According to public opinion data collected by Pew Research, at least. Before I publish my annual list of top five national news stories of the year– which will be supplemented this year by a list of top five Cornell-related news stories of the year and top ten national news stories of the decade- here are some data that should convince you that the 2000’s really did suck:
Those who have read Bryan Caplan’s book The Myth of the Rational Voter will probably point out that these data can be explained by the pessimistic bias, or systematic tendency to overestimate the severity of economic problems and underestimate the past, present, and future performance of the economy. Still, it is shocking to see that more than twice as many respondents had negative impressions of the 2000’s than the 1990’s.
I recommend reading through the entire article, but this chart is of particular interest. Apparently Facebook, tattoos, reality TV shows, and the Cornell Insider are disproportionately responsible for people’s misfortunes in the past decade:
This was the decade that sucked. Tell everyone so that someday in the future our children and they’re children will read in their history books that “American’s generally agreed that “This decade sucked””.
I agree, the decade was simply awful. 2000-2009 marked the proliferation of assholes as the dominant societal group. Racial, political and sexual affiliations/orientations are no longer the driving force in dividing society…now it’s just a struggle for the 5% of decent Americans to avoid or learn to live in disharmony with the 95% asshole population.
I agree with the chart above, and as a result, I blame the downfall of America almost entirely on reality television and opinion shows.
2000s sucked hardcore. technology improved but music, tv, movies the economy, the war and people WENT TO SHIT!!!
Yeah, screw this decade. To me it seems like pretty much everything sucked after 2005.
I was 13 in 2000. If you count the decade as starting in 2001, then start there…
2000~ Pro wrestling still alive and good video games. Like stuff for the ps1 and N64. Games are kiddy but still enjoyable for adults.
2001~WCW and ECW close. WWF okay. Some good music, like “Puddle of Mudd’s” “Come Clean” CD is released.
2002 and 2003 ~ WWE Drops the bomb and becomes unwatchable. Good music, like “The Vines,” “The White Stripes,” “Seether,” ” Queens of the Stone Age,” “Audioslave,” etc. Lots of good video games. Games are now grown up and are made to look like a suave and grown man’s toy.
2004…okay music, like Velvet Revolver, new Queens of the Stone Age CD, and others…although crappy cheap rap music is starting to become mainstream. Overall, this was an okay year.
2005…Last “OKAY” year… Saturday Morning cartoons were passable this year. Also, still good video games…
2006…CRAP JOB MARKET. G4 loses everything it has going for it, and starts to become a lame version of SPIKE TV. Kids WB threw in the towel this year and FOX kids became progressively lamer. Also, lame HD NEXT GEN CONSOLES come out for fanboys and people with no life. I lose lots of friends to online gaming while I’m out having a life.
2007~ CRAPPIER JOB MARKET. There were still some shows I watched on Comedy Central and loved, like “THE SHOWBIZ SHOW” AND “DRAWN TOGETHER”…
2008~ MAD TV gets canceled, leaving us with the lame and unfunny SNL for late night viewing on the weekends. Economy dies.
Then every year after that, life kept getting dumber and dumber…with more un-original music and more lame movies and reality tv shows. SERIOUSLY, remember when TLC and Discovery used to show documentaries instead of reality tv shows? AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON GAS PRICES OR THE “FLOURISHING JOB MARKET!!!” I feel so screwed. I’m in my early 20’s and should be able to enjoy life, right? WRONG!!! I worked hard and saved my money to get where I am at and now part time minimum retail positions are all have to stay afloat??? No doubt wE will all look back to this point in our life and cry.
They dont SUCK you suck!! 2000s were awesome