Favorite decades

[bandit957]

What decades in your lifetime were the best?

The 1970s were my favorite of all. Each one after that was progressively worse, until the 2010s, which were probably better than the 1990s or 2000s.

[cjk374]

80s all the way baybeee! 👍👍

[Flint1979]

1980's even though I was pretty young.

[formulanone]

Give or take a few seconds, they're all the same.

Terrifying lows, dizzying highs, and creamy middles in all of them.

[Henry]

I'd take the 80s over any other decade too!

[webny99]

Give or take a few seconds, they're all the same.
Terrifying lows, dizzying highs, and creamy middles in all of them.

LOL, well put... although who knows about the 2020's?

I always thought the 90's seemed like a cool decade, even though I was only around for the last few months of them.

[hbelkins]

1960s -- I was born in '61 and don't have a lot of memories about growing up. My childhood was decidedly average.

1970s -- The Nixon and Carter administrations, two energy crises, typical teenage angst, three very brutal winters in a row (1977, '78, and '79), graduating from high school and starting college. The most redeeming part of the 70s, to me, was the classic music.

1980s -- Graduating from college, my first real romantic relationship, entering the workforce, losing my mother, changing jobs. Lots of ups and downs, but again, the music was a high point (other than those three terrible Rush albums that came along after "Signals;" I could do without those.)

1990s -- A traumatic breakup, changing jobs, getting married, moving four times in the span of a couple of years, getting involved in roadgeeking in a big way, discovering the Internet. One of the most eventful of my decades.

2000s -- Changing jobs three times in the span of a couple of years, moving back home, getting involved in politics.

2010s -- Probably the worst of my decades. Lost my father, tough financial times.

Some big life events have happened in all those decades. In terms of music, the 70s and 80s are best. For sports, the 70s and probably 90s. (Big Red Machine, UK championships in '78, '96 and '98). Television? Loved a lot of the '70s sitcoms. Movies? Definitely '70s and '80s.

I guess it all depends on what criteria you're using to determine favorites.

[kphoger]

I've been alive for four decades, and I look back at them with progressively less fondness.  That is to say, each decade has been worse than the one before it.  I miss the America of my childhood.

[kphoger]

I always thought the 90's seemed like a cool decade, even though I was only around for the last few months of them.

They were, in my opinion.  The 1990s were a sort of transitional period, culturally.

[webny99]

three very brutal winters in a row (1977, '78, and '79)

You must have lived somewhere else than Kentucky at that point?

[webny99]

I miss the America of my childhood.

I think a lot of people do right now. It's hard not to, in 2020.

[noelbotevera]

The 2010s, probably because that's the only decade I remember.

[GaryV]

The 1340's.  Just because.

[kphoger]

I miss the America of my childhood.

I think a lot of people do right now. It's hard not to, in 2020.

For reasons kind of unrelated to recent events, actually.

I miss kids playing outdoors.
I miss life before smart phones.
I miss religious and non-religious people getting along.
I miss good TV sitcoms.
I miss the time before "I'm offended".
Ahh, nostalgia...........

[kphoger]

The 1340's.  Just because.

The Hundred Years' War must have been a real bummer.

[hotdogPi]

1860s, because of coin collecting. I have a decent number of coins from that decade in both the US and other countries (including a US 2¢ coin), but very few from earlier.

[SEWIGuy]

The 1340's.  Just because.

The Hundred Years' War must have been a real bummer.

And the Black Death. 

[golden eagle]

80s!

[Revive 755]

90's:

* It was prior to the 9/11 security/culture changes
* It was prior to the large amount of red light cameras/speed cameras used today in many places
* At least part of the decade had better speed limits in some of the states
* Lots of sci-fi shows on TV
* Some internet, but not the amount of today
* Lots of 80's music on the radio still

[brad2971]

90's:

* It was prior to the 9/11 security/culture changes
* It was prior to the large amount of red light cameras/speed cameras used today in many places
* At least part of the decade had better speed limits in some of the states
* Lots of sci-fi shows on TV
* Some internet, but not the amount of today
* Lots of 80's music on the radio still

While this child born in 1971 does appreciate the 1990s, I will humbly submit that the decade had some hidden dangers. If it is true that one's formative adult years are their twenties, then the 1990s stunted the intellectual growth of a LOT of GenX folks. Not to get too political, but how else does one explain GenXers like Ted Cruz, Cory Booker, Beto O'Rourke, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, and Kamala Harris (at least her presidential run) ALL falling flat on their faces when running for President in 2016 and 2020?

But if we are going to get heavily into favorite decades, I think one can make the case that the upcoming 2020s would be an excellent decade in spite of the awful start. Remember that in 2026, the US has both its 250th birthday and is hosting the FIFA World Cup at the same time. Also, the summer Olympics are coming back to Los Angeles in 2028.

[ozarkman417]

I technically have three options:

2000s- Too young to remember or appreciate most of it. 2008 is the first presidential election I remember. I remember the financial crash very well, because my father had a real estate investment that collapsed.

2010s- The only decade that I have fully lived in so far, so of course it's my favorite. Traveled to over 20 states and four countries. Survived middle school, and had fun times with the people I met there, whether it was in person or playing video games.  Watched the total solar eclipse, and Finished it off with starting to drive.

2020s- Now I can't even go to school. Travels have been regionally limited. The virtual school setup is incredibly dysfunctional at the current moment. Social media is one giant political circlejerk at this point. I was going to get a job for the first time, until the pandemic struck. bring up solar eclipses, there will be another one in 2024. Please just let me finish my childhood off right!

[Max Rockatansky]

80s descending to a far distant 1990s. 

[Rothman]

This has been a tough one for me.  I don't like the romanticization of decades of our youth.  Too often, kids are unaware of horrible things that are happening around them.  So...

1970s:  When my world was tiny and all I cared about was playing with my friends learning how to ride my bike...didn't have much of a feel for what was going on in the world.

1980s:  Growing up a bit, had lots of fun with friends, but still a lot of ignorance.

1990s:  More maturing, high school, college, marriage.  Internet comes into the mainstream.  Last real innovations in modern music (eh, except for dubstep ).  Sort of a roller coaster between highs and lows, but not really the happiest time for me, despite learning a lot.

2000s: 9-11 has cast a very large shadow over the subsequent decades, mainly due to the federal government overreaches in the name of "national security."  Tougher financial times for me.

2010s:  A candidate.  Found financial stability and finally think I settled into life.  Lots of travel.  My kids are now maturing.

2020s:  Worst decade ever.

So, I suppose I'll go with the 2010s.  1980s and 1990s follow in suit.

[corco]

1) 1990s - I'm one to romanticize childhood. I was generally most content during these times, had a happy childhood, never too stressed. I miss family roadtrips from Illinois to Ohio, playing outside in what was sort of a classical suburban neighborhood, and the general feeling of optimism. Between childhood naivete and a stable country/world, it was tough not to feel like the world was a great and magical place.

2) 2020s - ...so, small sample size obviously, and there are obviously world events that could cause all this to go downhill in a hurry, but I feel like I personally am in a better position than before. I get to work at home and have an employer that is probably going to allow that to continue indefinitely, which has been great for my mental health, I feel pretty professionally satisfied, and I'm starting to be comfortable in my own skin, and that's important. There's also...the events of this year have made me a lot more nihilistic, but I don't actually think that's a bad thing. Any sense of real hope or optimism is gone and replaced with a desire to just keep my head down and enjoy whatever small moments I can find, and there's some beauty in that.

3) 1980s- I left the 80s as a 1.5 year old so I have no memory of them. I consider that to be a perfectly average period of life experience.

4) 2010s - This is a really tough decade to evaluate because I feel like 2000s me would have judged it as a failure, and 2020s me sees a lot of missed opportunities, but on the whole things turned out pretty okay and I transitioned from immature college kid to having a reasonably comfortable and stable adult life, which I guess is all you can really ask for out of your 20s. I struggled to find love in this period, but there were signs of hope in the later part of the decade, and I probably could have done more with my life if I wanted to.

5) 2000s- Talk about a roller coaster. I had my highest highs and my lowest lows over this decade, but on the whole I'd say I came out of it worse than I entered it. I think the country saw a lot of that too - some very high highs and some very low lows. What a time to be alive.

[Ben114]

2000s - I was born post-9/11, so I don't really know the effect of the heightened security. My passion for transportation (roads included) started in 2009.

2010s - Currently my favorite of the three decades. My personality shaped throughout this decade. I went from elementary school all the way to high school over the years, and understood the world as I got older.

2020s - No.