Nostalgia for the ’80s runs deep, and for many, it’s more than just a fond memory—it’s a longing. Join us as Reddit users delve into the reasons why they can’t help but wish for a time machine back to that iconic decade. Here are their top 12 responses:
12. The Music
Music in the Eighties was something else. The amount of variety and the number of iconic artists that emerged was extraordinary. Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. Madonna was making waves. Metallica formed. Prince, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi were all at the peak of their careers. Oh, and hip hop – a totally new genre at the time – hit the scene. Does today’s music really match up?
11. The Glass Bottles
Drinks came in refillable glass bottles in the 1980s. These days, it’s almost always plastic that people chuck out when they’re done. The amount of waste that creates is horrendous. Drinks always taste better out of glass, too.
10. The Build-Quality
Compared to today’s world, things in the 1980s were built to last. Think about your pyrex dishes. You’re probably still using the ones you bought back then today! And it was a similar story for almost everything else. Things weren’t made to be chucked out and replaced after a few years.
9. The Clothes
Okay, it’s hard to make the argument that fashion was better back in the Eighties. After all, those neon leg warmers, spandex, and velvet scrunchies don’t exactly scream high fashion. But – and it’s a big but – today’s clothes are undeniably duller. At least there was some color in people’s wardrobes (albeit fluorescent ones…).
8. The Movies
Many consider the eighties to be the golden era of movies. For example, Star Wars hit the scene in the late 1970s, but the franchise only really took off in the eighties, thanks to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Other classics were released, too, such as ET, Top Gun, Back to the Future, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s hard to think of many movies today of that kind of caliber.
7. The TV Shows
It wasn’t just movies that were amazing back in the 1980s. The TV shows were awesome, too – especially the sitcoms. Full House, The Cosby Show, The A-Team, Family Ties, and Knight Rider were just a few of the classics people adored throughout the decade. Sure, there’s more variety these days, but that isn’t always a positive.
6. The Video Games
Move over PlayStation. Back in the late 1980s, Nintendo and Sega ruled the roost. From the ashes of the video game industry (following its crash in the early 80s) rose epic consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System and iconic games, like Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, and Tetris. They lacked the graphics and power of today’s gaming world, but there’s no denying their legend status.
5. The Prices
Inflation means you can’t compare like for like. But still, life in the 80s – at least for certain purchases – was significantly cheaper than it is today. Take property. In 1984, the median cost of an average house in America was $79,000 (or just over $231,000 in today’s money). The median cost in 2022 was $454,900. That’s almost twice as expensive…
4. The People
There are always exceptions, of course. But overall, people in the eighties seemed to have been happier, friendlier, more open, more trusting, and generally less cynical about the world. Kids played outside, neighbors spent time together, and there was a community spirit that can seem lacking at times today.
3. The excitement about movie rentals
Do you remember movie rentals? Everyone wanted to go to the video store and grab the newest films to watch at home with family or friends. People from later generations can’t understand the excitement!
2. Game & Quiz Books
They used to be the ultimate entertainment for a long train ride or road trip. Kids and teens love technology and wouldn’t be able to spend hours filling up the pages of these fun books, which are also great for training your brain.
1. It Was Pre-Internet
The internet first became a “thing” in the 1980s. But most ordinary people wouldn’t have known about it – let alone let it govern their lives as it does nowadays. The result was a simpler, richer, and some would say happier time to be alive. Kids played outside. People actually hung out without staring at a tiny screen. And so on and so forth…
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