When you were in your prime and your country felt similarly positive, (my uncle Percy told me the 1930s was the best, when he left college etc.).

[grahamg]

If I were to try to tell you which decade I feel was the most positive in my country, and when I felt most at the "top of my game", (or in my prime), I would struggle to identify the best period, though 1987-1996 would maybe be the ten year period I'd choose, when I had regular contact with my child, had reached the peak of my career, and enjoyed the most successful holidays etc.

Anyone able to give an assessment of a whole decade when they felt everything more or less went well for them, and their country?

 

[grahamg]

Some research on the thread topic:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20150525-whats-the-prime-of-your-life

Our mental abilities rise and fall in waves​

Although facts may take a little longer to stick, other skills keeps on developing – reading comprehension and arithmetic, for instance, continue to improve into middle age. Social reasoning – our ability to manoeuvre our way through the complexities of our friendships - peaks even later. In other words, our mental abilities rise and fall in waves – as one crest has passed, another is on its way. “There’s no age at which we are best at everything – or even most things,” says Josh Hartshorne at Harvard University, who conducted much of the research.

30% of healthy people aged 65-74 have s*x at least once a week​

If sitcoms and movies are to be believed, your 20s and 30s are something of an ongoing orgy. In fact, neither s*xual desire, nor s*xual activity, fall off very quickly until well into your 50s. And even then the decline is far from precipitous. According to one paper examining “s*xually active life expectancy”, men who are 55 today can expect another 15 or so years of relatively frequent s*x; women of that age can expect slightly more than a decade. Intercourse may not be quite as regular or vigorous as it once was, but according to that study, 30% of healthy people aged 65-74 still enjoy s*x at least once a week.
What’s more, the falling s*x drive may have other compensations – just as your libido starts falling, your zest for life rises. This is something of a paradox, given the physical complaints that come with age, but it could be partly down to the fact that you have finally learnt to balance your emotions after the tumult of the previous decades.

 

[Knight]

I can't pin point one decade. For purposes of this thread after age my 20 then using a decade as the time measurement. In each 10 year span change happened so did life my life. In total I consider the changes to have been positive.

At 80 I consider myself to be in my prime or the top of my game. Sex was mentioned yep it's declined to a couple times a week.

 

[chic]

The 1960's as a fun decade for me because I was a kid. It was harder for adults in my country. Lots of civil unrest and an unpopular war. Materially we had everything so that was definitely a plus. It was probably a mixed bag of a decade, but subjectively, it was fine.

 

[JimBob1952]

The 1990s stand out for me. Peace and prosperity at home. Friends and family, good career, lots of tennis and skiing (things I don't do anymore). No Twitter, no Covid, no ISIS or al-Qaeda, none of the other things that have made this such a loser of a century.

 

[grahamg]

I can't pin point one decade. For purposes of this thread after age my 20 then using a decade as the time measurement. In each 10 year span change happened so did life my life. In total I consider the changes to have been positive.

At 80 I consider myself to be in my prime or the top of my game. Sex was mentioned yep it's declined to a couple times a week.

Just don't be over doing things would be my advice, though I'm no doctor, (I wondered who was having my share !).

 

[Alligatorob]

When you were in your prime and your country felt similarly positive?

Hard question to answer, maybe I slept through it...

 

[grahamg]

Hard question to answer, maybe I slept through it...

Tough question for me too, (as I think I said), though I'd like to try to kid myself "the best is yet to come", but it could be more likely "the worst" might be coming instead!!!!!!

 

[Fyrefox]

If I had to pick my best decade, I’d say the 1980’s when I was young, and supported and appreciated at work without being micromanaged to tears. Reagan was in office then, and while not a fan many thought he was the “cat’s pajamas.” My cats refuse to wear pajamas to this day…

 

[Lewkat]

1950s for me.

 

[Pepper]

'80's was a wonderful decade for me/husband/young son. The only thing that made it less than perfect was losing my dad in '81.

 

[Irwin]

my uncle Percy told me the 1930s was the best

Not to be pedantic or anything, but we were in the midst of the Great Depression during the 1930s and fascism was taking hold in Europe. Just sayin'.

Plus, the Dust Bowl.

 

[grahamg]

my uncle Percy told me the 1930s was the best
Not to be pedantic or anything, but we were in the midst of the Great Depression during the 1930s and fascism was taking hold in Europe. Just sayin'. . Plus, the Dust Bowl.

Those were my thoughts about the decade, reading history books etc., but don't dismiss "uncle Percy's" words too easily, at least about the situation in the UK, and remember this was his assessment of how the world felt to him, (he was by then a qualified engineer, just married, etc., etc..).

 

[JimBob1952]

my uncle Percy told me the 1930s was the best

Not to be pedantic or anything, but we were in the midst of the Great Depression during the 1930s and fascism was taking hold in Europe. Just sayin'.

Plus, the Dust Bowl.

My mother remembered the 1930s as good times. My dad had a good job, they were starting a family, and, as she said, "everything was so cheap!"

 

[john19485]

Never had one of those good years , had a couple of good weeks before, now it dependes on the day

 

[grahamg]

My mother remembered the 1930s as good times. My dad had a good job, they were starting a family, and, as she said, "everything was so cheap!"

I suppose the build up to world war two was a factor, (many being assured war wouldn't come, though I don't know what uncle Percy thought(?).
He did try to volunteer when war broke out though, to be told because of his knowledge, and previous health problems, he'd be needed in a reserve occupation, working in power stations).

 

[grahamg]

Never had one of those good years , had a couple of good weeks before, now it dependes on the day

You've certainly had a tough life then, or perhaps you're exaggerating, (which is much appreciated if so!).
If what you say is true, then maybe you're the "realist", whilst I'm a "romantic", (/fool).

 

[grahamg]

'80's was a wonderful decade for me/husband/young son. The only thing that made it less than perfect was losing my dad in '81.

I wonder how younger people might answer my thread question, and if they think they eve had it better than their parents generation did?