The good old days ....Did modern life peak circa 2000-2005?

TRANQUILLO

Am I rose tinting as I was aged 16-21 in those years?

It was the most technologically advanced time that we have known WITHOUT social media and smart phones.

Pre trip advisor, google maps and everyone having the same identical holiday every year. Inter railing was a genuine adventure.

Were we less narcissistic then ? no instagram etc

Sport seemed more fun too... the jumps were bigger in the grand national(controversial) , ice hockey players were allowed fight, rugby players could tackle each other without getting yellow cards every two minutes and formula one races had actual overtaking.

Rock stars still acted like rock stars (pete doherty, the strokes) before the record company money dried up when napster and lime wire et al took over.

There was no intersectionality or identity politics inserted into every facet of life.

We still had Concorde and Jumbo Jets (days are numbered) .

The celtic tiger was ratcheting up :pac:

I definitely look back fondly on those times. The world seemed cool then. It seems tacky and superficial to me now. All fur coat and no knickers.

I grew up in the 80s, and I suspect you are right. The glory days of the Celtic Tiger. Good times.

Errashareesh

You'll get the standard sneers of "person prefers their youth shocker" which isn't without merit to some degree but lacks further thought about the actual time period in question. Things change, it's not just a case of people ageing. And social media has caused a massive such change.

I agree with you on some of what you say. Although I am glad of the benefits of the internet too, but there's a cost. Gonna be a lot of health problems - psychologically especially, and also physical from this virtual world causing such laziness.

I mean it can already be seen. And the world seems a precarious place now too (before "we are living in the safest time ever", that can change - look at parts of the U.S.) Economic, environmental and political uncertainty for sure.

BrianD3

I'd say 1995 - 2005. Prosperity, technology, sport, music.

And yeah, fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l91f28J_Ng

Gretas Gonna Get Ya!

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but an adrenaline rush feels the same if you have it in 1960 or 2000 or 2020? Right?

If you don't develop your own imagination, you'll struggle to find things that excite you in this life and you will be dependent on other people to make your life great. Fundamentally this would be true of any era you happen to be born into.

Too many zombies and sheep with their collectives heads glued to social media. But each one of us has a choice if you want to live that way. You can switch them all off and go down the road less travelled.

TRANQUILLO

BrianD3 wrote: »

I'd say 1995 - 2005. Prosperity, technology, sport, music.

And yeah, fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l91f28J_Ng

Stuart Barnes commentary at the end " that's not a red card"

ahhhhh the halcyon days.:D

Badly Drunk Boy

To an extent, you are rose-tinting your memories. At that age, certain things will always stick with you, the big one being music. I listen to all sorts of music, new and old, but the music I listened to at the age period (for me, 1989-1994) is still with me as a baseline, maybe.

The only two gigs I got to go to this year were Black Midi and The Murder Capital. The band members were probably all born in the 90s or at the earliest, the late 80s.

But you're right about the social media aspect of things. I never had any or that. I still don't because I don't engage in it. I don't want to be on Facebook or Instagram with a load of 'friends' that I'll never interact with, or more importantly, ever meet in real life. Actually, I wince when my phone rings. Maybe I'm just anti-social.

I was thinking about certain things that happened in my life and I'm thinking...how did I deal with that (without the internet)? What way did I communicate back and forth with whatever person was involved...but we still got things done. I lost my passport in Amsterdam in 1995. (There weren't even any drugs involved!) I got it sorted fairly quickly, though. Without the internet.

Your Face

It's all gone very dry.

McGinniesta

civilisation peaked in 1983 when Blue Monday was released

Thelonious Monk

I just turned 40 and I'm more comfortable than ever now. 2000-2005 was ok like, and people go on about life being so different before smartphones, it wasn't really, not for me anyway. Just don't look at your smartphone so much if it's all that debilitating.

TRANQUILLO

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I just turned 40 and I'm more comfortable than ever now. 2000-2005 was ok like, and people go on about life being so different before smartphones, it wasn't really, not for me anyway. Just don't look at your smartphone so much if it's all that debilitating.

even if you don't look at yours some prat in your group will be on his and there are phones everywhere at concerts and night clubs. god forbid you could ever get up to no good without fear of being papped by your own mates.

Earthhorse

Nah, you're wrong. The 90s was the peak. The fall of the Eastern Bloc and the end of the Cold War ushered in an era of celebration the likes of which we haven't seen since.

Near the end of that decade the Yanks decided they were sick of all that good news, voted Bush into power, and the world has basically gone to shít ever since then.

.anon.

Earthhorse wrote: »

Nah, you're wrong. The 90s was the peak. The fall of the Eastern Bloc and the end of the Cold War ushered in an era of celebration the likes of which we haven't seen since.

Near the end of that decade the Yanks decided they were sick of all that good news, voted Bush into power, and the world has basically gone to shít ever since then.

100%

It seems like the world has been lurching from one hyped-up crisis to the next for the last twenty years.

Tchaikovsky

McGinniesta wrote: »

civilisation peaked in 1983 when Blue Monday was released

And then quickly slumped when they performed it on TOTP.

Thelonious Monk

Earthhorse wrote: »

Nah, you're wrong. The 90s was the peak. The fall of the Eastern Bloc and the end of the Cold War ushered in an era of celebration the likes of which we haven't seen since.

Near the end of that decade the Yanks decided they were sick of all that good news, voted Bush into power, and the world has basically gone to shít ever since then.

The yokes were bleedin deadly too, original white doves ftw

Fuascailteoir

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

The yokes were bleedin deadly too, original white doves ftw

Yokes at 25 pounds a piece but would be worth it. Asylum and a yoke was a good Saturday.

Quantum Erasure

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

And then quickly slumped when they performed it on TOTP.

Yeah man, got it on white label, played it once, then burned it

Ipso

The septic bubble was the peak of something alright.

Ipso

.anon. wrote: »

100%

It seems like the world has been lurching from one hyped-up crisis to the next for the last twenty years.

What kind of hyped up crises do you mean?

.anon.

Ipso wrote: »

What kind of hyped up crises do you mean?

Terrorism - something which existed throughout the previous century, but only became a massive international issue (and one that apparently could only be responded to by further violence, hatred and division) after the United States found itself on the receiving end. And then we have all the Big Weather Events that apparently necessitate the setting up of a National Emergency Coordination Group, with a stern-faced Taoiseach appearing on the 6-1 News, telling us to remain indoors. Lockdown!!! Bit of wind and snow. And I'm not convinced that the current crisis wouldn't have been handled less dramatically (and probably more effectively) twenty years ago, without the Taoiseach feeling the need to act like he's in a disaster movie.

riclad

Most people think the time i was a teenager was the best, what ever time that was.tv,music was better.And people were not just obsessed with phones,
or social media app.s
i think gen z have a tough time in terms of economic,s
eg rents are high,house prices are high.wages have not risen to keep pace with the price of housing.
they are on instagram, social media, looking at phones, they have acess to the latest technology, but they are struggling to save a deposit for a house.
i think it was easier for young people to grow up in the 80,s or the 90s.
before smartphones people were looking at pcs or laptops ,or playing
games on console,s .
i think its strange how people communicate on social media,
if theres no photo,s of a gig or a social event it may as well not happen.
I remember before smartphones existed people would download ringtones
or very simple games on a nokia phone .
some phones had very basic camera,s .
theres some research people over 25 stop listening to new music ,
the music you listen to from teens to 20 has a powerful effect on you.
i think its touch for gen z ,
We have extreme conservatives like trump in power,
we have maybe 10 years left to take real action on global warming.
its hard to be optimistic about the future .
In the 90,s or aughties ,after 2000 people wer more optimistic than they are now.
I think theres still good music being made, but alot of the music in the charts is bland or generic,
since a lot of music is just made on laptops now,using certain program,s ,
no need to spend 5 years learning how to play guitar or drums when you can just use samples to make music .

Ubbquittious

I think the 80's and 90s were better. I didn't see much of the 80's and was very young in the 90s but things were more relaxed then and people had more craic

radiata

I think the 90's were great too. You'd go to the pub and could actually engage in good conversation with anyone. It's sad to see so many people glued to their phones nowadays
Social media has really ruined a lot of things. It's like living in a fantasy world with fake friends. I've been living in Canada for a few years, and it's sad to see beautiful places like Moraine Lake packed with hundreds of people just to take the perfect photo for instagram to get likes, without taking in the surroundings

Church on Tuesday

radiata wrote: »

I think the 90's were great too. You'd go to the pub and could actually engage in good conversation with anyone. It's sad to see so many people glued to their phones nowadays
Social media has really ruined a lot of things. It's like living in a fantasy world with fake friends. I've been living in Canada for a few years, and it's sad to see beautiful places like Moraine Lake packed with hundreds of people just to take the perfect photo for instagram to get likes, without taking in the surroundings

It has ruined people TBH, nobody lives in the moment anymore.

I hate phones. Once the novelty of having a Nokia 3210 died when I was about 15, I couldn't really give a **** and it was then the current ****e you see with people, but a very gradual build up to were we are now.

If I'm meeting someone for a coffee or drink, I don't have my phone turned on, sometimes I don't even bring it with me. You have my full attention and I expect yours, otherwise whats the point? Put the phone away and actually try to engage with the people and the surroundings you are in; the whole like hunting is sad to watch from afar.

JasonStatham

No i would never want to go back. I want to get through Covid and see what the future brings.

iamstop

Pre 9/11 was a better time in many regards but life goes on. Times change. Get with it or get left behind.

nthclare

iamstop wrote: »

Pre 9/11 was a better time in many regards but life goes on. Times change. Get with it or get left behind.

It's not really about being left behind, more like leave them get on with their superficial lifestyles and leave the herd.
Be an individual and not an NPC, find good friends who are loyal, non competitive and trustworthy.

It's a **** life emulating influencer's and hiring personal shopper's, basing your Life on ticks on Instagram or Facebook even boards.ie

Get freedom from the madness, have friends who you can have interesting conversations with about reality and not some stupid celeb who's as mad as a brush.

up for anything

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

Too many zombies and sheep with their collectives heads glued to social media. But each one of us has a choice if you want to live that way. You can switch them all off and go down the road less travelled.

862 posts in 8 months isn't terrible but it isn't adrenalin fueled either.

Rothko

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

If I'm meeting someone for a coffee or drink, I don't have my phone turned on, sometimes I don't even bring it with me. You have my full attention and I expect yours, otherwise whats the point? Put the phone away and actually try to engage with the people and the surroundings you are in; the whole like hunting is sad to watch from afar.

Yeah, if I'm meeting up with someone for coffee or whatever, I wouldn't even bother to engage them in conversation if they have their face stuck in their phone. It's so rude.

yamaha4life

Hang on im just going to go check my bebo see if i want to go back to 2005

UsBus

100% yes.
The last 15 years of social media & political correctness have destroyed the enjoyment of life.
The intense commercialisation of sport has saturated it beyond anything enjoyable.
The excitement I experienced watching sport in the 90's was unreal. You couldn't access it that often, 24/7 wasn't a thing and so you immersed yourself in it when available.
Very sad sanitised times we're in now, I dread where things will be in 10-20 years. Am truly grateful I'm in my 40s now and not my 20s..

Bobblehats

riclad wrote: »

I think theres still good music being made, but alot of the music in the charts is bland or generic,
since a lot of music is just made on laptops now,using certain program,s ,
no need to spend 5 years learning how to play guitar or drums when you can just use samples to make music .

That trail got blazed to fcuk you’d have to have been born yesterday for any of it to be new to you. What concerns me is all those originals that are still on the live circuit along with all the alternative legends who toured in the run down community halls; cinemas dive bars and ballrooms in their prime may well drop off the live circuit around the same time. The latter, because their act was a little too wild /youth orientated and then it will feel like the music really has died for me at least

a lot of them are cracking up at home now anyway, they can’t get out in the road with the breathing disease. Probably considering packing it in

ILoveYourVibes

i prefer now ..but pre or post covid now

Late 90s and early 2000s was the sweet spot. We had the old way of life real friendships, no selfie culture, time felt like it moved slower but we also had the internet and mobile phones so were very connected.

Wanderer78

TRANQUILLO wrote:

Am I rose tinting as I was aged 16-21 in those years?

Good times! Exploding debt accumulations, good times, I think not!

silverharp

the 90's was the peak in terms of rate of change for the better

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Late 90s and early 2000s was the sweet spot. We had the old way of life real friendships, no selfie culture, time felt like it moved slower but we also had the internet and mobile phones so were very connected.

Yes, I always thought that roughly 1998 - 2001, maybe 2002, was the sweet spot. I can imagine that if any of us living today were transported back to that time we would immediately be struck by how slow-moving, quieter, simpler, less information-intense life would feel. I would imagine the modern phenomenon of not knowing your neighbours was less of an issue back then. Looking at old footage from then, people seem more primitive in their grooming, less brash. I recommend anyone to observe the demeanour of contestants on old episodes of Who wants to be a millionaire (filmed during the years I listed) and compare it with that of the contestants on Jeremy Clarksons modern version of the quiz; the contestants from the late 90s/early 2000s seem shyer, less brash, frumpier and seem less devoted to their appearance, don't see themselves as performers for the crowd, they defer to the host Chris Tarrant and seem genuinely delighted to win their various amounts of money compared with modern contestants (even accounting for inflation). The modern contestants seem to think they are naturally meant for tv, they aren't awed in any way by Clarkson who is a "famous person", they make sarcastic remarks and try to perform for the crowd, and they don't seem to be as genuinely delighted with the money they win. Was just an observation I made recently.

Montage of Feck

I just waiting for the inevitable asteroid strike at this stage, lol.

Wanderer78

silverharp wrote: »

the 90's was the peak in terms of rate of change for the better

were they really? whereby we uncorked the beast of the financial sector, and we all know the rest of the story....

iamstop

iamstop wrote: »

Pre 9/11 was a better time in many regards but life goes on. Times change. Get with it or get left behind.

This is an attitude I am trying to incorporate into my life nowadays. I think life in the relatively recent past had so many aspects which I personally prefer over the past 12 years say, and definitely since 2012/13, but I am just one man and I can't control the direction of the world to my will. All any of us can do is try to carve out as agreeable a life for ourselves as we can within the world in which we find ourselves living, ideally while being mindful not to impinge too much on others well-being. If there was a balance sheet of good and bad features of life as a human being going back decade by decade over the millenia, there would be a lot of positives today on the positive side which weren't present for most of history, and which wont be present in the relatively near future (cheap fossil fuel energy and all the resulting things we take for granted,to pick the largest example).

B.A._Baracus

It was a great time for video games. Probably the best ever time in gaming as that was the ps2, Xbox and GameCube era.

Metal gear solid 2 and 3.
Grand theft auto 3, vice city and San Andreas.
Silent Hill 2 and 3.
God of War.
Final Fantasy 10.
Halo.
Doom 3.
Bully.
Ratchet and Clank.
Jak 1, 2 and 3.
Resident Evil 4.
Luigi's Mansion.
I could literally keep going on.

1990sman

1990s was the best so far but i might be biased.

Fuascailteoir

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

It was a great time for video games. Probably the best ever time in gaming as that was the ps2, Xbox and GameCube era.

Metal gear solid 2 and 3.
Grand theft auto 3, vice city and San Andreas.
Silent Hill 2 and 3.
God of War.
Final Fantasy 10.
Halo.
Doom 3.
Bully.
Ratchet and Clank.
Jak 1, 2 and 3.
Resident Evil 4.
Luigi's Mansion.
I could literally keep going on.

Best would have been mid 90s with the introduction of the first of resident evil. The PS was a joy to behold when it first came out. Everyone was really blown away by it. Looks blocky and laggy now but was such an advance