I'm going to say 2005, when the stock market was doing really well and glam rap/preppie culture seemed at its most secure. This is the period when (partially due to how shocking Hurricane Katrina was, highlighting how rich the rich were getting and how poor the poor were getting), you were always seeing new houses being built, people putting plasma screen TVs with digital cable in every corner of their house, and buying those toyish cellphones and digital cameras with too many accessories. Now, I think people are getting a little bit more wary of that.

I'm going to say 2005, when the stock market was doing really well and glam rap/preppie culture seemed at its most secure. This is the period when (partially due to how shocking Hurricane Katrina was, highlighting how rich the rich were getting and how poor the poor were getting), you were always seeing new houses being built, people putting plasma screen TVs with digital cable in every corner of their house, and buying those toyish cellphones and digital cameras with too many accessories. Now, I think people are getting a little bit more wary of that.


Yeah, Plasma/flat screen TVs were featured in alot of movies from 2003, even back to 1999 had it I believe, but it was more in the "expensive toys most people couldn't afford" category. 2004 was the explosion of cameraphones and stuff. I do think when people look back on the '00s they'll say "That's so 2004". ;)

Even though it's about tied with '05, since it introduced that stuff to the masses, I'd narrowly pick that. Although it's much like 1984 and '85, in that it's sort of one big year.

Yeah, Plasma/flat screen TVs were featured in alot of movies from 2003, even back to 1999 had it I believe, but it was more in the "expensive toys most people couldn't afford" category. 2004 was the explosion of cameraphones and stuff. I do think when people look back on the '00s they'll say "That's so 2004". ;)

Even though it's about tied with '05, since it introduced that stuff to the masses, I'd narrowly pick that. Although it's much like 1984 and '85, in that it's sort of one big year.


To me, somehow, mid 2003 to mid 2005 all felt like that one big year, and to a lesser degree late 2005 and the very beginning of 2006. But do you agree about 2004 and 2005 was when that sort of stuff was seen as being the most popular and interesting, like building about three new McMansions and outfitting them with plasma screen TVs in every room and owning six iPods? Hurricane Katrina started to make people realize that there was more to life than cameraphones, and now the stock market hasn't been doing shakily and the real estate market is in serious decline, so all of that is coming to an end.

To me, somehow, mid 2003 to mid 2005 all felt like that one big year, and to a lesser degree late 2005 and the very beginning of 2006. But do you agree about 2004 and 2005 was when that sort of stuff was seen as being the most popular and interesting, like building about three new McMansions and outfitting them with plasma screen TVs in every room and owning six iPods? Hurricane Katrina started to make people realize that there was more to life than cameraphones, and now the stock market hasn't been doing shakily and the real estate market is in serious decline, so all of that is coming to an end.


Definitely. Also, rising gas prices (especially in '05) have more people probably trying to save their money. Now that I think about it, Katrina was sort of a "mini 9/11" just in terms of a more "serious" feel in the air.

You know, now that I think about it, even some 2004/early '05 stuff is looking very slightly dated (if you look at it close enough). Like the eagerness to show off how "cool" it was is wearing off. By 2008 even I'm sure it'll begin to look silly, even though people will still be very interested in all of it (i.e. Ipods, camera phones, MySpace, flat screen TVs). Sort of like how MTV was still very, very popular in the late '80s, but it wasn't the "Like Ohmigod, this is sooooo far out" 1983 sentiment either. ;)

Definitely. Also, rising gas prices (especially in '05) have more people probably trying to save their money. Now that I think about it, Katrina was sort of a "mini 9/11" just in terms of a more "serious" feel in the air.

You know, now that I think about it, even some 2004/early '05 stuff is looking very slightly dated (if you look at it close enough). Like the eagerness to show off how "cool" it was is wearing off. By 2008 even I'm sure it'll begin to look silly, even though people will still be very interested in all of it (i.e. Ipods, camera phones, MySpace, flat screen TVs). Sort of like how MTV was still very, very popular in the late '80s, but it wasn't the "Like Ohmigod, this is sooooo far out" 1983 sentiment either. ;)


Yeah...even alot of stuff from when I was in 8th and 9th grade is starting to look different. I even think MySpace is past its peak, honestly...there's much less excitement about it than there was, say, in early 2005 and late 2004. And the same thing with cameraphones and iPods. They've become so ubiquitous people don't care as much anymore. Almost everyone at my school who wanted an iPod got one as their holiday gift in the winter of 2005, and now I think there's a little bit less interest in how "cool" it is.

Also, the climate of fashion changed in late 2005, with all the "boho" stuff coming in and starting to knock away the "preppie" stuff. Katrina was definitely a mini-9/11, in that it sort of checked how people were starting to forget about 9/11 by late 2003 or so, to the point of not even caring about the 2004 election.

For example...about MySpace. The big year for it was like 2005. Everybody at my school was getting them just for the novelty value and spending useless time on it, and MySpace was a constant object of conversation and general dalliance. Now, it seems to be talked about less and the popularity is wearing off as the novelty is wearing off.

Yeah...even alot of stuff from when I was in 8th and 9th grade is starting to look different. I even think MySpace is past its peak, honestly...there's much less excitement about it than there was, say, in early 2005 and late 2004. And the same thing with cameraphones and iPods. They've become so ubiquitous people don't care as much anymore. Almost everyone at my school who wanted an iPod got one as their holiday gift in the winter of 2005, and now I think there's a little bit less interest in how "cool" it is.

Also, the climate of fashion changed in late 2005, with all the "boho" stuff coming in and starting to knock away the "preppie" stuff. Katrina was definitely a mini-9/11, in that it sort of checked how people were starting to forget about 9/11 by late 2003 or so, to the point of not even caring about the 2004 election.


Yeah, it's all "ingrained" in the culture now. People still like that stuff, but it's "everyday" as opposed to "new and cool". Do you think perhaps, all the negative publicity MySpace has got in the news (i.e. girls being solicited/abducted by creepy guys) had made it decline a little? Controversy usually makes things more popular, but it may have had the opposite effect here.

That's an interesting point about not caring about 9/11 so much after awhile (by the masses anyway). I remember there being a very somber, "united" feeling among almost everyone from September 2001-mid 2002 (including myself), but once '03 rolled around, and there weren't any more major attacks, it's like people realized they could kinda go back to normal.

It's interesting to think how the Election might've turned out if 9/11 had happened in '03 or especially '04, just in terms of political excitement among most people.

Yeah, it's all "ingrained" in the culture now. People still like that stuff, but it's "everyday" as opposed to "new and cool". Do you think perhaps, all the negative publicity MySpace has got in the news (i.e. girls being solicited/abducted by creepy guys) had made it decline a little? Controversy usually makes things more popular, but it may have had the opposite effect here.

That's an interesting point about not caring about 9/11 so much after awhile (by the masses anyway). I remember there being a very somber, "united" feeling among almost everyone from September 2001-mid 2002 (including myself), but once '03 rolled around, and there weren't any more major attacks, it's like people realized they could kinda go back to normal.

It's interesting to think how the Election might've turned out if 9/11 had happened in '03 or especially '04, just in terms of political excitement among most people.


Yeah, I think that made it decline a little. Another example is with iPods/mp3 players. Even in very early '06, everybody still asked to see your mp3 player. Now, nobody really cares all that much anymore. They're used to them. At the moment, pop culture is very much so looking for a next "new big thing" to latch onto, though I don't think most people realize how much '03-'05ish sort of culture is beginning to decline.

Yeah, I think that made it decline a little. Another example is with iPods/mp3 players. Even in very early '06, everybody still asked to see your mp3 player. Now, nobody really cares all that much anymore. They're used to them. At the moment, pop culture is very much so looking for a next "new big thing" to latch onto, though I don't think most people realize how much '03-'05ish sort of culture is beginning to decline.


True, I almost think they're becoming like the Internet has been since 1998/99, in that it's so widespread and that if you don't have it, people give you strange looks (hell, I still use a tape Walkman half the time though). ;D

I think 2003 stuff isn't "uncool to the point of being yesterday's news" but it's getting there. Like 50 Cent isn't is cool or talked about as he was back then. Or songs like "Let's Get it Started" and various 2003ish pop/punk is sounded dated.

True, I almost think they're becoming like the Internet has been since 1998/99, in that it's so widespread and that if you don't have it, people give you strange looks (hell, I still use a tape Walkman half the time though). ;D

I think 2003 stuff isn't "uncool to the point of being yesterday's news" but it's getting there. Like 50 Cent isn't is cool or talked about as he was back then. Or songs like "Let's Get it Started" and various 2003ish pop/punk is sounded dated.


Yeah, like "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne and whatnot. And 50 Cent is almost off the point of the pop-cultural radar at the moment, honestly.

In late 2005 and very early 2006 (until sometime in March, it was still basically 2005), people were still fascinated enough with iPods that they were always talking about them and spending all their time doing useless stuff on them. Now, it's softened out to the point where people even want a change from obsessive iPod-fixation.

Yeah, like "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne and whatnot. And 50 Cent is almost off the point of the pop-cultural radar at the moment, honestly.

In late 2005 and very early 2006 (until sometime in March, it was still basically 2005), people were still fascinated enough with iPods that they were always talking about them and spending all their time doing useless stuff on them. Now, it's softened out to the point where people even want a change from obsessive iPod-fixation.


"Stacy's Mom" is one of my favorite '00s songs ( ;) ), I always thought the music was alot like "Just What I Needed" meets Heartbeat City-era Cars, although the lyrics and singing style is extremely early '00s.

What's the median age for Ipod people, do you think? I'd say anywhere from 11-29 (partly because they're more expensive). I know alot of 21ish year olds that still are a bit obsessed with them.

"Stacy's Mom" is one of my favorite '00s songs ( ;) ), I always thought the music was alot like "Just What I Needed" meets Heartbeat City-era Cars, although the lyrics and singing style is extremely early '00s.

What's the median age for Ipod people, do you think? I'd say anywhere from 11-29 (partly because they're more expensive). I know alot of 21ish year olds that still are a bit obsessed with them.


11-29 or so, I agree. Probably about 17 is the "ultimate iPod age", since as someone who's in high school now, I know a video iPod is such a status symbol. People below 6th grade don't really have them in number, because they'd probably break them and it's not worth getting a replacement.

"Stacy's Mom" is one of my favorite '00s songs ( ;) ), I always thought the music was alot like "Just What I Needed" meets Heartbeat City-era Cars, although the lyrics and singing style is extremely early '00s.

What's the median age for Ipod people, do you think? I'd say anywhere from 11-29 (partly because they're more expensive). I know alot of 21ish year olds that still are a bit obsessed with them.


Fountains of Wayne are a local band for me, since they come from about three towns over and are named after a famous fountain store on Route 46, a local "strip-mall type highway." I agree about it sounding Cars-like, though I'd never thought about that until now.

I'm going to say 2005, when the stock market was doing really well and glam rap/preppie culture seemed at its most secure. This is the period when (partially due to how shocking Hurricane Katrina was, highlighting how rich the rich were getting and how poor the poor were getting), you were always seeing new houses being built, people putting plasma screen TVs with digital cable in every corner of their house, and buying those toyish cellphones and digital cameras with too many accessories. Now, I think people are getting a little bit more wary of that.


2003 or 2004

Consumer products are just flashy gizmos to distract us. Households, states, and the federal government are living off credit, off of borrowing. America is a poor country that has not yet had to contend with its poverty.

The true excess is not conspicuous consumption, IMO. It is the fact that the federal government keeps magically lifting the "debt ceiling" as the money was not real. It's not real for the fatcats. It's real for you. Miss a car payment and find out just how! I would say as long as the Bush administration is still running the show, we will not see the end of 00s excess.