We all have fond memories of our youth, and we believe that the time we grew up in was the best time ever. Times keep changing, and so do things and lifestyles. The gadgets that we can’t live without today were all invented in the eighties. The culture of summer blockbusters, teen films, rock, and hip-hop, etc. is the gift of the 80s.
The fall of the Berlin Wall and the demise of USSR make it one of the most iconic modern decades. There are countless things that make the 1980s the coolest time to have grown up in, but, here we are just going to revisit the decade of video games and find out the ten best aspects of having been in the 80s.
10. The Cold War Enemies Made Sports and Movies More Fun
The cold war and the Soviet Union ruled the American psyche for over four decades. Soviets were not only a great military power but, a much superior athletic empire as well. The prospect of facing off with the Soviets in sporting events was an incredible thrill, and Rocky won’t have been as much of a cult thing if he hadn’t beaten Ivan Drago.
9. Every Type of Music Ruled The Charts
If we look at the chart-toppers of the last five years, they are dominated by pop music numbers such as dance-pop or electro-pop. Guess what, it all was born in the magical 80s. There was great music without this much technical wizardry and the heavy metal as well as electronic music that we still like, reached cult heights in the 80s only. Whatever be your preference, there was great music for you in the 1980s.
8. Access To Adult Content Was A Herculean Thing
Today we have internet, and it has literally put Adult content at the fingertips of all people who can read and tap the keys. The stigma and challenges are no longer existent. However, back in the 80s, the adult material was immensely difficult to access and had a great deal of stigma. Seedy rooms at the back of stores or ‘special rooms’ were the only places where you could watch dirty movies. When it comes to going to a cinema hall and watching any such film, that was not even possible for a ‘decent’ person.
7. TV Was Free
There were no cable payments due in those days. There were fewer channels than the fingers on one of your hands (in most cases that is). The best shows, rib-tickling comedies, the dreamy teenage shows and all sporting events were free. There were commercials though. However, the free TV hardly has anything to offer, and if we need entertainment, we need to pay good money for it. If anything, online streaming and video sites are the only thing close to the 80s free TV experience.
6. Stephen Spielberg And Blockbuster Movies Came To Mainstream And Also Science Fiction
Some people say that blockbusters were first seen in the 1970s with Star Wars, Jaws, Alien and The Godfather. However, it is the 1980s when the big budget iconic franchise films from Stephen Spielberg and James Cameron such as Terminator came into being. Films started focusing more on entertainment and youth. People flocked to theaters to see Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Blade Runner as well as The Fugitive. The Rocky franchise of Sylvester Stallone had its own cult followers. Star Trek’s TV foray into the 1980s also met great success.
5. The Greatest Number Of Movie Catch Phrases That Became Iconic
Barring a handful of quotes such as “Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it’s contained.” (Hunger Games), “I am Groot” (Guardians of the Galaxy), there is not much that we can recall as easy to remember and iconic catchphrases from the last few years.
However, the 80s had an iconic list of such phrases with the most memorable ones being “Seize The Day” (Dead Poets Society), “ET Phone Home” (ET), “Go Ahead Make My Day” (Dirty Harry: Sudden Impact), “If You Build It, He Will Come” (Field of Dreams), “I’ll Be Back” (Terminator), “I’ll Have What She’s Having” (When Harry Met Sally), “Wax On Wax Off”, “Man Who Catch Fly With Stick Accomplish Anything” (Karate Kid). “Say Hello To My Little Friend” (ScarFace),”They’re Here” (Poltergeist), Striker: “Surely you can’t be serious.” Rumack: “I am serious…and don’t call me Shirley.” (Airplane). “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”(Empire Strikes Back).
Just one glance would convince you that 80s were unmatched.
4. The Arcade
One of the most revolutionary things about the eighties was the gaming consoles such as Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers which sparked the popularity of private gaming consoles. Before the internet, these games gave the bragging rights to the young boy who could make it to the top ten players in the area. The modest start that games like Tetris, PacMan, and Arkanoid made was soon catapulted into a big frenzy by Street Fighter and Tron. The best part was that you could go out to Arcades and it was a comparatively inexpensive fun time with friends that not only made you a neighborhood icon and it made us anything but couch potatoes.
3. Movies About Teenagers
Movies such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Porky’s, The Gooniesand Risky Business which was the first major role by Tom Cruise were among the 76 movies which were rated as teen flicks. These films are fondly talked about even today. Now, the youth are the dominant audience for the Hollywood studios courtesy the 1980s
2. The Highest Number Of Crazy Fashion Trends In A Single Decade
There were so many weird dressing and hairstyle innovations in the 1980s that not even the craziest of things made you look crazy or a subject of ridicule. The Flock of Seagulls, The Mullet, The Side PonyTail, The Jheri Curl, The Crimp, The Rattail, The Big Bang, The Hair metal, Makeup on guys, Punk, Goth, Mohawk and all of its sub-forms, Fannie Packs, Leg Warmers, Neon, Big Hair, Parachute Pants, Shoulder Pads etc are just some of the craziest things that ruled back then.
1. The Birth Years Of The Most Important Technology Innovation Ever
Fifty-Six percent Americans consider the Personal Computer to be the most breakthrough technology while 27 percent Americans believe it to be the cell phone. The greatest thing about the 80s is that computers first arrived in schools in this decade. Cell phones of those days were neither smart nor sleek like today, but, they were a symbol of wealth and power. Not to forget that the biggest revolution of all times, aka internet was first brought into the public domain in the 1980s. There were many other significant inventions such as The microwave, portable music players, etc. Now think for yourself if any other decade has altered our lives in a more impactful way.
