How do I share the things that helped define my generation with the younger generations?

[DarthCoercis]

There's so many things that we have in common, but I struggle to share the things that defined my generation with you younger folk.

The Doug-Anthony All-Stars were an international phenomemenom, and the D-Generation's Late Show defined so much of Australian humour.

I worry that we're losing a lot of what made us who we are to americanisms. What's the best way for me to share the things I grew up with?

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'd first ask, how much of the things that defined previous generations have you taken an interest in? For many people, that's some long running TV shows, possible ones still going nowdays, and not all that much else. Young'uns are going to feel similar about your generation.

Though, yeah, lots of Americanisms. People that say "Anzac Cookie"...grumble...

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Don't fight it. Embrace Americanism. You'll feel so much better once you start spelling it Color instead of Colour.

 

[DarthCoercis]

I'd first ask, how much of the things that defined previous generations have you taken an interest in?

I've tried to take an interest in everything that the generations younger than mine have interests in. For example, I know more about pokemon than anyone my age should know. I can't say the same for generations after mine though, they seem to be willfully ignorant of the things that were important to my generation.

Even though I'm 40 years old, I can name over 200 pokemon. How many of you gen y and gen z can name a single Doug-Anthony All-Stars song?

edit:

Don't fight it. Embrace Americanism. You'll feel so much better once you start spelling it Color instead of Colour.

No, I'll always be part of the commonwealth. I'll never use lazy american spelling.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

There's so many things that we have in common, but I struggle to share the things that defined my generation with you younger folk.

The Doug-Anthony All-Stars were an international phenomemenom, and the D-Generation's Late Show defined so much of Australian humour.

I worry that we're losing a lot of what made us who we are to americanisms. What's the best way for me to share the things I grew up with?

You want people to appreciate The Doug Anthony All Stars, play them the Dead and Alive tour. If that can't convert them, you're only hope is to have some recorded episodes of Good News Week to ease them into Paul McDermott's style and then work backwards.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I reject the notion of something having the glory of having defined a generation. It's overly simplistic and doesn't apply to most interesting people. Basically this is more or less normie stuff with a star wars thrown in for spice.


As with anything else, you just explain to people why you like it and why it's cool. If they find it interesting they will choose to be introduced to it, if not they won't. It's not at all complicated.

 

[Saelune]

Well, for one, realize that every generation is full of terrible people...and good people. Your generation is not 'the best'. One day my generation will be old and will blame the new young generation for our problems, even though our problems were mostly caused by past generations AND our own generation.


Good things are always being made, be it art, music, or any other entertainment. The problem is more how easy it is to find this. Finding good music is hard, but it is not because no one makes good music, it is just that good music is not popular.


Anyway, that is more general. However your topic seems a bit...Australian focused. I am not Australian.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

No, I'll always be part of the commonwealth. I'll never use lazy american spelling.

I prefer the term 'scrabble integrity'

 

[Hawki]

I'm not really the person to talk to, especially about music, but when it comes to generations, my experience that if something was good enough then, it can be good enough now ("now" always moving forward across time).

Look at your avatar - Darth Vader. That was big in the 70s/80s, for Gen X. As a Gen Y'er, it was big in my childhood as well, helped by the re-release of Star Wars in cinemas in the mid 90s. Is Star Wars big with kids today? Yes. Absolutely yes. I don't know how Gen Z or Gen Alpha are introduced to Star Wars (films? Cartoons? Other?), but it's still big. Something like Star Wars can stand the test of time across generations.

Pokemon is another example. That came out for Gen Y, in terms of time of release, and intended audience. Pokemon was huge - so huge that I and others began bringing our Gameboys to school, where we'd play in the playground and all that. Is Pokemon big now? Well, given that the anime and films are still going, that the games are still being released, that the JGN sections in libraries are clogged with pokemon manga, I'd say...yes. Yes it is. Given that pokemon appeals to us for a number of reasons (young children empowered, cute creatures, need to catch 'em all, floating continuity, etc.), it's easy to see why it's still around.

Neither of these are music examples, but I can't comment. Not because music of Gen X is foreign to me, just because I've never been a music affecianado. As in, I couldn't really discuss the history of music outside broad generalities (e.g. Classic to Romantic to Modern periods), and I couldn't name that many bands. But I figure that if the above analogies hold true, then if music is "good," then music will still be listened to. If anything, it would be easier now to track down music than it was pre-Internet.

Like I said, not really the best person to talk to, but at least in the scope of books and films, some things stand the test of time, some don't. Children will generally gravitate towards the material that did stand the test of time, and usually stuff stands the test of time for a reason. Again, with books, kids are still reading Harry Potter (big for Gen Y, still big now). Y'know what else they're reading? Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Enid Blyton.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

I suppose I would like to know what are considered Americanisms first.

 

[SupahEwok]

Well, how much of the popular media from your parents' generation (presumably the 50's and 60's) do you give a crap about? How much of the popular media from their own parents' generation did they give a crap about?

Culture moves forward, pieces are lost to time. You can see that in modern memes. They get used up and few are remembered for long. It's no use crying over it. Life simply doesn't remain static.

Fortnite dances are still the stupidest fucking thing tho, kids these days I swear.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

You can't, not really. So much of what is defined as pop culture relies heavily on the whole 'you had to be there' thing. Someone who didn't grow up during the social upheaval of the 70s can be told about punk, but will never truly get punk - at least, they may understand it but the underlying social message will be lost to them. The same is true for the 80s, 90s, 00's, and I guess even the 10's when we get on enough to look back on these times.

 

[Trunkage]

What? No love for Fast Foward and Full Frontal?

I was going to suggest Good News Week too. What about Tripod? Not exactly the same and they're probably way too old too but still good.

 

[DarthCoercis]

Your generation is not 'the best'.

No shit. My generation sucks. There's a reason we're often called the "Bitter" or "Apathetic" generation. We had a lot of stuff that's better than anything around now though.

What? No love for Fast Foward and Full Frontal?

I was going to suggest Good News Week too. What about Tripod? Not exactly the same and they're probably way too old too but still good.

I was kinda staying away from commercial network stuff, but I'd forgotten that Good News Week was on the ABC originally. And for sure, all of those things deserve recognition.