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The poster that was 13 in 1970, and 20 in 1980 might have been correct, if he spent 3 years in a cryogenic chamber, as that was very popular back in the 70's. I just wonder if he timed it right and either skipped the Watergate years, or if he waited to be frozen in '77 after seeing Carter win the election ? I hope he waited till '77 so he could maximize the opportunity, glad the chamber failed and he got thawed out in time for Reagan. At least I hope that's the way it played out for him.
Sorry if I took your cryo chamber - maybe you were the guy asleep in the corner.
It started horribly, with incredible divisions in the country caused by the Vietnam War. Unlike all the military actions since, it was largely fought by draftees, men who had no choice about going...well, there was Canada or Sweden, or an attempt to get conscientious objector status, or maybe strings pulled to get into, say, an Air National Guard gig, where you could both fly jets and not get shot at. The beginning of the end was the Kent State shootings in 1970. I think the polarization of the country is worse now due primarily to the internet, but then, there was more at stake, and things were polarized enough.
Rock music mostly got worse starting in the late 60s-- none of the really great groups like the Beatles were doing music as good as what they'd been doing up to about 65-67. By the 70s, it was mostly awful. Maybe some Motown music was still good. By 74 or so, outlaw country with Willie Nelson, Waylon, and Kristofferson was probably the most interesting music around. Disco was awful music, but I liked it for being able to touch dance with girls, something I liked doing but wasn't possible with the freestyle stand out there and gyrate, doing your own thing "dancing."
The clothes were pretty awful too-- really wide lapels on men's jackets, leisure suits. Somewhere in there, I recall women's clothing getting sexier, even though the skirts were longer than they had been in the 60s-- more feminine, hugging their bodies more. It was the start of big hair, which would up being exaggerated (especially in Texas where I lived), but it marked a big change. I think disco had something to do with that, the whole notion of getting dressed up to go dancing.
It may have been the best decade of my life. In 74-78, I had a good job, a crane operator on an offshore construction and pipeline barge in various oil fields around the world-- North Sea, Persian Gulf, South China Sea. I made good money, had nowhere to spend it most of the time, since I was, well, offshore, and when I did hit the beach I knew exactly what I wanted. Oh yeah, nearly forgot-- the 60s were supposedly the decade of "free love," but the 70s were the decade of the Pill. The worst disease you were likely to catch was the clap, and women were as eager for sex as men. And London-- not swinging London any more but still full of hot young women-- was like paradise. I was an exotic Texan, boots and everything, with money to burn. The world may have been going to s**t, but my world definitely wasn't. And if I was too far away from London, there was Bangkok and the Philippines, and what was left of the sex industry created to cater to the American GIs.
Well, it's past my bedtime, and my arthritis is acting up. Thanks to the OP for asking.
The 70s for me started out with Vietnam. Then college, marriage, starting a career, purchase of first home, then concluding with the birth of my only child. It was a turbulent decade, but one of freedom and the hope of a bright future.
Sorry if I took your cryo chamber - maybe you were the guy asleep in the corner.
I must have passed out from the Urea Formaldehyde Building Insulation. It gave off Formaldehyde gas after they "installed" it by pumping it into the walls. Loved the installation technique, they drilled a bunch of holes in the side of your house, pumped it in with a hose, then plugged it with caps that never matched your siding. Glory days.
And that reminds me of another thing that sucked about the 70's. The introduction of Mattel Hot Wheels which in a few short years would kill my beloved Matchbox (Made in England by Lesney). For those not in the know, original Matchbox cars were die-cast miniatures of realistic cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Hot Wheels which were introduced in 1970 featured fanciful hot rods and drag racers painted in wild colors that kids loved and which the comparatively staid Matchbox couldn't beat so they joined. Sad.
The 70's were the best years of my life. I was in my early 20s and had a great paying job working at a shipyard in San Pedro, Calif. I had an apartment with a view of the ocean in Huntington Beach that I paid $145/month for and had a MGB sports car, a Honda 750 motorcycle with a 4 cylinder engine and a Toyota 4X4. I surfed every day after work and snow skied at Mammoth Mountain during the winter.
Everything was paradise until I turned 30 and came up with a novel idea that I needed to grow up.
That's when I started to learn about stress.
...I had an apartment with a view of the ocean in Huntington Beach that I paid $145/month for and had a MGB sports car, a Honda 750 motorcycle with a 4 cylinder engine and a Toyota 4X4.
OMG I had an MGB which is another thing about the 70's that sucked. (Well technically I bought it in 1980 but it was a '75 and by then Leyland was churning out nothing but crap. My '71 Triumph GT6 was much better). Unfortunately I lived in New Jersey and I needed the top not to fall apart, and I needed the headlights, gas gauge, wipers, and heater to work!
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