I'd say the '80s, but the '90s had a character too.

The '80s.

The '90s were about trying to find a soul in a soulless culture, the '80s were about celebrating soullessness. So the '90s.

The 80s were the Reagan era so to me it was definitely less character. I associated it with money, greed, and power. >:(

The '90s were about trying to find a soul in a soulless culture, the '80s were about celebrating soullessness. So the '90s.


Yes, hit it on the spot. As I said early, people revelled in soulessness and materialism in the 80s, whereas there was a 'seeking for a spiritual significance' (not necessarily meaning religion) , a deep truth to things.

80s forever!!!! 90s to me were all about "try-hardism", people trying SO HARD to pretend that the 80s never happened and showing how "evolved" they were -FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!

80s forever!!!! 90s to me were all about "try-hardism", people trying SO HARD to pretend that the 80s never happened and showing how "evolved" they were -FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!


I like the '80s alot, but I can overdose on them pretty easily.

I don't mean any harm, but I think the decade that had more character/ soul can't be anwser because people spent their 80's moments or 90's moments in different ways to determine which is so. Thats my opinion.

It's a scientifically proven fact the 80s were more souless than the 90s.  :D

I agree with T in some ways. I think you had to really live in the time to know what a "souless" culture was. Yes, the 80's had a good deal of greed, but it was also a period of adjustment. New things were being introduced, like drug addiction which prompted the "Just Say No" public announcements. The sudden awareness of AIDS which was still trying to be understood (and still is today). I think we handled these certain situations the best we knew how at the time. Today, yes, we could've done it differently, but that's today not 20 years ago.

I agree with T in some ways. I think you had to really live in the time to know what a "souless" culture was. Yes, the 80's had a good deal of greed, but it was also a period of adjustment. New things were being introduced, like drug addiction which prompted the "Just Say No" public announcements. The sudden awareness of AIDS which was still trying to be understood (and still is today). I think we handled these certain situations the best we knew how at the time. Today, yes, we could've done it differently, but that's today not 20 years ago.


Yeah, you're right that the '80s were the decade where it became known as "drug addiction" and not just doing drugs. Back in the '70s, drugs were still cool and not seen as having an ugly side or that many risks.

OK, I've seen the philosophical debates out here, and an an expert on BOTH the '80s and '90s, I can fully answer this question, without any prejudice or nepotism:

The '80s- Politically, it was characterized by greed and power struggles. However, music expanded as never before, with no regression. The Performing and Fine Arts held a resurgence, the biggest in almost 50 yrs.
Therefore, the '80s had the character advantage.

The '90s- Politically, it was characterized by wars, and political scandal, including the ONLY time that the Government deadlocked itself into "not working". Performing and Fine Arts began to suffer a regression factor, the results of which became hard-edged, and more probing into the human psyche. However, psychology began to experience a new stage in human evolution, which evolved such soulful things as grunge music ( ;)), and extreme sports. Health awareness became more seriously looked at, and decadence of the human lifestyle became more focussed. Here, the '90s have the soul advantage.

How am I an expert? I lived all the way through both decades without going insane, getting shot, or ending up a devoted fan of Roseanne. If you also did these things, then you too may qualify yourself as an expert.
having said all this: The '80s Rock!

OK, I've seen the philosophical debates out here, and an an expert on BOTH the '80s and '90s, I can fully answer this question, without any prejudice or nepotism:

The '80s- Politically, it was characterized by greed and power struggles. However, music expanded as never before, with no regression. The Performing and Fine Arts held a resurgence, the biggest in almost 50 yrs.
Therefore, the '80s had the character advantage.

The '90s- Politically, it was characterized by wars, and political scandal, including the ONLY time that the Government deadlocked itself into "not working". Performing and Fine Arts began to suffer a regression factor, the results of which became hard-edged, and more probing into the human psyche. However, psychology began to experience a new stage in human evolution, which evolved such soulful things as grunge music ( ;)), and extreme sports. Health awareness became more seriously looked at, and decadence of the human lifestyle became more focussed. Here, the '90s have the soul advantage.

How am I an expert? I lived all the way through both decades without going insane, getting shot, or ending up a devoted fan of Roseanne. If you also did these things, then you too may qualify yourself as an expert.
having said all this: The '80s Rock!


hahahah I agree!!!

The 80s.  The 90s spent 10 years trying to find itself.  It took itself too seriously and people couldn't wait until they were over. 

80s forever!!!! 90s to me were all about "try-hardism", people trying SO HARD to pretend that the 80s never happened and showing how "evolved" they were -FAKE, FAKE, FAKE!


Yeah, and these are the very same twats you see guesting as 'experts' on these tacky cable shows like 'I Love The 80's.  Hypocrites, all of em!!  ;D

Yeah, and these are the very same twats you see guesting as 'experts' on these tacky cable shows like 'I Love The 80's.  Hypocrites, all of em!!  ;D


Y'know, I've watched that whole strain of "I Love the '80s", and for the most part, all they did was down the '80s. They couldn't attack the more serious parts of that decade, such as the AIDS epidemic coming to light, or the assassination attempts on major political figures. No, they have to attack the better side of it all.

Makes me wanna break out my Alligator Izod shirts, pleather pants with punk belt and knuckle gloves, and blast "State Of Shock" at 120 decibels, while watching "Howard the Duck" at maximum volume, waving my Rodney Dangerfield posters in defiance!!! MONTY PYTHON FOR PRESIDENT!

The '80s had more character, the '90s had more soul.

The '80s had more character, the '90s had more soul.


I think the 80's had a bit of both - character and soul. The 90's really just built off of the 80's. It doesn't mean people were still not thinking about how much money they could make, it was just not as out in the open  ;D

I think the 80's had a bit of both - character and soul. The 90's really just built off of the 80's. It doesn't mean people were still not thinking about how much money they could make, it was just not as out in the open  ;D


At least the '90s were ashamed of that underlying desire.

At least the '90s were ashamed of that underlying desire.


I don't know. It can both ways for people. I mean, I never viewed my family as greedy back in the '80s. We just seemed like your average family. I think there was a lot of pretension in the '80s where people wanted to show stuff off because of all these cool new gadgets. But, the '90s weren't exempt from that either.

I don't know. It can both ways for people. I mean, I never viewed my family as greedy back in the '80s. We just seemed like your average family. I think there was a lot of pretension in the '80s where people wanted to show stuff off because of all these cool new gadgets. But, the '90s weren't exempt from that either.


Exactly like the '00s, everybody trying to be fancy/rich/sophisticated, primping themselves up, shopping for almost toyish seeming gadgets, etc. The '80s and '00s are really more and more similar as you look at them, I think.

I'd say the '90s are more like the '80s when you peer closer into them - really, the Grunge of the early '90s was a product of Black Monday, the c. 1991 crime wave and the recession of the early '90s, which almost completely went away by 1997.  The two decades, as culturally opposite as they are socially go hand in hand.

I'd say the '90s are more like the '80s when you peer closer into them - really, the Grunge of the early '90s was a product of Black Monday, the c. 1991 crime wave and the recession of the early '90s, which almost completely went away by 1997.  The two decades, as culturally opposite as they are socially go hand in hand.


The '90s were a reaction to the '80s, the '80s were the last of a prolonged reaction to the whole 1964-1976 period, which began with disco and punk.

Every decade had its share of class and crass.

Look at history: The Roaring '20s- Good music- Prohibition.
The '30s- More honest values- The Depression.
The '40s- Economic resurgence- WW2.
The '50s- Technological advances- "taboo" subjects.
The '60s- Free love- Vietnam.
The '70s- Education levels rise- so-called "political scandals" (Watergate, The Gas Crisis, etc.)
The '80s- Performing Arts expounded infinitely- Oliver North, Vanna White and AIDS.
The '90s- American patriotism soared to new heights- Abuse of all sorts became tabloid subjects.
Now- The world is becoming more aware of its problems- It STILL won't let Whitney Houston out of the news!!!!!

The 90s were more probably a more self-conscious decade, and as velvetoneo said a reaction to the 80s.

The '90s was sort of a double standard. On one hand, everything had to be very thoughtful/moralistic/non-materialistic (i.e. '80s), on the other hand, the market was infiltrated with true schlocky stuff (WWE, The Jerry Springer Show, tabloids and Y2K conspiracies, crappy TV news programs, Cops/America's Most Wanted, celebrity trials, etc.) People in the '00s aren't as into crap that's honest about itself being crap.

The '90s was sort of a double standard. On one hand, everything had to be very thoughtful/moralistic/non-materialistic (i.e. '80s), on the other hand, the market was infiltrated with true schlocky stuff (WWE, The Jerry Springer Show, tabloids and Y2K conspiracies, crappy TV news programs, Cops/America's Most Wanted, celebrity trials, etc.) People in the '00s aren't as into crap that's honest about itself being crap.


What about Survivor, Family Guy/American Dad (the difference is the latter is actually watchable)? Reality TV is so schlocky, people know it, yet they still watch it (often for those reasons). Shows like 'the Simple Life' and the 'Anna Nicole' Show are as bad as your Jerry Springers' (which is still going strong), true crime.etc...in fact they're worse.

Yes, the 90's did have a TON of talk show hosts who sort of reveled in watching their poor guests get booed off stage or even as far as murdering (remember the murder trial against Jenny Jones and one of her guests who murdered another guest because he was humilitated in front of all those people?)

Carnie, Jerry Springer, Sally Jesse Raphael, and a few others all kinda went on the bandwagon, but I'm glad most of them went off.

I honestly cannot answer that as I was too young in both decades to really notice or care. I can say, however, both decades combined had more character/soul than the 00s so far.

What about Survivor, Family Guy/American Dad (the difference is the latter is actually watchable)? Reality TV is so schlocky, people know it, yet they still watch it (often for those reasons). Shows like 'the Simple Life' and the 'Anna Nicole' Show are as bad as your Jerry Springers' (which is still going strong), true crime.etc...in fact they're worse.


'00s sleaze is definitely glitzier and more overproduced (again, like the '80s), thinking its full of class and camp. At least the '90s sleaze was honest about itself.

I think the 80s definitely had more character (I have never seen a decade go through such extreme styles) but to say it had the most soul would be a misconception. The 80s were as superficial as any decade ("Greed is Good") but at least it was an exciting time that also promoted self-improvement. The 80s was about doing (the film "Secret of my Success" for example) rather than just sitting back and letting life get you down.

Personally, I think the '80s were summed up best when Clancy Brown (Kurgan) said in the film Highlander,"It's better to burn out than to fade away!"

The '90s were best summed up by what Rush Limbaugh said on the stand, when accused of drugs: "Yeah, so? I STILL told you what this &*(#@$@_! country needs to do!"

Me, personally: My own philosophy is best summed up by a question the late Douglas Adams posed to Ford Prefect, in the "Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy":
If Ford had the choice of saving the universe from disaster or going to a party, he'd pick the party every time- assuming that if the universe truly wanted to be saved, it would find a way to take care of itself.