History of Our Generation

Generally, most students on campus were born and grew up in the 80’s. It was before the huge introduction of computers and the internet. Cell phones were just coming into the mainstream of the public and the Smurfs were at the top of their game. The events in the 80’s have helped to shape what people see and hear today. For many students the major events in the 80’s are impossible to remember or they were not around when it happened. One of the most catastrophic events that started the 80’s was the eruption of Mount Saint Helen’s. On May 18, 1980 Helen erupted, claiming 57 lives and has been recorded as one of the largest landslides in history. The following year began the life and success of Bill Gates when he licensed MS-DOS. This was also the year of the attempted assassination of Ronald Regan and Pope John Paul II, both of which made a full recovery from their wounds. In August, MTV was officially launched and become the first 24 hour-a-day TV music station which has now exploded into its own culture. This was the same year that the now well known HIV virus was identified. At the time the virus was alien to scientist and the public, but has now become a common name and extensively researched and tested. In 1982 a Chicago woman became the eighth recorded person to spontaneously combust and die. In the fall, Johnson and Johnson recalled about 30 million bottles of Tylenol after seven people died. The cause was cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules that began a panic throughout the nation and is still unresolved.In 1983 the Internet was born and with it new understanding of information and technical capabilities. Today, the internet has become a network of culture and information that grows on a daily bases. In TV events, ’83 was the year that the long lived and loved series M*A*S*H ended and was seen by the largest audience in history. In the scientific community, 83 became the year that the first test tube baby was born through vitro and Dr. Barney Clark became the first person to receive an artificial heart transplant.The year 1984 was the year of several deaths and radical medical treatments. Known as the McDonald’s Massacre, James Huberty opened fired on 40 people at a McDonald’s killing 21 of them before being shot down by police. This was also the year that Prime Minister Gandhi was assassinated and when Marvin Gaye was shot by his father. In October, surgeons replaced a 12 day old baby’s damaged heart with a baboons heart; but it only lived a few weeks. It was in the year 1985 that new quotes and important discoveries were made. The now famous quote ‘Just Say No’ was created by First Lady Nancy Reagan and become national campaign. Coca-Cola recalled their ‘New Coke’ recipe when public outcry forced them to bring back the original recipe. On September 1 the wreckage of Titanic was found after being unseen for years at the bottom of the North Atlantic. In 1986, major ions celebrated birthday’s and space become an important interest to the public. In May and July Coca-Cola and the Statue of Liberty celebrated their 100th anniversary while Halley’s Comet appeared for a short time after 76 years. This was also the year of the Challenger disaster in which seven crew members, including a high school teacher, were killed when the shuttle exploded 74 seconds after launching. In 1987, politics played a major role not only in America but in other parts of the world. Early in the year Regan spoke to the people of Berlin and quoted the famous line “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Two years later the Berlin Wall was brought down. In October, the stock market crashed and became known as Black Monday but recovered in a few days. This was also the year that America celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the Constitution. The eighties was a time of political change, celebration, tragedies and a unique point of view. The events and interests of that time can still be felt to this day.