What Would the Children Think?

Does anyone ever wonder what exactly happened to the 80’s? 

No, I am not talking about teased hair, leg warmers, and shoulder pads…you can keep all that and leave me with the occasional side ponytail.  I’m talking about the hair metal which was the sinful sounds of Bon Jovi, or the soft tones and heartbreaking lyrics of The Cure or The Smith’s.

What happened to love movie’s like Sixteen Candles or Say Anything?  Where are the men like that? I mean, they are out there [I hope.] don’t get me wrong, I am sure they are out there.  But how many men are going to hold a radio outside your window in a creepy conspicuous trench coat? But it’s okay John Cusack, you can wear all the ‘streaker’  trench coats you want, I would still run outside for you.

I know each generation and turning of the century comes with some new craze that is socially accepted for years.  I mean, me personally, I would have made a great hippie.  I would have been the perfect flower child… I fell a few decades short of that boat, though.  To my EXTREME dismay.  But, alas, I digress.  I feel that the millennia generation is filled with tons of fads.  The 80’s had hair metal, rock and roll that paved the way for tons of musicians to create new genres…like progressive rock bands like Coheed and Cambria who have more instruments and interludes than lyrics.  There were movies like Flash Dance, Footloose, Hairspray and Dirty Dancing that made people socially aware of injustices and ridiculously amazing dance moves (not to mention Dream Boats like Kevin Bacon and Patrick Swayze!) 

But what has the millennia had? 

When I am in the car with my mother, I know the stations she listens to, to hear songs from her past..or channels where my grandparents or even parents watch movies from distant years.  But I often wonder, what will *THIS* generation’s children be reading about in History books and listening to the radio from our generation now? I mean, I highly doubt TCM or AMC are going to be playing ‘THE HANGOVER’ in 20 years or so.  So where will all OUR music and movie’s go? Will they become Classics? Some of that is a scary thought because I can’t see any generation being significant enough to be on TV or the radio YEARS from now.

Absolutely it is irrefutable that we have had the most SIGNFICANT breakthroughs in technology than ever before.  I remember getting one of the first computers, having a beeper, and my mother having the first cell phone (that was comparable in size to a cinderblock).  Or the bourgeois ‘car phones’ that were CORDED! All those ideas are things to laugh at now! Ga-faw.  But other than extreme technological endeavors and accomplishments.  What have we given to society?  Our music scene is dismal.   There is nothing earth shattering going on there.  Our Fashion fads are really just coming full circle from other generations anyhow; I mean, jelly sandals? Really? (yes, okay, I secretly love them too! But they’re old news guys, come on!) 

These are things that keep me up at night.  Other than huge advancements in Technology, and the obvious War On Terrorism, what will our kids be learning about our generation?

I would love to get other people’s opinions on this, because I am hitting a scary and genuine roadblock here.