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Post by astropoug on Aug 5, 2021 5:31:41 GMT 10
I noticed a common theme in many Y2K movies like A Bug’s Life, The Matrix, Fight Club, and games like Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid. There seemed to be an anti-authority vibe during this era. The fact Rage Against the Machine peaked in popularity here certainly helped. 9/11 of course ended this era, replacing it with jingoistic patriotism.
Why do you think this is? Was it the internet helping normalize libertarian viewpoints? The rise of edgy comedy like South Park and American Pie might be tied to general loosening restrictions and “fuck the system” mindsets. I actually watched a view commercials of the Y2K era, and it seemed non-conformity and individualism was very heavily emphasized. Traditional nuclear families were seen as passé in favor of the introverted, tech-filled, futuristic, risqué, libertarian society of the Y2K era. Really makes you wonder how things would’ve turned out if Bush was not elected and 9/11 never happened.
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Post by John Titor on Aug 5, 2021 5:53:18 GMT 10
I noticed a common theme in many Y2K movies like A Bug’s Life, The Matrix, Fight Club, and games like Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid. There seemed to be an anti-authority vibe during this era. The fact Rage Against the Machine peaked in popularity here certainly helped. 9/11 of course ended this era, replacing it with jingoistic patriotism. Why do you think this is? Was it the internet helping normalize libertarian viewpoints? The rise of edgy comedy like South Park and American Pie might be tied to general loosening restrictions and “fuck the system” mindsets. I actually watched a view commercials of the Y2K era, and it seemed non-conformity and individualism was very heavily emphasized. Traditional nuclear families were seen as passé in favor of the introverted, tech-filled, futuristic, risqué, libertarian society of the Y2K era. Really makes you wonder how things would’ve turned out if Bush was not elected and 9/11 never happened. and Stone Cold Steve Austin lol
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Post by slashpop on Aug 10, 2021 22:11:01 GMT 10
I would make a case for late 1996 and to some limited extent 1997- early 1999 having some amount of continuation of the mid 90s anti-authoritarian attitudes in media and social culture overall in the sense that a lot subcultures/groups/diverse views co-existed and weren't pressured to be one thing as much as the core Y2K era, despite some focus on normality, some preppy culture and some lingering conservatism even back then. A lot of gen x oriented cynical, post-modern, and anything goes approach to media was in the last phase, you could see in edgy mainstream comics, ads, very experimental weird computer games, tv shows, film, mainstream music etc
I would say this is mostly opposite in the core and late Y2K era, even with some good exceptions, generally speaking both socially and media wise. There was a very dogmatic emphasis on being cookie cutter, bubblegum and/or macho and just like everyone else in both attitude and looks that was more more in intense than the normality/preppy attitudes and forced outsider pseudo-rebel attitudes of the mid to late 90s. I would say this attitude came into full form around sometime in the year 2000.
As someone who was in middle school/high school then, casual racism, constant use of the word f*g all the time and anything that was geeky, not alpha male enough or "different" were deemed bad. This attitude was definitely more intense than anything prior.
While there may have been some media/films/games etc with ab anti-authoritarian attitude, and this maybe less in the 2000s, the zeitgeist was increasingly leaning towards conservative-libertarian and just conservative even it is wasn’t exactly labeled that way. Media often indirectly or unintentionally contributed to normalizing sexism, homophobic, xenophobic/bigoted attitudes under the guise of freedom of expression or humor whether this was though south park, stand up comedy of that era, eminem etc then again it was already building up. All of that took literal decades to erase. The core 90s had some of this but not to this extent. So yes the Y2K era overall had some anti authoritarian aspects but not as much as earlier and was increasingly conservative, even if not stereotypically conservative and somewhat libertarian.
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