Why did America age backwards the last 20 years?

[Reaganfan]

PLEASE DON'T FLAME ME


I was thinking about reasons why the U.S. was so mature in the 1980s...and it dawned on me...America was an older country. The median age of a U.S. citizen at times in the 80s was their mid-30s. We had television shows like Dynasty with Linda Evans and sitcoms about a 1950s M.A.S.H. unit in Korea or a bunch of 30/40-somethings in a tavern. People on the charts from Rod Stewart to Bruce Springsteen to Eddie Money ranged from their 30s to 50s. America elected an old conservative President twice, and then followed with an old-style Republican to lead into the early 1990s.

Things were also very adult-oriented. You had women as young as their early-20s in pantyhose and blouses...lacy underwear and really mature and erotic. Now everything is so youthful, it takes away the serious eroticism you had. Young women wear silk, padded bras with rainbow colors, whereas 15-20 years ago they wore lacy, sheer bras and blouses. It just seems like youth has taken over so much...that in many ways what is considered sexy has changed.

For example...look at these advertisement comparisons...

1987:


Today:


Clearly, the clothing worn in the first ad is more sensual, lacy, sheer and the woman is older. In the second ad, the undergarments are silky, padded and the girl is much younger.

Notice how mature and striking the first ad is as compared to the second one.

But it's not just styles. It's intelligence too.

25 years ago, almost every teenager knew what the Soviet Union was. How many kids today know the details of the war on terror?

I'm sure folks like JSojourner would agree with me on this a bit...but it makes for interesting discussion. When and why did America turn so youthful?

What I find fascinating is that around 1992 to 1994...everything described above ended. Johnny Carson was replaced with Jay Leno. Cheers was replaced with the much more 90s spin-off Frasier. Shows like Friends came on and showed 20-somethings in a much more youthful light. George Bush was replaced by Bill Clinton. On the charts, Michael Jackson was replaced with Snoop Dawg. Why around that time? Any ideas?

[Keystone Phil]

Naso, get in Skype. Now.

[YRABNNRM]

oh

[Meeker]

No words.

[Smash255]

Seek help

[Lief 🗽]

I agree with you that lingerie was probably more attractive in the 80s, but the rest of your post is just very very perplexing.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Seek help

[Ronnie]

I just looked at the ladies.  I have no idea what the rest of your post said.

[12th Doctor]

Jesus Christ...

I don't know Maverick, it must have all gone south with the conversion away from the "big shoulder look".

[Mint]

*sigh*

Naso, the median age now is much higher. That's because the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are aging. If you bothered to look at the census you would see that the country is aging even with the high amount of people born in the 1980s. If it seems that the media focuses more on young people it's because those are the biggest consumers, although if you look at commercials lately you'll notice that a lot of the products are obviously geared towards middle aged people.

[opebo]

Thanks, Naso... on so many levels.

While I agree the look nowadays is far from perfect, my ideal time for feminine allure was the late seventies and very early eighties.  I think you focus more on the mid-eighties through very early 1990s look. 

The look of the late seventies and into the very early eighties was a very slim girl, rather angular, and with less curves.  By the late eighties and early nineties it was a curvier look I think.  I particularly like the little 'bikini style' panties that dominated the scene in the seventies, and I despise thongs, which were so common in the late eighties and nineties.

In terms of overall attire probably my signature film in terms of style is Ordinary People:



(co-incidentally my mom looks almost exactly like Mary Tyler Moore)

[RosettaStoned]

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I agree with you that lingerie was probably more attractive in the 80s, but the rest of your post is just very very perplexing.

You see - I'd flip-flop that statement.  I think what women wear now is more attractive, but I'd agree with him on the rest of it.

[Earth]

It has nothing to do with a level of perceived 'national' maturity. It has everything to do with a shift in advertising.

[Mechaman]

Once again fellas, as long as it's doable that's all that matters.

[Sbane]

I just looked at the ladies.  I have no idea what the rest of your post said.

[Keystone Phil]

Why are people seriously responding to this?

[Ban my account ffs!]

It's all to do with demographics.  You'll notice that the popular culture of the '60s and '70s was based completely around young people... hippies, disco, rock n roll... because they were the baby boomers, the largest cohort of young people in American history.

By the 1980s, most baby boomers were out of high school and in their 20s and 30s... and along with their huge numbers, they continued to affect popular culture so that you had entertainment venues trying to appeal to the older 20s and 30s crowd.

This is mostly because while there were 4.2 million babies born each year from 1956-1961, there were only 3.1 million babies born from 1973-1976.  This was also at a time when immigration was higher so there were even more boomers than gen x'ers.

Gen X was constantly spurned by the baby boomers and was largely forgotten about because the baby boomers ate up so much of the popular culture scene.  By the mid '90s, however, the children of the baby boomers started to grow up and their larger numbers began to pull back the popular culture towards young people.

Still, baby boomers are marketed to like crazy... and they're getting into their 50s and 60s now, which is why you're seeing so much stuff about osteoporosis, prescription meds, etc.

[Stranger in a strange land]

*sigh*

Naso, the median age now is much higher. That's because the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are aging. If you bothered to look at the census you would see that the country is aging even with the high amount of people born in the 1980s. If it seems that the media focuses more on young people it's because those are the biggest consumers, although if you look at commercials lately you'll notice that a lot of the products are obviously geared towards middle aged people.

paradoxically, I think that's why society has begun to idolize youth so much more.

[Vepres]

I've seen so many ads obviously geared toward those 50+. Really, you're just making assumptions about how things were, to how they are now. Let me ask you this, how old were you in the '80s?

Besides, comparing underwear ads isn't the best way to show how advertising has gotten youth focused. Would anybody of either gender want to see a lingerie ad with a 58 year old women in it? Probably not.

[Reaganfan]

*sigh*

Naso, the median age now is much higher. That's because the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are aging. If you bothered to look at the census you would see that the country is aging even with the high amount of people born in the 1980s. If it seems that the media focuses more on young people it's because those are the biggest consumers, although if you look at commercials lately you'll notice that a lot of the products are obviously geared towards middle aged people.

paradoxically, I think that's why society has begun to idolize youth so much more.

It's just...I have been trying to figure out. It's universally known that Obama has done some things that Americans strongly disagree with. Even at my college, the majority of people were critical of him. Yet, polls show most Americans approve. Who are they?

Reality television is universally hated by people, but millions and millions continue to watch. Who are those people watching if it is so universally hated?

I can't understand...if all we see and hear is negativity about this stuff, but it keeps getting approved of and watched....what is the reason behind it? The answer to me, is young people, who may not be as thick into opinions as older people.

[minionofmidas]

For example...look at these advertisement comparisons...
Today:

*drool*

Stupid pushup though. Take it off.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm not sure of the truth of the last statement. I disagree with the first. that kind of underwear is ugly.

[Joe Republic]

Yikes.  I'd hike the Appalachian Trail for her.

[Stranger in a strange land]

*sigh*

Naso, the median age now is much higher. That's because the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are aging. If you bothered to look at the census you would see that the country is aging even with the high amount of people born in the 1980s. If it seems that the media focuses more on young people it's because those are the biggest consumers, although if you look at commercials lately you'll notice that a lot of the products are obviously geared towards middle aged people.

paradoxically, I think that's why society has begun to idolize youth so much more.

It's just...I have been trying to figure out. It's universally known that Obama has done some things that Americans strongly disagree with. Even at my college, the majority of people were critical of him. Yet, polls show most Americans approve. Who are they?

Because most people regard him as a better president than his predecessor for one thing.

Reality television is universally hated by people, but millions and millions continue to watch. Who are those people watching if it is so universally hated?

Because it's an entertaining guilty pleasure

I can't understand...if all we see and hear is negativity about this stuff, but it keeps getting approved of and watched....what is the reason behind it? The answer to me, is young people, who may not be as thick into opinions as older people.

Or older people longing to relive their youth. The 60s were a fun time to be a teenager, that is if you could avoid being sent to Vietnam. The 70s and 80s were fun too. Of course, if you spent your time running around getting high and partying, you probably didn't focus too much on your educational and career goals, and as a result your life since then would have been pretty sub-par. People react to the disappointment in different ways: some by becoming religious, some by making extravagent purchases, and some by idolizing youth.

[Reaganfan]

I'd like to keep this discussion going...are some actually suggesting things are more youthful because of the large amount of older people?