Today I developed a coherent sociological theory.

Aren’t you proud of me?

I was talking with Jon and Libby about generations and TV shows. As you may have noticed, Happy Days is a 50’s TV show from the 70’s. And That 70’s Show started in the 90’s. We should be due to emulate the 80’s any moment now. What’s up with this trend of skipping 20 years in our nostalgia?

I’ve always just kind of assumed that these distinguishing characteristics of the decades come because people realize the flaws of the last decade very clearly after it has just happened, so the next decade will know better how to avoid those problems.



New theory: people in general tend towards emulating the decade that had the most formative influence on their development in childhood. As a child, they pick up the characteristics of a culture that they don’t really participate in, yet it affects them deeply. These resurface again when they are older and think more about their childhood. Also they tend to get nostalgic later in life. But at this point, they are in a position to really make an impact on culture as a group. So two decades after a cultural phase has passed, it becomes really vogue and hip again.

The theory is that people are most impressionable at junior high age. That’s when they absorb their culture that will affect them. According to the 20-year gap observed, this means that it’s at age 32 or so that people have the most impact on society around them. Sounds about right.

That’s good—it means I’ve got 12 years before I hit my peak.