Kevin Bacon Explains the '80s to Millennials | Mashable

Kevin Bacon would like a word with you about '80s awareness.

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Written by: Annie Colbert, Evan Engel and Matt Silverman.
Filmed by Bobby McDonald and Evan Engel.
Talent coordinated by Lance Ulanoff.
Edited and directed by Matt Silverman.

MUSIC:

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Mashable is the leading independent news site for all things tech, social media, and internet culture.

[DavidAWA]

In the 80s, there was no worse fear than getting home and going to your front door and your phone starts ringing. You frantically fumble for your keys, knowing that if you don't get to the phone before it stops ringing, you will NEVER know who it was.

[MrCaveman]

I was born in the 50's. Learned and used computers in the 70's. Saw society fall apart in the 2000's. It really didn't take all that long. RIP Humans.

[ChipArgyle]

Personally I enjoyed actually _talking_ to people back in the 80s. Back then, when a phone rang, we picked it up and said, "Hello." It quite often led to something interesting. And we had to focus on the conversation and not distract ourselves by wandering around, because the phone was attached to the wall by something called a cord.

[pines]

Being a kid in 80s was the best. I miss those years

[rdskneva]

Yup, Kevin is right.  I remember going to Blockbuster all the time.  Nothing but mushroom clouds everywhere.  Damn Commies.

[troyelhard]

I miss renting cassette tapes from blockbuster. Be kind, rewind

[Proxyincognito]

Calling a girl in the 80's, that whole process:
- Wait for your parents not to be home, or bring the phone to your room
- Mentally prepare, hope her dad doesn't pick up
- Call. Dad picks up phone, be intimidated by his existence
- Ask if girl is there, talk.

[CUBEoneVX]

80's and 90's are the best decades ever.

[alaindubois]

Being born in the late 70's, I have always been nostalgic to the 80's.
As the time goes by, I believed that such a nostalgia would wean; quite the opposite, it grow fonder.

Whilst I have embraced the cyber wonders of the new millennium, I yearn for the old days, where human interaction, be it in social/professional environment, developed its pace naturally compared with today's hyped-up lifestyle.

[epa]

The 80s had young Arnold, young Harrison Ford, young Stallone, young Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Michael Jackson was black, Star Wars movies were good, Ronald Reagan was in the White House defeating the Soviet Union, no TSA at the airports, and people weren't staring at cell phones all day like zombies. Kids played in streets and parks until dark and no one freaked out over it. There was no internet crowd shaming. Heavy Metal hair bands ruled the Earth, mullets were everywhere. The 80s were the best.

[Jefff]

I want to tell Millennials about something called, "be kind and rewind!" When you were done with a movie, you couldn't just eject the movie like you do on a DVD/Blu-ray. You had to rewind the film and wait until the VCR was finished. Some machines took forever.

[Polpivtifish]

On a serious note, I'm sure a lot of people miss the days of going to the video shop. I know I do

[domjal]

Not to mention we had to "pirate" our fav songs from the radio & play them on our Walkmans!

[Torontogal]

The clothes the hair, the music and the Cars. Muscle Cars, not the group the Cars. I bloody loved the 80's. 1984 was the Greatest time in the World, as a teen watching the Birth of MTV and Video games was awesome. Hitting the Movie Theaters every weekend saw one great classic after another all year long.. MAN, I wish I could do it all again. Nothing differently just relish ever day  a little more. I don't think music was ever as diverse or had more different soloist and groups in the Top100 charts than in the 1980's especially the mid 80's, Music was a feast for the ears with one great hit after another on the radio.

[Leathurkatt]

Born in 1974, I know all about the 80's, I lived it.

[formerevolutionist]

I grew up in the Eighties. I learned how to type with a typewriter. I looked up information in an encyclopedia or at the library. Computers were called desktop computers because they actually took up the entire desktop. I learned how to use a computer using DOS and the only two colors were green light on a black screen.

[montanamountainmen]

Right on bud, the 80's were great, wish it was 1985 again.

[dantefernandodantezambrano]

Asking a girl out was pretty hard in the 80's as well as in the 90's. We needed to look straight in her eye, and had the courage to ask her out. It was up to her to either say yes or no.
Concerning social media we only had magazines, newspapers, the radio, and every once in a while a TV channel directed to the youth came up eventually. Additionally, if someone wished to stand up from the crowd; they needed to take pictures of themselves and posted on the school bulletin board as well as all parties and rock concerts we used to organize.
In other words, if we wanted something; we had to earn it. There was nothing taken for granted.

[leosilva]

I WAS BORN IN 1991 BUT I STILL NOW A LOT FROM THE 80S BECAUSE I GROW UP WIITH BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM THE 80S

[jaymcd]

Born in 83 I HATE smart phones and what Social Media has done to society in general.