I'm referring to both pop culture as well as the world in general. For example, IMO the '50s didn't really end until JFK was killed in 1963. :( Before that, Harry Truman defined the post WWII era.

In more recent years, the grunge era came into full force around the time Clinton took office. We did seem to be heading into a slightly new era in late '04 when there was a possibility of Kerry being elected over Bush Jr, but this stopped and reverted back to "late '90s" territory pretty quickly once Bush won again.

Point being, I wonder what exactly causes this. On the surface, you'd think if a new style was to suddenly come into play, it would regardless of who was running the country. I can see a president like JFK or Clinton being somewhat influential to pop culture though, just because of a certain "coolness" and a strong connection with the general public (remember Clinton playing the Sax on Arsenio Hall?). ;)

I think you mean Presidential "terms", as the elections themselves don't really do much.

Although here in Australia, the campaign that put Prime Minister Gough Whitlam into office in the early 70s is noted around here for being the defining (and probably first significant) use of pop culture (catchy slogan "It's Time", pop song to back up the slogan, video clip featuring celebrities)...

The administration sets the tone.  In conservative administrations there is less acceptance of progressive independence.  Status Quo is more the rule with funding.  I believe, conversely, that artists in conservative administrations become much more adept and finding ways of subverting the structured norms imposed by the constraints upon them, and that real genius then is able to outshine the more mediocre talents.  So it is somewhat of a two edged sword.

Definitely.

The pop culture atmosphere, if an election happens in the middle of a decade, is ELECTRIC.  Take 1984, 1992, and 2004.  Each year had a very strong '80s, '90s, and '00s atmosphere, respectively. 

When a presidential election occurs, there are cultural shifts, based on it.  I wonder if the late '80s would have been different if Reagan didn't win.

I'm referring to both pop culture as well as the world in general. For example, IMO the '50s didn't really end until JFK was killed in 1963. :( Before that, Harry Truman defined the post WWII era.



That's not factually true. 50's is NOT SOME SYMBOLIC TERM. Why do you ppls keep treating the decade names like symbolic terms?? The fact is, JFK was president during the early 1960's, and the year he was killed was also part of the 60's. Anyy argument to the contrary is 100% unfounded. Besides, were you even alive in the 50's/60's?

I notice later on you said "Reverted back"; that's gramatically redundant. Revert, by definition, means to go back, so... U get the idea. ::)

Say, shouldn't this thread be in the politics forum anyway?

That's not factually true. 50's is NOT SOME SYMBOLIC TERM. Why do you ppls keep treating the decade names like symbolic terms?? The fact is, JFK was president during the early 1960's, and the year he was killed was also part of the 60's. Anyy argument to the contrary is 100% unfounded. Besides, were you even alive in the 50's/60's?

I notice later on you said "Reverted back"; that's gramatically redundant. Revert, by definition, means to go back, so... U get the idea. ::)

Say, shouldn't this thread be in the politics forum anyway?


ouch, somebody sat on a tack.  I was alive in the 50s and 60s and I would say the assassination of Kennedy was the symbolic end of the
culture of the 50s and the symbolic beginning of the culture of the 60s. 

ouch, somebody sat on a tack.  I was alive in the 50s and 60s and I would say the assassination of Kennedy was the symbolic end of the
culture of the 50s and the symbolic beginning of the culture of the 60s. 


Definitely.  That's what I mean when I say "a decade actually started later" or whatever.  People that are anal about the subject will try to "defend the calendar", but they don't realize that I'm not challenging the calendar.


Almost anyone would agree that 1970 is more "Sixties" than 1960 is, although of course 1960 is more "Nineteen-Sixties", if you know what I mean.  To me, "The Sixties" means so much more than a ten year span of time.

ouch, somebody sat on a tack.  I was alive in the 50s and 60s and I would say the assassination of Kennedy was the symbolic end of the
culture of the 50s and the symbolic beginning of the culture of the 60s. 


I wasn't around, but I view the '50s as 1946-1963.  The '60s is like 1964-1970 inclusive, and the '70s is '71 to '80.

I really think of decades in threes though, the '50s, '60s, and '70s are all kind of one big era, like the '80s, '90s, and '00s make one big era.

I wasn't around, but I view the '50s as 1946-1963.  The '60s is like 1964-1970 inclusive, and the '70s is '71 to '80.

I really think of decades in threes though, the '50s, '60s, and '70s are all kind of one big era, like the '80s, '90s, and '00s make one big era.

That's easy for you to say!

Seventies is 1970 (nineteen SEVENTY) to 1979 (SEVENTY-nine!). It should be blatantly OBVIOUS!! All you have to do is look at the digit that appears in the ten's column! DUH?!

I'm with the "Guest" here, too. Not just in that respect (that decade names are not symbolic terms), but also in that this belongs in the politics forum, due to the fact that it's about "presidential elections."

That's easy for you to say!

Seventies is 1970 (nineteen SEVENTY) to 1979 (SEVENTY-nine!). It should be blatantly OBVIOUS!! All you have to do is look at the digit that appears in the ten's column! DUH?!

I'm with the "Guest" here, too. Not just in that respect (that decade names are not symbolic terms), but also in that this belongs in the politics forum, due to the fact that it's about "presidential elections."


ouch!  There is that tack again... ::)

ouch!  There is that tack again... ::)


I would argue that the decades of the 20th Century (and probably those of the early 21st) are symbolic, in a sense.

"The Sixties" is not January 1, 1960 to Dec 31, 1969: that's the 1960s.  "The Sixties" are civil rights, Woodstock, hippies, the Beatles, and The Brady Bunch. 

"The Seventies" are Shaft, Funk, Disco, glam rock, punk, and Farrah Fawcett.  The 1970s are 1970-1979.

See what I'm saying guests?  Although of course you're technically right, the stereotypes of decades rarely completely coincide with the actual decade they're associated with.  Sometimes they're grossly off.

ouch!  There is that tack again... ::)

What do you mean, "Tack"? ::)

That's not factually true. 50's is NOT SOME SYMBOLIC TERM. Why do you ppls keep treating the decade names like symbolic terms?? The fact is, JFK was president during the early 1960's, and the year he was killed was also part of the 60's. Anyy argument to the contrary is 100% unfounded. Besides, were you even alive in the 50's/60's?

I notice later on you said "Reverted back"; that's gramatically redundant. Revert, by definition, means to go back, so... U get the idea. ::)

Say, shouldn't this thread be in the politics forum anyway?


Why don't you be man/woman enough to just reveal who you are, since you know this messageboard so well?

C'est la Vie