The best year to be born

[JulieW]

I remember seeing an interview with a centenarian once, and he was asked by the innocent reporter 'What would you do if you were 21 years old today' and centenarian answered 'I'd cut my throat'

Today I saw this article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/06/1948-nhs-pensions-baby-boom

pointing out the massive advantages of being born in 1948 (in UK). It made me wonder what was the best age to be born in Australia - after all we are the lucky country. Do you feel your year of birth is an advantage or disadvantage comparatively?

 

[topcropper]

I was born in 1967. Not complaining really.


But one thing than annoys me, I hit 16 in 83, 18 in 85. Just as AIDS appeared and for a short period anyone who had sex at the time was going to die. We were bombarded by the grim reaper adds. Remember..??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U219eUIZ7Qo

Took a little while for everyone to work out that it wasn't a hetero disease, but by then I was settled down. Dammit, I missed out on a bit of fun back then.


See ya's.

 

[vbplease]

To quote from my favourite movie (Point Break) "22 years. Man, L.A. has changed a lot during that time. The air got dirty and the sex got clean."

I would've like to have been born in say 1950 in LA, when the air was clean

 

[JulieW]

topcropper AIDS stopped everyone in their tracks. No more free love - which of course means that now you have to pay now. (by the way it's a general disease - covers heteros too so don't stray too far and keep the raincoat on). Funny, when I was a child the 'incurable' strains of VD and syphillis kept us well behaved (mostly !)

Not only was the air cleaner back then, the roads easier, the taxi drivers friendlier and the sunshine less cancerous, everything closed at 5.30 and the whole country shut up shop on Good Friday, Anzac Day and Christmas.

We didn't have MICA ambulances (probably because cholesterol wasn't invented then), or seatbelts or speed limits. Which is probably why a headline in the day read 'Declare War on 774' or some number - which was the number of road deaths in Victoria that year. (certainly helped the seat belt campaign)

For a really good view of the joys and disabilities of our generation catch the series 'Mad Men'. Not so different here in Australia.

Billy Joel said it:
You can linger too long in your dreams
Say goodbye to the "Oldies But Goodies"
Cause the good ole days weren't always good
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems

 

[Spectre]

vb... at 18 you'd be in the thick of awesome muscle cars, joplin, the doors, hendrix, springsteen starting... couldnt agree more. It'd be a great time (leaving out the draft.)

 

[vbplease]

Sounds good Spectre.. and surfing was really kicking off too.. I haven't noticed it too much recently, but when I got my license a few friends had an old valiant or EH holden.. we'd drive down the coast with the surfboards, listening to the doors, hendrix.. good times! I wonder if kids in the future will still appreciate the EH?

The draft? you mean the Vietnam war? My dad still complains about that..

What I like about the present time is how small the world has become.. Australia has become so multicultural, and it's so easy to access different parts of the world. I'd miss that living in the 60/70's.

 

[peastman]

Born in '58 in Melbourne. I have always considered myself very lucky to live in Australia at a time of political stability and generally good economic times.

Born well after ww2 into a booming economy, jobs for everyone. Too young to be called up for Vietnam, now too old for any upcoming conflict.

The fun and freedom and music of the seventies as a teenager.

Settled down and advanced my career in the greed of the 80s.

Built my business just as the recession we had to have was finishing in the 90's.

Built most of my property equity in the 2000's during the great property boom.

Thankfully the GFC has not really had any effect on us, so on we go into the next decade.

What a great time to be alive.

 

[Aaron Sice]

Born in 1980.

missed out on the bad 80s stylez, copped MCHammer instead.

avoided mass marketing, saw through advertising, questioned authority, questioned the crowd, ended up here.

 

[geoffw]

Born 1954.

At year 12 HS got a commonwealth scholarship to support Uni expenses.

Just as I was finishing year 12, Whitlam came into power- took away the possibility of me being called up, and university was free. Plus scholarship.

All I had to pay really was books. And my dad was in the business.

No HECS when I finished.

Very fortunate timing really.

 

[Aaron Sice]

Born 1954.

At year 12 HS got a commonwealth scholarship to support Uni expenses.

Just as I was finishing year 12, Whitlam came into power- took away the possibility of me being called up, and university was free. Plus scholarship.

All I had to pay really was books. And my dad was in the business.

No HECS when I finished.

Very fortunate timing really.

tertiary education should be free - but it's such a vast and expensive way to learn that really, it's not viable long term.

unfortunately, universities aren't about job placement. i remember a talk from a Dean from ECU and - apparently - the core idea of university is the same as it was in the 1600s - to broaden your mind, not provide job opportunities.

 

[K4K4M]

The best year to be born

Should be 1969

Apollo 11 space craft lands on the Moon


KK
____________________________
Trust your hopes, not your fears.