The eighties are usually remembered for their bright colors, funky hairstyles and the rise of cool technology we all know and love. After all, this was the decade that never stopped dancing or moving.
But beneath all the music and the flashes, the reality was way more complicated. The style was bold and loud but the voices were even louder, there was a lot of pressure and greed in the air that kept everyone holding their breath.
So while the surface looked glamorous, everyone was ignoring the deep cracks hidden in it.
1
Cold War paranoia
Nuclear fears still dominated daily life.
2
Rampant consumerism
Credit cards and status symbols were more important stability and savings.
3
Drug epidemic
Urban communities were damaged by addiction.
4
Gender inequality
Career women faced open discrimination still.
5
Global debt crisis
Developing nations suffered as Western economies tightened control.
6
Workplace exploitation
Long hours, and few benefits were glamorized as ambition.
7
Media monopolies
News and entertainment were controlled by a handful of corporations.
8
Political scandals
Corruption and cover-ups like Iran-Contra.
9
Yuppie culture
Success was defined purely by profit, looks, and brand names.
10
AIDS crisis ignored
A global health emergency met with silence, stigma, and indifference.
11
Environmental damage
Acid rain and unchecked industrial pollution were common.
12
Cultural erasure
Marginalized voices were drowned out by mainstream excess.
13
Homophobia in media
LGBTQ+ people portrayed as punchlines or villains.
14
Economic disparity
The wealth gap widened while economics failed.
15
Domestic violence minimization
Abuse was often dismissed or hidden behind closed doors.
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