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An often forgotten theme of Reality Bites

posted 11 years ago by leishayoung
3 replies | jump to latest

It's also important to remember that the young people of the 90's were the children of the 'divorced and unhappily married parents' generation (the children of the 'revolutionaries'). At one time all of my brother's friend's parents were divorced. This is an oft forgotten theme of this film (that is explored), both LeLaina and Troy's parents divorced 'badly' and Vickie's parents are unhappily married. As a result we had a generation of kids who were traumatised by those experiences and were hell bent on doing everything opposite to what their parents did. Most Gen Xers have married much later than their parents and have committed to the 'white picket-face' lifestyle much later because they know the deal - they lived it and don't wish to put themselves, or their children, through the same trauma.

Many Gen Xers grew up thinking that their parents lifestyle was a crock and that it lead only to unhappiness, so they sought out a different path, but in the end we all return to the path most trodden...and perhaps that's a theme that some people miss about this film.

The young people of the 90's didn't want anything to do with their parents lifestyle because they had seen first-hand that it didn't bring happiness, but in the end, they really have no choice.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] cmtmj2006 11 years ago

My parents lived the American dream to the point where our home was the front of tension, anxiety and pressure. My parents made a great deal of money and spent more than they had. Their homes, cars and boats got more expensive but their was hardly any food in the fridge. When I graduated high school in the mid 80s I choose to live simply. I put off college, got a job making $450 a week and bought my Jeep Wrangler. I wanted no part of the material aspects of baby boomer life. My friends and I cruised without a care in the world. The thought of getting married in my early 20s was the last thing on my mind.

When I did finally attend college in 1991 Nirvana and Grunge was the sound I was waiting for. It was also the time I began dating my wife who was also in college. Those times were so chill. The feeling of no responsibilities but college and each other was sweet. Reality Bites brings back so many memories and feelings of the time. We just wanted to make our way in the world without a super splash. We didn't want the 70 hour work week that my parents choose. When we did graduate college in 95 the job market had changed. I was making slightly more money than I had before college and a terrible ression hit the nation. It would seem the baby booners who shed their ideals for money began to outsource jobs at an very high rate. If we choose to live simply we now had no choice. We got married in 95 also but did not have children for two years.

The point I believe the movie makes is we all think we are going to reach for the stars but reality leaves a reeling. You try to make the best of what you have. No one thinks ones going to work full time at the Gap after working there part time in college. I do feel for GenY because things have gotten worse over the last 20 years. Its the reason this movie is still watched and connects to the younger generation.

[–] rogerscorpion 10 years ago

I agree with you about the times. Internet. Global marketplace. These have altered our expectations.

Part of the problem is that we are intrinsically lazy. We mobilize until we get what we want & then slack off. We like to think that, now that things are like WE like---they're automatically going to stay that way. We don't realize that there are people who don't think like we do, and, if we slack off, we pay for it. Sadly, constant vigilance is necessary.

Carpe Noctem!