The best decade

[MushroomPuff]

I was born in the late 70s so did most of my growing up, uni etc, in the 90s. I feel really lucky to have lived that, it was by far the best decade so far imo. We had so much freedom, amazing music, yet no social media getting in the way. It was just very ‘real’. AIBU to think the 90s really was the greatest, or does everyone feel that way about the decade they grew up/spent their teens in?

Probably the 1650s. We had the expansion of suffrage, religious tolerance increased, first air pump, Saturn's rings discovered, coffee more widely available, what a time to be alive.

Either then or the 1970s when you could buy a house for 30 quid which would massively increase in value, get a decent job and pension and not have to worry about the environment

DH and I were having the same discussion recently - we were born early 80's. I think it really hit me when my 10 year old asked me if she could start going to call for her friends who live in next street to us without me messaging their parents first - something I used to do all the time from about 7 years onwards, and we would play and ride our bikes in the local streets. When you called, there might be no answer, or you might be told they were busy and to come back later - neither children nor adults got offended by this. When I asked her 2 of her friends mum would this be ok, they looked absolutely horrified, thought it would be unsafe for them to play out without constant adult supervision. They are a bit younger than us, born late 80's I think. And it got me thinking this was sad that my DD wouldn't get this experience.

But compared to my parents who grew up in houses with no heating in 50's and 60's, and where sexism was still rife in the workplace, I think I was much better off. Our generation had best of both worlds - what felt like a comfortable safe and free childhood with greater opportunities when moving into adulthood. Plus as you say the excellent 90's music scene!

Yeah it was the 90s definitely!

I think everyone thinks the decade where they “came of age”
as the best one- for me it was also the nineties but to my kids it sounds like Victorian times which the lack of tech. etc. I think if we went back and spent a week there we’d also find things like casual misogyny, homophobia and racism really obvious.

Yep I agree with the 90’s

Born early 70’s, teen years through the 80’s, ten years of clubbing through the 90’s. We were the lucky ones.

90s for me too

@DemonsandMosquitoes is correct. 80's were best.

90s. I mean just for the music.

I was born in 1968. We had all the great music of the eighties as teenagers and I went to Uni in 1992-95 and had a great time seeing loads of bands, festivals etc. I certainly feel lucky music wise.

I too was born late 70s and I agree that the 90s was the best decade. I love that I was a kid in the 80s too. Although my kids seem to think it was a lot more colourful than it actually was. I remember a lot of brown. The freedom though. I don't think any other generation before or after had as much choice and freedom!

I think what solidifies it for me somewhat is that my nephew in his 20s listens to 90s music all the time. A lot of it is still ‘cool’. Not that it’s just about the music of course.

I was born in 1980 and I agree that it was the 90s, but perhaps that just feeds into the whole decade you came of age thing.

My own 19 year old seems to think the 70s were the place to be for music, with a bit of 90s thrown in.

Considering the demographic here you will get a lot of agreement. However my mum thinks the ‘70s were the best years as she came of age and did high school/uni then.
the years in your 15-25 are totally the best years, you have freedom and no obligations whatever years they are.
the 90s had their positive and negative, there was AIDS, loads of drugs, loads of eroine, women were groped and sexually assaulted in the work place in a way that would not be acceptable today, travel was expensive, it was still hard to be queer, there was a lot of plastic and pollution, with the majority of environmental laws being enforced in that decade but still not effective, but you would not see that if you were the typical kid/teenager in the 90s

From 1987 to 2004, the darkness just seemed to lift. The early 1980s seemed to be full of unemployment and poverty. The music was great though. Life seemed so optimistic and full of possibilities.

After 2004, it was a blur of PND and an abusive marriage so all downhill from then on for me.

1650s, cracking music too.

That's what I think too, it was such a good time but maybe it was just the time in my life that made it good.

Everyone just looked a state and nobody cared 🤣. No mobile phones or social media to capture anything. Was a brilliant time to make all those growing up mistakes with little evidence!

90’s definitely

Another vote for the 90s. The 70s and 80s had some brilliant music and culture, but in terms of overall quality of life in the UK, yes, it's the 90s. No social media, and a kind of positivity that's hard to describe but which is missing today. I'd absolutely hate to be a young person this decade.

Well obviously not everyone had a great time when they were young, but yes, for those that did I think there's a definite tendency for people to mistake "I was young and healthy and happy and carefree and full of hope for the future" etc with "the whole world was just better". I mean, my granddad used to rave about the joy and freedom of being young in the 1930s and spending all summer camping and stuff like that. Obviously it wasn't a great time for a lot of people (depression etc). He also idealised the 1950s (war was over, he was still youngish and healthy and happily married and his family members hadn't started dying and he loved his job and had got his own home for the first time etc). Again, not great for everyone - racism, sexism, classism etc etc. People do get the two things confused.