What do you think is the happiest decade of the 20th century to now? Pick your top two!  ;D  ;D

The 1920s and the 1980s. Both decades offered the happiest moments for many people during those eras. 2nd best are the 1950s and the 1990s.

The 1920s and the 1980s. Both decades offered the happiest moments for many people during those eras. 2nd best are the 1950s and the 1990s.


Obviously not the 1930s.  ;D

Obviously not the 1930s.  ;D
You're right on that point. Had the stock market not crashed in 1929, the 1930s generally would have been much better. ;D

The 1920s and the 1980s. Both decades offered the happiest moments for many people during those eras. 2nd best are the 1950s and the 1990s.


The 'me' decade? As one of the happiest?  ???

As a card-carrying member of someone who spent his formative years in that time, I can tell you first hand it wasn't!  :P

The 'me' decade? As one of the happiest?  ???

As a card-carrying member of someone who spent his formative years in that time, I can tell you first hand it wasn't!  :P
The miner's and nurse's strike were fun, not!

The 1970's and 1980's.

All decades, I am happy to be alive!

For me personally? I don't know if I can claim one. They had their moments. Anything after 1995 was ok and anything before 2006 was ok.

For the 20th century, I might say the 1960s and 1980s, because both of those decades had really great entertainment and music. Even for the 1960s, the civil rights movements were at full swing. It gave every non-white person happiness that they can be equal in the whole country of America. In the 80s, the world gave us a sign that the Cold War can finally be over with Gorbachev (Soviet Union's leader from the mid-late 80s to 1991), giving the citizens free speech. This gave the Soviet citizens telling the newspapers that their government sucks.

The 'me' decade? As one of the happiest?  ???

As a card-carrying member of someone who spent his formative years in that time, I can tell you first hand it wasn't!  :P


I heard that the 70s was the 'me' decade and the 80s was the 'me, me, me' decade! Big difference.  ;D  ;D

All decades, I am happy to be alive!


What about the decades before you were born?  ???  :o

The 1970's and 1980's.


70s pop culture was fun!  :)

For the 20th century, I might say the 1960s and 1980s, because both of those decades had really great entertainment and music. Even for the 1960s, the civil rights movements were at full swing. It gave every non-white person happiness that they can be equal in the whole country of America. In the 80s, the world gave us a sign that the Cold War can finally be over with Gorbachev (Soviet Union's leader from the mid-late 80s to 1991), giving the citizens free speech. This gave the Soviet citizens telling the newspapers that their government sucks.


the civil rights act and the voting acts were signed in 64 & 65... there was a major struggle to get there....

equality didn't happen over night so there was still a lot of struggle even after the bills were passed....

plus
Medgar Evers was murdered in 63
Malcolm X was murdered in 65
Martin Luther King Jr was murdered in 68
Watts Riots were in 68
The Black Panther Party started in like 1966
The Detroit riots were in 1967

Plus:
The Vietnam war had been going on for 10 yrs already but the first marines were deployed in 1965 and the war lasted until the cease fire went into effect in 1973
JFK was murdered 1963
RFK was murdered 1968

The nation was divided by the change....the youth with their counter culture and free love hippie drug culture and those who wanted to hold on to the ideals of the 50s and earlier.

It was a tumultuous time all around. I definitely don't think the 60s were a happy decade... but that just me... 


I don't know which was the happiest but in a weird way I wanna say the 80s and 90s... they were more progressive and saw some amazing advances in technology.

What about the decades before you were born?  ???  :o
I cannot say, I did not experience them.

the civil rights act and the voting acts were signed in 64 & 65... there was a major struggle to get there....

equality didn't happen over night so there was still a lot of struggle even after the bills were passed....

plus
Medgar Evers was murdered in 63
Malcolm X was murdered in 65
Martin Luther King Jr was murdered in 68
Watts Riots were in 68
The Black Panther Party started in like 1966
The Detroit riots were in 1967

Plus:
The Vietnam war had been going on for 10 yrs already but the first marines were deployed in 1965 and the war lasted until the cease fire went into effect in 1973
JFK was murdered 1963
RFK was murdered 1968

The nation was divided by the change....the youth with their counter culture and free love hippie drug culture and those who wanted to hold on to the ideals of the 50s and earlier.

It was a tumultuous time all around. I definitely don't think the 60s were a happy decade... but that just me... 


I don't know which was the happiest but in a weird way I wanna say the 80s and 90s... they were more progressive and saw some amazing advances in technology.


Volatile is a great way to describe the 60s?

I think that the 1980's and 1990's will be seen in the future as very happy times for America.  :)

70s pop culture was fun!  :)


and the music was fun as well.

I cannot say, I did not experience them.


Then why did you say all the decades? I don't think every decade had a happy setting in it.

Economically though, I think we're headed south worldwide, not just America. It might not happen today, next year, or the next five years. But I see the economy being gloomy, like circa 1932 somewhere in the next fifteen years. Just enjoy things like right now if you can!

Then why did you say all the decades? I don't think every decade had a happy setting in it.


I don't think he was being literal.

the civil rights act and the voting acts were signed in 64 & 65... there was a major struggle to get there....

equality didn't happen over night so there was still a lot of struggle even after the bills were passed....

plus
Medgar Evers was murdered in 63
Malcolm X was murdered in 65
Martin Luther King Jr was murdered in 68
Watts Riots were in 68
The Black Panther Party started in like 1966
The Detroit riots were in 1967

Plus:
The Vietnam war had been going on for 10 yrs already but the first marines were deployed in 1965 and the war lasted until the cease fire went into effect in 1973
JFK was murdered 1963
RFK was murdered 1968

The nation was divided by the change....the youth with their counter culture and free love hippie drug culture and those who wanted to hold on to the ideals of the 50s and earlier.

It was a tumultuous time all around. I definitely don't think the 60s were a happy decade... but that just me... 


I don't know which was the happiest but in a weird way I wanna say the 80s and 90s... they were more progressive and saw some amazing advances in technology.


:( Then I guess the 80s was the only decade that was kinda happy in the 20th century.

I don't think he was being literal.


How can you not get literal over any decade, unless that was a joke? Every decade has its political, economical and social settings, which tunes each decade for crying out loud.

:( Then I guess the 80s was the only decade that was kinda happy in the 20th century.


I agree with you about the 20s and 80s.

I guess it's generally accepted that the 20s, 50s, 80s, and 90s are the economically strong decades. Usually when the economy is strong, people generally are happier.

Then why did you say all the decades? I don't think every decade had a happy setting in it.



he meant all the decades that he was alive during... hence the addition of the  "I'm happy to be alive" comment




I don't think he was being literal.



exactly....



How can you not get literal over any decade, unless that was a joke? Every decade has its political, economical and social settings, which tunes each decade for crying out loud.


because it's the internet you cannot detect tone and inflection in postings... but you can read all the data written and make inferences....  sometimes these inferences will be right and sometimes they will be wrong but you should never take everything you read on line literally.... 




And, while there are bade things and political issues that occur in every decade some just aren't as extreme as others.

What do you think is the happiest decade of the 20th century to now? Pick your top two!  ;D  ;D


It's hard to have a "happiest" decade without being specific regarding "happiest about what".  In the decades since I've been alive there are different reasons to be happy about each decade - a few examples

If I want to be happy about "prosperity" I'd say the 80's thru mid 90's
If I want to be happy about "new laws being enacted to improve Civil Rights" I'd say the 60's.
If I want to be happy about "race relations" I'd say the mid 80's thru 90's thru mid 2000's but if I want to be happy about "progress toward better race relations" I'd say the entire 70's and early 80's
If I want to be happy about "pop culture" I'd say the 60's, 70's and 80's.
If I want to be happy about "America becoming America the great" I'd say the late 40's, 50's and early 60's.
If I want to be happy about human longevity, I'd say right now.
If I want to be happy about "jobs" I'd say any decade except the present

It's hard to have a "happiest" decade without being specific regarding "happiest about what".  In the decades since I've been alive there are different reasons to be happy about each decade - a few examples

If I want to be happy about "prosperity" I'd say the 80's thru mid 90's
If I want to be happy about "new laws being enacted to improve Civil Rights" I'd say the 60's.
If I want to be happy about "race relations" I'd say the mid 80's thru 90's thru mid 2000's but if I want to be happy about "progress toward better race relations" I'd say the entire 70's and early 80's
If I want to be happy about "pop culture" I'd say the 60's, 70's and 80's.
If I want to be happy about "America becoming America the great" I'd say the late 40's, 50's and early 60's.
If I want to be happy about human longevity, I'd say right now.
If I want to be happy about "jobs" I'd say any decade except the present


I like this response. Well thought out!

I like this response. Well thought out!


I agree

I agree


I thought that the 90s was the happiest decade. Well, I did grow up during that decade!  ;)

I thought that the 90s was the happiest decade. Well, I did grow up during that decade!  ;)


I suppose someone is happy about that...  :P 


:D

I thought that the 90s was the happiest decade. Well, I did grow up during that decade!  ;)

Well, everything seems happy when you are that young!!

I think bad stuff happened in most decades. I would imagine the euphoria after WWII would have been ongoing for awhile ... until the realization (for some countries) that they were economically stuffed.  Maybe from 1945 - 1955 (mid decade to mid decade)?

But immediately after that war would have been the happiest the collective world would have been at any time in history (excepting for those counties on the wrong side of the result).

Of course, while one group is appearing happy, there's always another group fighting for their rights, lives or whatever it may be (as in the US civil rights).

I think bad stuff happened in most decades. I would imagine the euphoria after WWII would have been ongoing for awhile ... until the realization (for some countries) that they were economically stuffed.  Maybe from 1945 - 1955 (mid decade to mid decade)?

But immediately after that war would have been the happiest the collective world would have been at any time in history (excepting for those counties on the wrong side of the result).

Of course, while one group is appearing happy, there's always another group fighting for their rights, lives or whatever it may be (as in the US civil rights).


That's fine with me! Unless I forbid it!  ;)

Well, everything seems happy when you are that young!!


I don't know why this comment makes me laugh!  ;D  ;D

The 'me' decade? As one of the happiest?  ???

As a card-carrying member of someone who spent his formative years in that time, I can tell you first hand it wasn't!  :P
Are you talking about the 80s?

Are you talking about the 80s?

no I think he's talking about the 70s!

I wouldn't count the 20s, 50s, or 80s because those decades were primarily positive for privileged and middle class whites, while minorities were brutally oppressed (the 20s had the KKK revival, the 50s had McCarthyism, and the 80s had AIDS and the marginalization of government aid programs).  I'd probably pinpoint the 1990s, especially 1997 and 1998 in particular (before the Y2K hysteria), as the happiest times in the past century.  The peace period following the Cold War was still going on, but the early-mid 90s gloom/rebellion had mostly subsided, while the excellent economy created a general atmosphere of optimism.  The general imagery that comes to mind when I think of the late 90s is bright, cheerful, carefree, and cutting edge.

I wouldn't count the 20s, 50s, or 80s because those decades were primarily positive for privileged and middle class whites, while minorities were brutally oppressed (the 20s had the KKK revival, the 50s had McCarthyism, and the 80s had AIDS and the marginalization of government aid programs).  I'd probably pinpoint the 1990s, especially 1997 and 1998 in particular (before the Y2K hysteria), as the happiest times in the past century.  The peace period following the Cold War was still going on, but the early-mid 90s gloom/rebellion had mostly subsided, while the excellent economy created a general atmosphere of optimism.  The general imagery that comes to mind when I think of the late 90s is bright, cheerful, carefree, and cutting edge.


The 80s also had the cold war, eh?

Wasn't there the LA riots circa 1991-1993 or whenever it was?

The 80s also had the cold war, eh?

The duration of the Cold War was 1947 to 1991, covered several decades.

The duration of the Cold War was 1947 to 1991, covered several decades.


That is one long era!  ::)

Wasn't there the LA riots circa 1991-1993 or whenever it was?

Yeah, there were riots in April 1992 following the not guilty decision over the police officers who had harassed Rodney King.  Again, I consider the early 90s, as well as the mid-90s to a lesser extent, a less positive time for people relative to the late 90s because despite the end of the Cold War, the economy was still getting back on its feet and people were still rebelling against the insensitively conservative atmosphere that had prevailed since Reagan's inauguration.  By 1997, all of the problems haunting minorities and the working class were far from over, but voices were at least starting to be heard more, and the general consensus was that the world was about to enter a century of incredible accomplishment, though this would soon collapse after 9/11 and to a lesser extent the Dot Com bust and 2000 Florida debacle.

For the 20th century, I might say the 1960s and 1980s, because both of those decades had really great entertainment and music. Even for the 1960s, the civil rights movements were at full swing. It gave every non-white person happiness that they can be equal in the whole country of America. In the 80s, the world gave us a sign that the Cold War can finally be over with Gorbachev (Soviet Union's leader from the mid-late 80s to 1991), giving the citizens free speech. This gave the Soviet citizens telling the newspapers that their government sucks.


Hell no, not the 1960's, yes Civil Rights Movements going on and eventually our lives were sacrificed for equal rights, but no not a happy decade for everybody. People still went through a lot, just saying though.

The 1920s and the 1980s. Both decades offered the happiest moments for many people during those eras. 2nd best are the 1950s and the 1990s.


Agreed! I would say the 1980's and 1990's were the most laid back decades in society, especially the way the economy was in the 90's another than that 1994 Bond Market Crash but that was very minor though.

It's hard to have a "happiest" decade without being specific regarding "happiest about what".  In the decades since I've been alive there are different reasons to be happy about each decade - a few examples

If I want to be happy about "prosperity" I'd say the 80's thru mid 90's
If I want to be happy about "new laws being enacted to improve Civil Rights" I'd say the 60's.
If I want to be happy about "race relations" I'd say the mid 80's thru 90's thru mid 2000's but if I want to be happy about "progress toward better race relations" I'd say the entire 70's and early 80's
If I want to be happy about "pop culture" I'd say the 60's, 70's and 80's.
If I want to be happy about "America becoming America the great" I'd say the late 40's, 50's and early 60's.
If I want to be happy about human longevity, I'd say right now.
If I want to be happy about "jobs" I'd say any decade except the present


I'd change "present" to the 30's. Currently, unemployment stories have been reported to be hidden behind news about nudes due to media sensationalism. Unemployment in Germany is at a "historically low" level as is many other parts of Europe and North America.

I'd say the 90's overall (especially mid-late '90s) are still the happiest decade, even if the pop culture didn't quite reflect that. You could still catch the earlier, more pop cultural "happy" decades more easily via reruns then, plus many older entertainers were still around in away that they aren't today (Michael Jackson, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra until 1998, Elizabeth Taylor, etc.). And the excitement for new technology was at a higher point than ever before, compared to the 21st century where most stuff is taken for granted. Even the thing about being "politically correct" was seen as cool and not annoying like it became in the 2000s.

The perception through the '70s, '80s, and into the '90s about the '50s being the "Happiest" decade has definitely lost its weight due to the pigeonholing of a working-class teen subculture (Greasers/Rockers) by Hollywood without acknowledging the repressed rights at the time, although Rebel Without a Cause and Blackboard Jungle (both 1955 films) are more accurate representations of that subculture. It was much more Leave It To Beaver and Make Room For Daddy than anything else. The Cold War was at its most crucial moment, smoking was the norm, and although I'd still rate the '50s as one of the better decades (US being a superpower and a fairly stable economy), it isn't quite the best. I'd rank it third behind the '90s and the '80s (happier than the '90s pop culturally, but a worse early decade recession than the '90s and you still had the Iron Curtain).

I think the 70's through the 90's would be the happy times of the 20th century. More specifically 1975 aka the end of the Vietnam war through the year 2001 right before 9/11. That would be looked back on as the Golden Age of America. I also feel like the 2000's would be looked back on as a new age Roaring 20's, while the 10's as a new age 30's.

I think the 70's through the 90's would be the happy times of the 20th century. More specifically 1975 aka the end of the Vietnam war through the year 2001 right before 9/11. That would be looked back on as the Golden Age of America. I also feel like the 2000's would be looked back on as a new age Roaring 20's, while the 10's as a new age 30's.


I don't really think the 2010s were ever like the dreadful 1930s. Sure, it has terrible pop culture, while the 1930s had a dreadful economy, but it's not like the 2010s were as bad compared to the 30s.

I think the 70's through the 90's would be the happy times of the 20th century. More specifically 1975 aka the end of the Vietnam war through the year 2001 right before 9/11. That would be looked back on as the Golden Age of America. I also feel like the 2000's would be looked back on as a new age Roaring 20's, while the 10's as a new age 30's.

Disagree with your mid-late 70s part!! America still had the cynicism and that it's best days were behind em mentality (ESPECIALLY under Ford and Carter! ), Gas prices and bad economy, Disco and dance music were escapist music. It wasn't really until Ronald Reagan took over that the positivity was brought back.

I think that we've been in a golden age since the 1980s.

It is really hard to say. Each decade had great things and tragic things happen. You could argue that the Roarin' '20s was the happiest. Yeah, it was during Prohibition but there was more drinking with the opening of speakeasys on every street. And more & more government officials were corrupted because of Prohibition. (Watch Ken Burns' Prohibition.) But, as a few have mentioned, minorities were repressed.

You could argue that it was the '50s with the Father Knows Best & Leave It To Beaver mindset. But again, as others have mentioned, that was for the white middle class (which I must admit that I belonged to). However, even the white middle class feared "the bomb" and kids basically grew up hiding under their desks as they "ducked & covered" (as if that would save them  ::) ).

I would probably say it was the '80s & '90s. Yeah, minorities were still being repressed (still are) but there were strives being made (still are). The economy was good for the most part. We weren't in any major wars-but in a few skirmishes, Granada, Bosnia, Honduras, Panama, Libya, Persian Gulf, etc.


The problem with the '80s & '90s, everyone was kind of complacent to what was going on. It was because of that, we are now dealing with problems that stem from that time. I'm talking about deregulation of Wall Street & banks, using more & more fossil fuels, etc. etc.



Cat 

Good question...
The 50s? A happy society, but were the people happy?
The 60s? Maybe?
The 70s? So much stagnation.
The 80s? The middle and late part maybe. The first part was quite somber.
The 90s? Good economy, but people were more harsh than we tend to remember.
The 00s? Don't think so.
The 10s? Right now, no way.