Jan. 1 is not only an arbitrary day that induces people worldwide to buy new calendars, make resolutions that will undoubtedly be broken within 10 days and out-drink John Daly, but it also brings about reflection on the past 12 months. This year, though, started a new decade, so we all thought about the changes that happened since 2000. Sure, the new millennium had its share of monumental events, like the election of our nation's first black president, the emergence of a color-coded "terror alert system" and David Beckham's migration to America, yet I remain unconvinced that times are significantly different.
Each decade may seem different at first glance, on a superficial level. But every 10 years, seemingly "important" or "historical" events happen that are merely transfigurations of their predecessors. Wow, look at me getting all philosophical. What I really mean is that each decade has its own scandals, fads and pop culture phenomena that mirror those of the past. The 2000s, the 10 years that saw the creation of Ugg boots and the Brangelina brood, are no different.
Each decade has a slew of political scandals. The 1960s had the Chappaquiddick Incident, the 1970s had Watergate, the 1980s had the Iran-Contra affair and the 1990s immortalized the words "I did not have sexual relations with that woman," while the mayor of Washington, D.C. was convicted of cocaine possession. The new millennium was no different. It began with the 2000 presidential race, which didn't produce a conclusive winner for more than a month. Florida recounts abounded, ultimately naming the articulate "Dubya" as leader of the free world and leaving Gore to resort to befriending Leonardo DiCaprio and promoting Priuses. Another scandal was in 2006, when Vice President Cheney channeled Annie Oakley, shooting a friend while hunting in Texas. Also of note was the 2008 Eliot Spitzer scandal, which mainly benefited the governor's prostitute, who subsequently received her own column in The New York Post, proving to the world that hookers can, in fact, be eloquent.
The past 10 years also brought sports scandals, just like decades past. During the 1980s, Rosie Ruiz infamously hopped on the subway during the Boston Marathon. 1989 saw Pete Rose charged with betting against his own team. The 1990s had a veritable athletic scandal during the 1994 Winter Olympics, when figure skater Tonya Harding - ever the creative thinker - convinced her husband to act as a hit man and take out her competition. The 2000s, meanwhile, had its fair share of scandals in the athletic world. Mike Tyson bit off someone's ear - making the aforementioned Harding look angelic - and Michael Vick became the target of PETA people everywhere. Nobody remembers that Tom Brady set a Super Bowl record for most pass completions in 2004 because the most vivid memory from that game overwhelmingly remains the legendary "wardrobe malfunction" of Janet Jackson's exposed breast. Additionally, Kobe Bryant faced rape charges, almost, if not completely forgotten because of his success on the court. That scandal should be a lesson to the most recently disgraced athlete, Tiger Woods - get out of sex rehab, take Mickelson out in the Master's and the image of your wife chasing you with a golf club on Thanksgiving will be eradicated from public memory.
Along with these newsworthy events, which mirrored those in the past, the 2000s introduced fads that replaced their precursors. Facebook replaced chat rooms as the new Internet sensation and, much to the dismay of college students, even became popular among parents and potential employers. The past decade also established "text" as a verb; without text messaging, I doubt I would be able to communicate well, nor would I be able to occupy myself by religiously reading "Texts from Last Night." Reality TV also became popular during the past decade. Initially, this replaced traditional shows, but everything has come full circle now, as alleged "reality" shows are more truly scripted. "Twilight" is another pop culture fad of the new millennium, but this unrealistic fantasy series turned movie is nothing new, as it has only replaced the Harry Potter craze that emerged during the late '90s. Hence, the entertainment landscape hasn't really changed.
Bob Dylan famously sang, "The times, they are a-changin," but I beg to differ. I do recognize that our world has been permanently altered by the invention of the iPod, the end of smoking in bars and the requirement that we strip down to essentially our underwear at airport security checks. I also know that we've all changed during the past 10 years, growing a little taller, shedding our braces and maybe gaining a little bit of wisdom along the way. But fundamentally, things are sort of the same. I, for one, hope that this reality continues, because, just like this decade's Crocs trend and "The Sopranos" series finale, I think growing up is overrated.
Abby's column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at a.coster@cavalierdaily.com.
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