One thing I've noticed is that the earlier part of a decade tends to be defined by the pop culture (which is usually strongest when it comes out), while the technology and overall feeling doesn't usually start to permate the air until the end. This is because it takes people awhile to get up to date and to start buying new clothes, cars, electronics and getting into new pop culture. The older stuff mixes in with it and that doesn't just totally fade either. There's also people who are reluctant to let go of things they're already comfortable with.

For instance, 1982 had the really authentic new wave and MTV songs around that people were crazy about. Yet I'd guess far more people could afford VCRs and remote control in their home by, say 1989...so that actually looked more like the '80s if you saw a picture. Watch an episode of Full House or Roseanne and you'll see what I mean. From the pieces I can remember as a kid, this seemed to be the case. Another thing is that Nintendo games were a big part of the culture around, as opposed to just being in arcades a few years earlier.

Also, is it just me, but...I think you know things have really become saturated into the culture once older people have them. Like when grandmas started getting the Internet, you knew it was a standard, lol.

with regards to technology one of the reasons it takes a little longer to permeate the culture is because it so expensive when it first comes out. People talk about it but don't buy into the new technology until its been proven and goes down in price.... think of cell phones in the beginning only a few had them but now its more odd for someone not to have on.

iPods to... not that everyone has one but more people have iPod than when it was first introduced. not just because there are more kinds of iPods but because they are far more affordable than before.  As soon as AT&T loses exclusivity with iPhone everyone will have those....there are so many clones now anyway- it's not even that big a deal. 

Can't help you with the music aspect of this post tho. 

That's true, only the richest people usually have stuff when it first comes out, and it's probably 5 to 7 years before you'll start seeing the average joe walking down the street with it, or most people having it in their homes.

As for music - I'll keep it simple and short, but I think one reason that "early decade" stuff tends to stick around, is because that tends to be classics that define the period to come in general. So it won't be uncommon for people to keep listening to some of it alongside the new music. I remember hearing alot of early '80s songs (for the first time) around 1989 since alot of people still dug it probably. Not just older people, but like babysitters.

. Not just older people, but like babysitters.


Wow you're babysitters were younger than you... that's rare.....  ;D

just kidding jesse I knew what you meant!  ;) good point to

Wow you're babysitters were younger than you... that's rare.....  ;D

just kidding jesse I knew what you meant!  ;) good point to


Thanks. ;D

Most of my babysitters ranged from about 14 to 30, so there were some that were only about, say five years older than me towards the end. I remember one girl around '88 was into hair metal, especially Bon Jovi and stuff like that. Come to think of it, I wish I had spent more time talking to some of them, but I thought the girls were cute. Back then that was reason enough for me to be really shy, lol.

I think it goes for which country you are in too. Some things were huge say in America but took a while to catch on over here or vice a versa.