In the never-ending “My decade was better than yours!” contest, it’s high time for the classics to step aside and make way for the rising star: the decade of 2000-2010 or “the 00s.” It’s no question that the 00s are commonly shoved beneath the looming shadows of its predecessors and excluded from any kind of decade superiority, but the time to ditch the nostalgia of the late 1900s and try giving the modern, unsung heroes a chance to shine is fast approaching. Despite bearing through economic hardships forceful enough to drown the United States in another recession and an act of terrorism so shocking its effects still linger today, the 00s gave a worthy fight and proved itself to be frontrunners in the race to emerge as the superior decade.
To grow up in the 00s was to have access to the most technological utilities and advances in history while still enjoying the best of decades come and gone.
Christina Herd, a senior at Sequoyah High School who grew up in the 00s, praises her generation by saying, “We’ve been exposed to more, so we’re open to more.”
Herd feels that the widespread access to smart phones and other internet-accessible devices that she has enjoyed growing up with have made it possible for a “worldwide union between people.”
Wendy Roberts, teacher at Sequoyah High School,grew up in a decade where typewriters with built-in correction ribbons were considered the bee’s knees, agrees. Roberts said, “Everything was very regional then. Now there’s more of a global feel.”
So, where’s the fun in growing up with more technology and what sets the 00s apart from all the rest? Well, thanks to the connections made possible by social networks, email and text messaging, communication never sleeps. There is no longer mass reliance on telegraphs, trains or even letter carriers. Who needs a snail-like postal service for invitations and greetings when Facebook and Twitter exist? Point is, the party could be anywhere at any time and any invitee could be notified, dressed and partying within hours. Plus, due to the vast opportunities solidified for people of all socioeconomic classes during the 00s, even those born without riches, can afford to have fun. With the rise of the 00s, the entire concept of fun has been unbounded and the playing field of entertainment leveled. Music appreciators, film enthusiasts, billiard fanatics, club goers, athletes, gamers and book worms alike have begun to find themselves faced with relentless opportunities to enjoy life, even in the professional world. The entertainment “norm” is no more.
While the decade leaders from the late 1900s had their perks and brought many great cultural advances to the table of society, nobody worked it like the 00s. With their seamless blend of globally-binding modern technology and the cultural perks and quirks of generations before… …the 00s introduced modern society with an unforgettably diverse, collaborative and advanced ten years. It seems that the time has come for typical crowd favorites such as the 60s, 70s and 80s to retire from the spotlight because, let’s face it, they are so last century.
