I am 29 years old, born in 1975.
For myself and many, many people my age that I’ve talked to, when world events of childhood are mentioned, the year that comes back again and again and again is 1986.
Sprol (a blog dedicated to using Google Satellite Maps and Google Earth to exploring environmental disasters and such) today has a feature on the Chernobyl meltdown. You saw this coming, the year? 1986.
Let me outline the real common memories that come up:
- Space Shuttle Challenger explodes. I can’t overstate the affect this had on us as kids. Many of us were watching the launch live.
- Mets win the world series of baseball, Bears win Super Bowl XX. Both released singles on the radio!
- Hands Across America
- The Statue of Liberty is reopened to the public, also it’s centennial
- Paul Simon’s Graceland released
- Top Gun, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Stand By Me come out.
Wikipedia has a pretty good list, but I’m more interested to hear yours.
i think i deserve some credit for bringing keeping this ’86 conversation alive and at the forefront through the years!
corey, i want to post this on my blog but don’t want to ruin the surprise… do you know that the movie Logan’s Run, in which people are killed just as they turn 30 to keep the population in control, was made in 1976? this means that the movie itself is turning 30 when we do, which is strange!. I am buying a dozen copies of this movie and giving it to everyone on their 30th. how aweseome?
oh and I have two words for you:
SHORT CIRCUIT