Although the decade's not quite over, Time magazine has dubbed the first ten years of the 21st century "The Decade From Hell."
At the tale end of a decade that saw large-scale terrorist attacks, deadly weather catastrophes, and a U.S. economy that can only be described as craptastic, it's tough to argue Time's point.
Whenever we head into December, many of us like to look back at the year that was. As we head into 2010, take a look at the decade that was -- if you can stomach it.
The 1960's beats the Oughts as the decade from hell.
After 9/11, we were a nation drawn together, inspired and saddened as one. Dubya gave us hope of retribution, and even tho he failed and lied etc, the economy boomed, housing was way up, and worldwide democracy soared...for a short time. Dubya then screwed up Katrina and stole an election and then the economy, naturally, tanked, but some good people made good money and bought and sold nice houses in the middle.
The war in Iraq drones on, but we're (unfortunately) used to such drawn-out conflicts. The Oughts may have been tough times, and the terrorist attack has shaken our souls, but the 1960's were worse.
The '60's had our first experience with horrendous conflict, and the protests were violent and voluminous. The promise of hope with Kennedy still led to a near-nuclear conflict with Cuba, and the hope was assassinated in 1963. Then LBJ, more vietnam, the horrors of racial conflict, lynchings, more wars, etc.
Then hope again with King, which died in the worst year of American history, 1968...and the hope of Bobby was also killed that year. Kent State showed the government could kill Americans and get away with it. Drugs were the only hope for millions who had to create a counter-culture just to survive and save their souls. The country was at its most divided, and even Elvis and the Beatles couldn't bring the world together.
The 00's opened with a horrible bang, but we were brought together as a country for years (hell, as a world). The middle years were terrible as the US government/President nearly ruined us, but the 00's end with a burst of new hope (Obama) and renewed dreams of a great country and new sustained democracy.
Plus, the Beehive started in the 00 decade...what more could anyone ask for?*
*seriously, the digital innovations of this century have rocked the world forward...just because this is the decade of China over the US doesn't nearly equal the height of the cold war with the communists, including China. No, the 1960's win by a mile...a sad, napalmed mile.
This comment is longer than the decade itself.
Hee! Not just longer, but more hellish...
That's a very funny line... I needed a good chuckle
A great subject matter to talk about! I think our present decade has to be one of the worst decades. It probably ranks as better than the Great Depression of the 30's and maybe tied with the late 60's and the Vietnam war era. World War 2 decade seems to be even better than now, because as poor as the people where back then, they still had united goals. We,today, don't seem to have united goals. If anything, now everybody has different opinions of every issue. But most seem to stay away from it all and live life on a day to day basis. I think that is probably natural in this age with so much information from all sides that everything gets lost into a jumbled mess.
Pick the candidate of your choice and hope he or she works for you? Also, pick your own moral, ethical business standards and follow them. If you disagree,tough! the law will protect whatever standards that the lawmakers have allowed, even if the laws are still bad and unfair. This is one aspect of the powerlessness of this decade.
Americans all with different agendas and standards , have maximized their efforts to destroy each other's credibility in this decade. They have, by creating horrible name-calling in the politics of our decade, and those names have stuck. We still seem to be stuck on Liberal vs Conservative and the bashing has reached new heights! That is a trademark of this decade! I think Americans have heard enough and would like to see positive change for the next decade!
I agree with Stephen's comment except I put the time period where we were united by 2001 at more like 3 months. Sad and sadder.
And yeah, the 60's sure are more fun to think back on now that all we have are the Beatle records.
I still remember my mom hushing up my brother and I every night as the news showed the body counts in Vietnam.
separate but related thought: a year always looks suckier by November.(and a decade always looks suckier at the end). I was commenting to my wife(sounds melodramitic) that by November it always seems that the world's cup of sadness is about full up. She slapped me up side the head (metaphorically, thankfully) and said "what about your cup of joy?" Not to go all 'positive thinking' on y'all, but it does seem that at least I sometimes lose sight of the pile o' good things that sometimes happens.
It's kind of a tough draw.
In Philadelphia, during the Vietnam war?
There was a computer glitch in the draft-board system that caused repeat rollthroughs in the same region, and neighborhood after neighborhood had most of their young men pulled, sent to S.E. Asia, and brought home in boxes (if they were found.)
-And they learned first hand that,
when you believe in your country, and go overseas to support and fight for it?
You can return home and get spit on.
(Meanwhile, the counterculture was turning their brains to mush on (now) illegal substances, and folks understand from as far back as the Korean (forgotten) war, that the American Dream may be chasing a phantom.)
(Now the soldiers just return to a severely overwrought military healthcare system and no jobs with PTSD.)
For 9/11/01?
An entire seaboard, not to mention my home states learned first hand,
-that the same guys who visit you to buy biali's in the morning, based upon their religious paranoia and anger?--next day might drive airliners full of fuel (and passengers) into your building, proving that 'safety and security' has to get it right EVERY time, and be perfect, --but that maniacs need succeed 'only once.'
My people?, since that morning?
Are terrified.
-Every time there's an anomaly in the weather, a plane flies too low, slightly off course, too fast,
-they stand next to someone having a bad day from the Mid-East,
-or even so much as a strange and sweet scent (like almond paste) wafts through the air?
(Just say 'bang' at the wrong moment, or leave a gymbag unnattended?,)
Nearly everybody from New England to Florida and three states in,
-from child to seasoned vet with nerves of iron, hopes to God that it's not 'happening again,'
-and tries not to wet themselves.
I suppose none of this is 'the real hell,'
-but if having to find one's seat on the blade of a knife again and again,
-not ever able to fully relax (or feel safe,) by the millions?
--Isn't a type of 'hell'
-it's got to rank pretty close.