What were the 1990s?

[Scam of God]

As we prepare to exit this first tumultuous decade of the twenty-first century (and, beyond, the third millennium since the establishment of Christianity as the State religion of the West), I think it only prudent to peer back, before we are all too old, to consider the preceding decade, and what it meant, both for those who lived in it and for those whose world was shaped by it.

To that end, I want each of you to tell me about what it was that defined for you that particular step in the march of history: it may be a political or religious event, a movie, a book, or anything beyond the constrains of these descriptors. But I want you to define for me the meaning of the last decade.

For me:



- Nine Inch Nails, The Fragile

Everything that can be said is said about the preceding ten years on this record. Anything one needs to know about the hopes, the aspirations, the desires of the inhabitants of that last tranquil moment of the twentieth century is encapsulated in the middle portion of this disk.

Those today reflecting back on it might regard this as the moment that the youth culture turned inwards and became self-absorbed (I doubt our retroflections will be the same tomorrow). But these same scoffers ought to do themselves a favor and download these discs. On both the right and left of them it exists as a temporal break - from the first bone-saw guitar line of the opening track "Somewhat Damaged" to the watery finale that is "The Great Below", it is obvious, to me at least, that this is the finest cultural product of that century.

And, of course, everything between is just gravy. Even today, after Trent Reznor has gotten his accolades from the critical community, his music is still seen as something testosterone driven: you are either a young male, and a Nine Inch Nails fan, or you aren't. But I reject this. In a century, what will the 1990s look like? A period of harmony, as our President at the time wanted us to believe, when "the day of the dictator" had ended and Western hegemony was established from here to eternity? Or a period when the rot that has existed behind Western culture since Constantine the "Great" ascended the Roman throne, and all in a musical note?

"The Great Below"

This is my entry. By all means, feel free to show us what is yours.

[muon2]

It existed from 1993-1997. You are using one of its descendants to see this post.

[Scam of God]

It existed from 1993-1997. You are using one of its descendants to see this post.

Very good. But is there a meaning to all the progress since MOSAIC, or is it all empty?

[muon2]

It existed from 1993-1997. You are using one of its descendants to see this post.

Very good. But is there a meaning to all the progress since MOSAIC, or is it all empty?

I think it's transformative. Information can move through pathways never imagined before the graphical web browser except by a small technological elite. The traditional choke points on information can be bypassed through the modern web browser. Since Mosaic, there have been many refinements and enhancements, but the core idea remains.

[phk]

A subset of the 1900s.

[Mint]

Preferable to now in most ways IMHO (actually, my favorite decade) but certainly not a golden age by any stretch of the imagination.

[opebo]

I hate to be a 'remember when' type, like some paunchy ex-high school quarterback, but yes, the 1990s were a kind of idyllic age for me - in many ways, though not all.

My life has progressed from one idyll to the next, and the 1990s were like this:

1) yes, horny college and high school girls, available, but never easily enough
2) truly cool second hand clothes for $1 in the thrift shops - stuff from the 70s and early 80s.
3) amazingly cool cars to drive around in, all available for less than $1,500 - think old 70s/80s Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks.
4) cheap rent
5) yes, the internet was new and exciting, though that's pretty shoddy by comparison to 1-4.

Nowadays some of those things aren't really available, or have become precious or difficult to find - like the cool second clothes or big boats.  As for horny college and teens, well they're no doubt still there but I'm 40ish now, not 30ish.

Nowadays I live a new idyll - in a better country, for sure, and with even more sexual satisfaction, though slightly less in terms of accessories and style.

[bgwah]

Great album and song.

[Eraserhead]

The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

[Joe Biden 2020]

This is an unfortunate rememberance that defined the 1990s for me (actually a triple set).

The 1993 World Trade Center attacks
The 1993 Branch Dividien Compound inferno and chaos
The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing

These three told me that the US is not immune to terrorism, something which came even more apparent just 6 years after the OKC Bombing when 3,000 people lost their lives and the New York Skyline was changed forever.  President Clinton did a great job handling all three acts.

Also, how can anyone forget the rash of school shootings in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

To be honest, I don't see much good that came out of the 1990s.  I'm not sure if I would classify the World Wide Web (which was actually created in 1989) as good or bad.  It has sure helped commerce, but it has also become addictive and some people use it to stalk their prey.  The Internet has, undoubtedly, torn some families apart.

Anyway, I hate to crash the party on this thread, but that's what I see in the 1990s.

[paul718]

This is an unfortunate rememberance that defined the 1990s for me (actually a triple set).

The 1993 World Trade Center attacks
The 1993 Branch Dividien Compound inferno and chaos
The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing

These three told me that the US is not immune to terrorism, something which came even more apparent just 6 years after the OKC Bombing when 3,000 people lost their lives and the New York Skyline was changed forever.  President Clinton did a great job handling all three acts.

Also, how can anyone forget the rash of school shootings in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

To be honest, I don't see much good that came out of the 1990s.  I'm not sure if I would classify the World Wide Web (which was actually created in 1989) as good or bad.  It has sure helped commerce, but it has also become addictive and some people use it to stalk their prey.  The Internet has, undoubtedly, torn some families apart.

Anyway, I hate to crash the party on this thread, but that's what I see in the 1990s.

[Boris]

[they don't love you like i love you]

The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

End thread.

[paul718]

Starter jackets



Reebok Pumps




slap bracelets

[Bunwahaha [still dunno why, but well, so be it]]

'90s inspires nowadays...

Impossible to put the hand on the poster of Mickael Jackson that i wanted to post here. The one with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground and the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben in the background, and in still more little in the background some stuff like the Tahaj Mahal... This iconography with Mickael Jackson, whom i see as the icon of that decade, especially of its 1st half, was so '90s...

Mickael Jackson symbol of the US pop that became some world pop and that promoted the world culture that watched at all which wasn't Westerner with a kind paternalistic blissful eye (maybe the 3rd time i write it on this forum, pardon) as long as it accepted to integrate this world culture under the Western standards.

In US dunno, but in France this was so '90s too:



'Nike Air', along with the fact that sportswear begun to be 'fashion', and Nike was also the symbol of an American brand dominating the world still seen as trendy and cool by this time because it was still the epoch during which the image of the US was it.

Also:

A new big step toward computers to be mainstream:



Cultural Golden Age by the fact it dominated all other cultures and that other cultures accepted this domination, liked this culture and wanted to go toward it, at least for the mainstream. Well, IMO.

Also, in term of music maybe the death of Rock with Grunge and so with Nirvana. Which perhaps could be seen as the last real blow of the movement. Heritages being either Pop, either Metal, either mixes between these and so forth. Not sure about this analysis about Rock though, i may miss some things but here is.

I haven't much nostalgia for this epoch, actually.

[they don't love you like i love you]

The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

End thread.

Well, after this is added:

[Sensei]

The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

End thread.

Well, after this is added:

Pete and Pete was the ultimate show. What puts it over the edge was the fact that Michael Stipe played an ice-cream man.

[they don't love you like i love you]

The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

End thread.

Well, after this is added:

Pete and Pete was the ultimate show. What puts it over the edge was the fact that Michael Stipe played an ice-cream man.

Yes. Pete and Pete and Beavis and Butthead are easily the two best contributions to TV from the 90s.

[bgwah]

[Rob]

Family Guy's retarded older brother

[bgwah]

Okay, in all seriousness, this thread is far too positive and nostalgic! Time for a cold dose of reality!

[Rob]

That post takes me back. Pogs are amazing.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Family Guy's retarded older brother

The Simpsons were technically a 1980s sitcom, debuting on December 17, 1989.

[Rob]

Family Guy's retarded older brother

The Simpsons were technically a 1980s sitcom, debuting on December 17, 1989.

........

[they don't love you like i love you]

Does that mean Seinfeld wasn't a product of the 90s either?