how we enjoy the popular arts. I also think the effect of the LORD OF THE RINGS movies will be more evident in the next few decades, ala STAR WARS, as kids who watched the trilogy grow up to be filmmakers and artists.

Social
-- Gay marriage being legalized in my country (Canada). It's a big deal for me, anyway.

[justme2]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 1:49am

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.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 11:09am

Political - Third Parties, Wars for Oil, Christian Coalition

Cultural - Kurt Cobain, Tony Kushner, Reality TV

Social - Matthew Shephard, Rodney King, Oprah Winfrey

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 11:42am

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.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 11:45am

It is sad to me that no books have made it onto these lists. I would put some, but it didn't define my generation (even if certain books have helped define ME).

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 11:49am

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.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 12:17pm

I just can't think of any books that really could be considered defining in my generation. I mean, when I was in school, V.C. Andrews was the incestious Nancy Drew of our time and every housewife on the planet read The Bridges of Madison County. Nothing really worth anything though.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 12:47pm

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.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 12/27/05 at 12:49pm

Well, the Harry Potter series launched a reading phenomenon of sorts...