F Is for Family follows the Murpheys, a fictional working-class suburban family based loosely off the life of comedian Bill Burr. While the setting and the characters on the show are fictional, they represent actual historical moments, distinguishing the show as unique for its kind by depicting the tangible struggles and sensibilities of the 1970s. Since the Seventies have often been remembered as an uneventful decade, TV shows such as F Is for Family helps to correct the historical memory of this tumultuous decade through the accessible medium of popular culture.
Read moreMust-See Films in Every Genre
Here is my list of must-see films from each genre, listed chronologically, from 1900–2000. For functional purposes, I have combined some film types/genres into one category. If a film is italicized, that means it is cross-listed. If a film is in bold, that means it is a personal favorite of mine. If it is not in bold, that does not necessarily mean I dislike the film—it simply means that it did not make it to my all-time favorites. This list is by no means comprehensive, but I tried to narrow it down to the classic films in each genre. Not all films are necessarily aesthetically “good,” but if they are important for the genre, then I included it.
Read more“Nobody Calls Me Chicken”: The Crisis of Masculinity in Gen X Cinema
Gen X movies often dealt with the theme of the male underdog finally getting the upper-hand over the dominant male type. Whereas cinema in previous eras glorified the rebel or the tough guy, Gen X cinema elevated the loser: the freaks, the geeks, the nerds, the wimps, the squares, the virgins, the slackers. The fact that so many of these films centered around the theme of the loser beating the jock or the bully demonstrates that there was a crisis of masculinity happening for Generation X, and this crisis was being worked out through the medium of popular culture.
Read moreAmerican Political Polarization, 50 Years in the Making
America’s current state of political polarization can be traced back to the 1970s and 1980s when these cultural differences were just getting formed. Historians tend to avoid taking lessons from history, but if one considers the larger patterns of cultural divisions in the United States, looking back at this earlier era may offer some clues. One fact is certain: historians and political scientists can no longer rely on the standard party line model to explain the country’s split.
Read moreRebel Girl: The Riot Grrrl Movement and Generation X Feminism
The Riot Grrrl movement developed in the 1980s and 1990s as a reaction to male-dominated subcultures and the second-wave feminism of the Boomer era. Drawing upon empowered female leaders from the punk and hip hop scenes, the women of Riot Grrrl sought to create their own forms of female empowerment and sexual freedom.
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