In the 1990s America fell back in love with the style and culture of the 1970s.
Once again, people hit the streets in platform shoes, bell bottoms and big sunglasses. Roller skates were back. “Porn Star” was plastered across tight T-shirts. There was a celebration of the seventies. Hollywood capitalized on the trend and made hits like “Boogie Nights” and “That ’70s Show.” The ’70s were back, and everyone loved it. Everyone but me, that is.
As I saw the resurgence of the ’70s I couldn’t help but cringe. And not only because of that final scene in “Boogie Nights” where Mark Wahlberg whips out his funky bunch. I cringed because I was born in the ’70s, and even though I don’t fear the reaper, I can’t help but be afraid of that decade.
I’ll admit that the ’70s did have some high points. Great Cars (the band). Great music. Great fashion. Great television. My birth. The eight track. But despite its recent recreations, the seventies weren’t all fun times filled with pot, porn and parties. The ’70s also had its fair share of tough times, and when I saw them being recycled, I began to remember the sober side of the 1970s. I did not have to ask for whom the bellbottoms toll, because I knew it was for us.
And now, in 2008, my worst fears have come true. Just as we relived the sky-high days of the ’70s, we are now reliving the sober side of the ’70s, and the similarities are scarier than the original “Halloween” movie.
In the 1970s, the economy was in the toilet. Inflation was through the roof and the country was in a recession. This new economic phenomenon was given the term “stagflation.” Inflation is once again through the roof and the economy is teetering on recession, with many people already feeling as though they are in one. Stagflation is disco dancing at our door and it is doing The Hustle.
In the ’70s OPEC’s oil embargo crippled the nation. I remember waiting in line for hours, just to get our ration of overpriced gas. Now, the price of gas is through the roof. After Hurricane Katrina I saw news clips of people waiting in long lines to get gas, and I couldn’t help but have horrible flashbacks to the days when the national speed limit was 55 mph.
The high gas prices of the ’70s also led to a decline in American auto sales. People began buying Japanese cars that were smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient than their American competitors. The same thing has been happening today, as American auto makers got stuck with their SUVs, while Japanese automakers were developing hybrid technology.
In the ’70s we had extremely serious problems with Iran. During the Iranian revolution, our Embassy in Tehran was taken over and 52 hostages were held for 444 days. We even mounted a covert assault to free the hostages but it was bogged down by sandstorms. Presently, we have a build-up of forces in the region, and are on the brink of war with Iran because of its nuclear program.
Finally, due to these things and more, presidents were also very unpopular during the ’70s. Nixon and Carter were scorned as few presidents have been — that is, until President Bush came along. New polls suggest that he could be the most unpopular president in history.
Living through the ’70s once was bad enough. Never mind a second time. I guess the only thing left to do is to come up with a solution to an unpopular war, just like we did with Vietnam.
Then, hopefully, we can put the whole decade to rest once and for all.
Contact Jeremy Madden at madden@maddenmedia.com.
