80's Music - Reflection of Decade

Though the 1980's did not interest me in a music sense, the messages behind the music did. A major message of the music was that violence, such as the Cold War, was pointless. The anti-war message could be clearly seen through the songs, "Russians" and "99 Balloons". These songs demonstrated the staunch positions held by most individuals, which was that nuclear war and rhetoric served no positive purpose. While the Cold War was a major theme, domestic issues, such as the changes of desegregation, were prominent in various groups including the hip-hop group, NWA. They brought up issues like racism and gang violence occurring in California. They frequently used racial slurs in their songs, as they were not afraid to be controversial or confrontational. NWA’s willingness not to shy away from controversial topics and express their opinions was a new and interesting approach. I believe that they captured the mood of some people during the decade since inequality was still a major problem in the country at the time, which they helped bring attention to.

80's TV

Bill Cosby is a well known and hilarious comedian so I enjoyed watching his show.  For the time, the show served as a new precedent because it featured a well to do African American family that ran directly against racial stereotypes. The show developed its humor from the familial interactions it portrayed and the typical banter that developed in a growing family. The show developed an array of struggles that appealed to all ages, such as peer pressure and parenting. The clean and familiar humor provided for all age groups to watch.

Miami Vice was more enjoyable than the other shows as it provided an interesting plot line that was relatively realistic. From the 70's and 80's there was a significant change in violence. Explosions were used for the first time and were more frequent though not developed with as much drama as modern media. Violence ,such as the shooting of various people, was more prevalent though, like explosives, less dramatic as those found in modern media. 

 

Cheers was interesting especially since we live in the Boston area, which added to the entertainment of the show. The single setting seemed odd at first but eventually revealed the interesting premise of following some at work, rather than following them on odd journeys, which most people would not relate to as more white-collar jobs required people to stay in one place for hours.