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According to Kurt Andersen(in a Vanity Fair Article comparing 2012 to 1992), not much in the way of fashion, popular music, graphic and car designs, ect. has changed much since the late '80s/early '90s, add to that most men have been wearing the basic casual clothing for about 30-ish years(jeans, sneakers, t-shirt) in his opinion, here is a quote from the article:
Since 1992, as the technological miracles and wonders have propagated and the political economy has transformed, the world has become radically and profoundly new. (And then there’s the miraculous drop in violent crime in the United States, by half.) Here is what’s odd: during these same 20 years, the appearance of the world (computers, TVs, telephones, and music players aside) has changed hardly at all, less than it did during any 20-year period for at least a century. The past is a foreign country, but the recent past—the 00s, the 90s, even a lot of the 80s—looks almost identical to the present. This is the First Great Paradox of Contemporary Cultural History.
Think about it. Picture it. Rewind any other 20-year chunk of 20th-century time. There’s no chance you would mistake a photograph or movie of Americans or an American city from 1972—giant sideburns, collars, and bell-bottoms, leisure suits and cigarettes, AMC Javelins and Matadors and Gremlins alongside Dodge Demons, Swingers, Plymouth Dusters, and Scamps—with images from 1992. Time-travel back another 20 years, before rock ’n’ roll and the Pill and Vietnam, when both sexes wore hats and cars were big and bulbous with late-moderne fenders and fins—again, unmistakably different, 1952 from 1972. You can keep doing it and see that the characteristic surfaces and sounds of each historical moment are absolutely distinct from those of 20 years earlier or later: the clothes, the hair, the cars, the advertising—all of it. It’s even true of the 19th century: practically no respectable American man wore a beard before the 1850s, for instance, but beards were almost obligatory in the 1870s, and then disappeared again by 1900. The modern sensibility has been defined by brief stylistic shelf lives, our minds trained to register the recent past as old-fashioned.
Part of me is kind of agreeing with some of this, that alot of people have been just rehashing and recombining past fashions and music styles(just look at Adele), but this has been going on for alot longer than since 1992, I think alot of the "revolutionary" trends that alot of people recognize(like hippie counterculture, punk, grunge, ect.) were really just reactions against the prior trends of there times instead of being a totally unthought of radically new things. I think he neglects hip-hop culture and music/ certain styles of electronic music which has changed ALOT since 1992, back then it was still mostly the sample-based old school style with the G-funk sound coming in with The Chronic, compare that to 2003 when dirty south rap and crunk was becoming popular. The productions of Timbaland, The Neptunes and Lil Jon are noticably different from that of circa 1993 Dr. Dre. Even comparing 2003 to 2007 there is a difference in the sound of rap music, going from the energetic crunk sound to the slower snap rap sound and autotune(although still dirty south based).
The '00s have brought us crunk, hyphy, autotuned R&B, baile funk, reggeaton, chopped and screwed, electro-house, dubstep, grime, ect. so there HAVE been new styles but they gave not had the impact of earlier styles like psychedelicia, punk, or new wave, our culture is alot more fragmented with almost infinite options available to people. It might be too early too tell the full impact of these styles but one area where Mr. Andersen has a point is in mainstream rock music, the genre that used to be culturally/musically innovative but now has been stuck in 1995 for 15+ years, I think the hipster subculture in particular maybe somewhat responsible for the stylisitc unoriginality that he is complaining about.
Do any of you agree or disagree with Kurt Andersen's assessment? Here the full article
http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2012/01/prisoners-of-style-201201
Posted by: Emman at January 25, 2012, 04:39:20 PM. There are 22 responses
Hello All. Well I am reading Harry Potter for the first time. With much coaxing from some individuals, last month I decided to purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on a whim from the bookstore (now I am wondering why I just did not borrow it from the library and save some dough - in the event I did not like it). A couple weeks ago, we have had some wicked storms go through the area, and it knocked out dish and internet a couple times so it was the perfect time to entertain my 2 daughters (7 and 9) and read it too them.
I have actually been quite surprised, and my husband has been enjoying sitting and listening to me read to them (funny IMO). I am terrible with movies, as I always get up and move about, or do something else while watching them. So these reading sessions have made it all make sense a bit more.
SO I am asking those of you who would like to, or have or want to... To have a book discussion about it.
I know my 7 year old is loving it; my 9 year old who claims not to like HP, gets somewhat bored - but she still sits and listens. We shall see. To save some penny's I will probably be borrowing the books from the library after this. But I think we will continue to read them. We have just made it through the sorting hat. So I now have the background of Harry (what they have told me), his life with the Dursley's, Hagrid coming and fetching him, buying his school stuff, and the train to Hogwarts and now through the Sorting Hat. So I know the 4 houses of the school, and some of the meaning behind them.
Not sure what everyone wants to discuss... So I am opening it up!
Posted by: 2kidsami at June 08, 2011, 01:53:04 PM. There are 130 responses
http://abcnews.go.com/US/end-cursive/story?id=12749517
http://www.covnews.com/archives/16871/
Some may think this doesn't belong in a politics thread, but I disagree. Public schools are scaling back, if not eliminating, the teaching of cursive writing. This is absolutely wrong. They are grooming a generation who won't be able to sign their own names. Not only that, but if they don't learn to write it it will make it that much more difficult to read it, and won't that be nice for the power structure, an electorate that can't read the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, or the first person accounts written down in history. I am curious if the schools in wealthier neighborhoods are following suit, but my best guess would say no. In my opinion it is a part of the pattern of miseducation that keeps the havenots in check.
Posted by: Danoota&Me at June 12, 2011, 08:14:46 AM. There are 71 responses
For better or for worse, I feel like there's a giant toll booth on Memory Lane on the way to the '80s for certain elements in particular. Some (such as cassettes/records and most video games) are really just gas money, but others may have a significant value, even for items that are seemingly common. But this saddens my heart along with other '80s friends as it makes you realize the price to enjoy nostalgia is increasing and conserving what's left of whatever was "Made in the '80s" will continue to become more important, and makes you want to kick yourself for throwing away some of the items I'm listing below many years ago.
Paper goods, such as magazines, newspapers, and catalogs are one noticeable item. Being that the '80s have a special element of being the last decade before the Internet started to take over print, are one example. For example, an issue of Brides magazine with a December 1989 issue date which retailed for $5 is asking for a whopping $135 on eBay! 
http://cgi.ebay.com/vintage-BRIDES-magazine-1989-1990-Elaine-Irwin-cover-/330531218423?pt=Magazines&hash=item4cf53223f7 Not only that, it has some cover wear, writing on the cover, and a stamp on the cover as well. Typical Vogue magazines often sell for $20-$30 when they cost $3-$4 during the '80s itself, much higher when adjusted for inflation. Since lots of these magazines haven't been scanned online, there is definately some increased collector's interest, especially as eBooks seek to decline paper book usage and more shelf space can open the door to some collectibles. Fashion catalogs frequently sell for $10-$20 as well, when they were either free or just a few bucks.
Certain toys from the '80s, particularyly scarce items, have seen noticeable appreciation in value. This includes the rare video games in addition, some go for hundreds of dollars.
Cars, on the otherhand, are still pretty affordable bargains. For example, a 1985 Cadillac Limousine, well over $25,000 when new and definately for the "Polo Set" at the time and in average used condition with no major wear, currently has just 1 bid at $1800. Part of this has to do with the boxy styling compared with other decades, but given how much cars from the '60s cost 20 years ago in terms of collectibles, this is definately a good area for future classics and cars up to 1986 are old enough to be considered "historic" in many jurisdictions. You'll probably spend more on gas the first year than just for the value of this car!
Next time you visit a Flea Market or (dare I say it) an Antique mall, gobble up some '80s memorabilia if you feel it is cheap for the present; interest will only grow in time!
Posted by: yelimsexa at March 29, 2011, 01:38:02 PM. There are 15 responses
A while back, I was being considered for a job..not my ideal job but I needed one so...there you go. I was into the second interview when I was asked to take a lengthy personality test.
It took a long time and I was able to get the results online.
The results of this test prevented them from hiring me.
do you really think companies should be allowed to do this?
Don't you think a salesman can be effective even though he is not social with co-workers?
That your store manager will work hard even when he prefers to delegate to others?
That a person can be shy and still perform well?
I hate it and now I have been asked again! This time it's a job I really really want. I am so worried that some online psychology stands between me and a great job.
Posted by: belle du jour at November 30, 2010, 04:32:51 PM. There are 24 responses
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