I feel like I don't belong here...

Anyone can relate to this? I was born in 1997, so my teenage/young adult years were spent between 2013-now I guess. But I truly wish I was alive or older in the 90s or at least the early 2000s. When everything seems exciting. I was too young to understand to enjoy everything and probably wasn't even aware that I'm alive back then. These days everything feels meaningless. The music, movies, TV series, they're all so blah. Even back then you had many options for cellphone to choose. Now it's either Apple or Samsung (I'm aware of some other brands but these two seem to be the most popular). Everything is so boring. Sometimes I pretend like I'm living in 1993 or 1998 because it makes me happy haha. I know it makes me feel like I'm a total weirdo. I enjoy the technology, all these helpful apps, and how fast the internet these days, but yeah, it's just something that I wish I could do. Do you think there's some kind of meaning why we were born and alive in a certain era?

Yeah, and if you can believe it or not... There was even a time, when there was/or were--"no cell phones!" But seriously, if you have any specific questions, then maybe others can try to chime in and provide some perspectives on their individual experiences. As for me, being born about 20 yrs. prior (to You!). . . I feel like it was, rather by design, or a function of the times, set up so / or such that - the first half of my life would be "Incredible!" Just absolutely wonderful. And could not have gone any better. However, the next half; was basically just the 'exact opposite of that!' So yeah, I'm thinking more circumstantial, or coincidental, rather. In other words, it was no sign of the time, given the same genetics (for me) then I would've turned out the same way, no matter where or what era I was assigned to. I'm kind of wondering if I would have gotten so good (as in naturally athletic) at sports, as a child, if I'd have been as pre-occupied w/hand held devices and other means of technology growing up? We literally spent all hours of the day outside, playing something! And it stunk royally, when Mom would call us in at Sundown, to have to go back in. Now, that might be what one looks forward to? Or, who knows? -forgot the close I had in mind in the middle of typing this~

I think humans are always interested in things they can't have. Whether it's to live in an era they missed, work in a profession they are not a match for, or own something that costs more than they will earn in their entire life.
Do these things really have the value we feel they do? Probably not in most cases. It's all subjective really.

I agree that many things are meaningless. If you want excitement in your life, you have to make it. That could mean creating or doing something yourself rather than consuming the 'blah' options you mention.

Right, oh how confusing it is to be alive!

that's why I said that I like how sophisticated the technology is today, I can have access to all these more meaningful things. Like the music or movies. Ha, you know, maybe that's the reason I'm alive now: to have all this amazing technology and have access to all the stuff that I like.

Still I think it would be better if I could experience it... I remember in high school I would have no one in school to talk to about my interests simply because they're "not popular anymore" which is fair. So I would go on the internet and talk to my own community, thus makes me more of a loner. Haha.

I’m gen- X and so I grew up in the 90s. Like I turned 13 in 1990 so the 90s encompassed my entire teenage years. I feel very lucky to be in that generation, because the advent of smartphones was after most of us were fully developed mentally. Same with social media. None of my stupid teenage antics are recorded on TikTok for forevermore. We hardly had any cyber bullying at all.

I could go on and on describing the music scene, but this isn’t my personal nostalgia thread. 😝

There is a downside, I mean the later you’re born, the more advanced medical science is, same with technology. But to be fair with the climate and society going to heck, I am kind of glad to have been born when I was.

Which doesn’t preclude my empathy for the Millennial generation and later. I have major eco anxiety regardless. It’s my last thing to hold on to that someone super smart will somehow revolutionize clean energy and trash disposal. Otherwise I fear for all future generations.

Of course I do. There's always meaning behind everything. I'd been wishing I was born in the Victorian era because of the beautiful clothes and simpler times as far as the traditional roles for men and women go. But if I had all these mental illnesses back then, no doubt I'd end up in an asylum in which women weren't treated well at all. A mere bout of depression would have probably brought me to one of those. And that much, I'm certainly thankful for.

Ah being 13 in 1990, must be so exciting. 90s music is probably in the top 5 of my interests

I relate to it. In my view everything is too complicated and exacerbates our problem. My parents couldn’t drive so we used buses and trains. It was fun and the excitement more as we travelled to see relatives and friend without door to door transport. The thing was it was simple things creating pleasure.

I think that technology has made life way too fast. It creates so much pressure in so many ways. Life before the internet was quieter, calmer, less pressured, less anxious, slower…… you get the idea. Today we expect ourselves to do so much more in a fraction of the time, we’re expected to do it all day, without a break - madness. I grew up in the 70’s - 80’s. I wouldn’t say my mh was much better then but I don’t remember feeling the same pressure that people experience today. I understand that the grass is always greener type of thing, I wonder if awareness of the impact of this new technological era will help us to moderate our use of it a bit better. Does it need to reach crisis point, it already reached crisis point, before we all change our usage habits?
Speaking of tv and films, it definitely feels like they have run out of ideas. There is very little that catches my interest these days. Bring back the old gentle films like Notting Hill or You’ve got mail. I can watch those time and time again!

Will have to check those out! : )

Do you have any in particular, that you're most fond of/or with? (as far as 'Music,' is concerned?)...

I agree. I've said this in other thread about how everyone these days doing things like they're running out of time, but at the same time I understand why they feel that way, because prices are getting higher (inflation), competitions at school, work, and things like that.

There's a conspiracy that says something like all this sophisticated technology was made to ruin humanity (lol) but I'm not really sure about that because I feel like most of this technology helps us for the better.

Some of my favorite bands:
- Nirvana
- Hole
- Veruca Salt
- Bikini Kill
- Bratmobile
- Babes In Toyland
- Velocity Girl
- The Jesus and Mary Chain
- My Bloody Valentine
- Oasis
- Ride
- Slowdive
- Lush
- Teenage Fanclub

I've been listening to a lot of shoegaze lately. In the middle of 2023 I started listening to indiepop bands from the 80's and 90's, most of them were signed to Sarah Records. Currently I've also been digging lots of bands from Creation Records, they're fantastic!

And speaking of shoegaze, it seems like it's getting more popular on TikTok, and there are quite a lot of great shoegaze bands popping up lately. Usually I listen to shoegaze online radio stations, DKFM (http://decayfm.com) for example to discover new music

Sweet @puffymilk ! And yes, you def may have been born in the wrong, 'Era!' Just joking~ I have heard of a number of those bands, and happen to like them very much. But not all of them. . : ) And I had not heard of ShoeGaze bands before?? Interesting, will have to look into them, or it - when I can (find the "energy," that is!). Ha Thanks for the great link to find some new tunes, too. . . Always a "good thing," in my mind: when you can sort of come across something, even if it's like you've done here; & it's come before (your time). But to you--it will still be 'New!' It was like that for an artist from the '70s for me. I didn't discover him until more like or around 2010. Just by accident, or mistake really~ / but then before you know it, I'm on this "journey," & it's wonderful and incredible all at the same time, or at once. So it is quite an interesting visceral experience, I can find. I guess like with any other artist, or art (work). In that, it can be a painting, or a written work from the past. But it lives on and is present & fresh in your mind currently as is now! So, that's fantastic in my opinion. And well done! Excellent idea for your thread.. Bravo!

Sounds amazin. Haven’t listened to a lot other than Nirvana and Oasis, but will defo try the others and that’s from an 70s 80s and 90s music fan

They used to have really good soundtracks during that decade, too ('90s!) - I'm just trying to think of some of them off the top of... & I guess it's a little tougher than I'd thought. But I remember like from the following movies: The Crow, Last Action Hero, Clueless, (first of all - I've got to try & remember what movies came out during that time..) Natural Born Killers, Pulp Fiction, oh man? Well, I may have to come back to that. On a separate topic of just films in general, it MIGHT be my favorite decade ever: at least if we're talking ones in which I was alive (that is!)..

Haha! Born in the wrong era, I know right yes not everything is for everyone, definitely, and that's totally fine. I like that I can always discover these "old" bands (or great bands that are new) thanks to internet Most of the time I have to find my own interests instead of following what's the media is currently pushing on us. music is probably one of the things that's keeping me wanting to stay alive, because I'm always excited for new good music.

I hope you like shoegaze because to some people it's just static noises :P

The Crow Soundtrack is amazing, every track is a "banger" as the kids say Clueless also has great tunes too. Velocity Girl, The Muffs! I've only listened to Burn (by Nine Inch Nails) from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack but a lot of people have said that the NBK soundtrack is super good (and Pulp Fiction as well)

Dazed & Confused, too.. (Ok, so I just "cheated," & googled it...) / I guess I'm geeling extra 'Lazy,' to day?

Singles (if you like grunge), Lost Highway, Reality Bites, & how could we all for-get, the legendary SpiceWorld?!? ;^D

I HAVE to listen to the Lost Highway and Reality Bites soundtrack! I only remember that one scene of Reality Bites where Winona Ryder and her friend were dancing to My Sharona

(PS I love your new profile picture!)