Debate, and discuss, just dont Bore me.
Published on July 23, 2005 By Dr Guy In History

The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1987.

They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan Era and probably did not know he had ever been shot.

They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged.

They were 2 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War.

They have never feared a nuclear war.

They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.

Tianamen Square means nothing to them.

Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.

Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums.

The expression "You sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. They have never owned a record player.

They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong.

They may have never heard of an 8 track. The Compact Disc was introduced before they were born.

As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 30+ cents.

They have always had an answering machine.

Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV. They have always had cable.

There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what BETA was.

They cannot fathom not having a remote control.

They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is, or know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up" commercial.

They were born the year that Walkmen were introduced by Sony.

Roller skating has always meant inline for them.

Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.

They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool.

Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.

They have never seen Larry Bird play.

They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.

The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI, WWII and the Civil War.

They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran.

They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.

They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.

They never heard: "Where's the beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "De plane, de plane!"

They have no idea who J.R. was, and don't care who shot him.

The Titanic was FOUND? They thought we always knew where it was.

Michael Jackson has always been "white."

Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not rock bands.

McDonalds never came in styrofoam containers.

There has always been MTV.

They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.


Comments (Page 1)
2 Pages1 2 
on Jul 23, 2005
'The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old.'
I think you'll find that the Compact Disc was readily available some two or three years BEFORE they were born.
on Jul 23, 2005
Haha, so you think because this predates us, we have no clue about it?

Your whole idea behind this blog is that we, as young individuals, are ignorant of anything you ever had to experience, and/or are ignorant of anything that predates us, even by just a few years. This is utterly false.

This is upsetting. I'm going to go put some popcorn in the popper.
on Jul 23, 2005
lol...My sister was born in December of 1987, and she graduates from high school this upcoming May.

Luckily enough, we lived in the sticks and didn't have a whole lot of money that would have made lots of those "modern" conveniences readily available to us, like VCR's, or satellite TV since we're so far out there.

It's part of growing up. Those things that were big historical events to us that they don't remember are normal, you know? Right now we have a generation of children who remember the horror of September 11, 2001; having mommy or daddy sent off to fight in a war that doesn't make any sense to them, etc., etc....
on Jul 23, 2005

'The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1 year old.'
I think you'll find that the Compact Disc was readily available some two or three years BEFORE they were born.

Really?  Got a link?  I did not get one until 95!  But then I am slow.

on Jul 23, 2005
'Really? Got a link?'
http://pages.emerson.edu/courses/fall00/in115a/DC.site/Digital%20Culture%20Files/history.htm
This history claims that CD was released in Europe and Japan in 1982, and in the USA in 1983. That's not to say that it became a common medium overnight, of course. Still, I remember buying my first CDs from high street shops (and I was by no means in the first wave of purchasers) in the UK in 1986.
on Jul 24, 2005
I'm too young to remember any of the things you mentioned
on Jul 24, 2005

'Really? Got a link?'
http://pages.emerson.edu/courses/fall00/in115a/DC.site/Digital%20Culture%20Files/history.htm
This history claims that CD was released in Europe and Japan in 1982, and in the USA in 1983. That's not to say that it became a common medium overnight, of course. Still, I remember buying my first CDs from high street shops (and I was by no means in the first wave of purchasers) in the UK in 1986.

Ouch!  you win!

on Jul 24, 2005
Dr. Guy: I remember most of everything you listed, one thing I think some posters might not be catching
is that as we age it's frustrating to us that the younger ones coming up haven't gone through all the
wars, assasinations, and technical advances. It's a combination, for me, of feelings and thoughts about
all the changes and knowing they haven't yet "walked through the fire" yet.......
I know my "elders" were surprised I had tv and a VCR, and this was back in the 80's......they were still coping with
a well and pump for water, and electricity was used as little as possible....and I "didn't get it" back then...
on Jul 24, 2005
--"The people who are starting college this fall..."--

The one thing I always remember thinking of when I think back to the summer of the year I graduated high school is how much fun I had at such a cheap price. I remember I could go out with $15 and spend all night with friends having the time of my life and come home with most of the fifteen. It seems like when you were younger fun just came naturally to you.

Now, unfortunately if I want to have fun it's not quite that easy or cheap. Hell just going to the movies with my girlfriend can run me $30 after tickets and popcorn.
on Jul 25, 2005
'Ouch! you win!'
Not usually the case I know, Dr Guy (), but I really wasn't thinking of 'winning' or 'losing' on this particular occasion! It's just that 1987 was a watershed year for me, and I distinctly remember having quite a few CDs before it all started.
on Jul 25, 2005

I'm too young to remember any of the things you mentioned

You probably remember 78s!  But then I remember those.

on Jul 25, 2005

lol...My sister was born in December of 1987, and she graduates from high school this upcoming May.

My 3rd child was born in 88!  Now I know I am old!

on Jul 25, 2005

It's a combination, for me, of feelings and thoughts about
all the changes and knowing they haven't yet "walked through the fire" yet.......

I think more that we take a lot for granted, having lived thourgh the 60s, 70s and 80s that we take for granted they shouold know as much.  Guess that transcends every generation.

on Jul 25, 2005

This is upsetting. I'm going to go put some popcorn in the popper.

You have an actual popcorn popper?

on Jul 25, 2005

Now, unfortunately if I want to have fun it's not quite that easy or cheap. Hell just going to the movies with my girlfriend can run me $30 after tickets and popcorn.

I remember when Matinee's were 25 cents!

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