1997 vs 2007: Is Life Better Now?

[Pip Madeley]

Another potentially controversial thread from MSN...

10 things that make 2007 great
an opinion piece by Laura Simpson - MSN Homepage Editor

May 1, 1997 was a fine, sunny day in England. It was full of anticipation and pre-election electricity. That pleasant spring a decade ago was a time when anything seemed possible; the fashion was laid-back, the music was optimistically arrogant rock delivered by swaggering, working-class heroes, and the culture scene was definitively British and proud of it.

It would be easy to look back with dewy-eyed nostalgia on those hopeful, hedonistic times. May 1, 1997 was momentous and heralded great change, especially if, like me, it was the first time you were old enough to vote. It would be very easy, now the sun set on my teenage years and cynicism clouds the once-shiny veneer of confidence in New Labour, to say we had it so much better then. It would be easy, yes, but it wouldnt necessarily be true.

Today, now a comfortable-enough gap has formed between us and the 1990s for the decade to be deemed retrospectively cool, it is inevitable people say modern life just doesn't cut it. But this does no justice to the progress of the past decade. There are certain factors 10 of which are listed below that make 2007 great, its biggest downfall being that things have moved on so quickly we are too spoiled to appreciate how far weve come. Granted, most of the things on the list cannot be attributed to Tony Blair or Labour David Cameron would have a great deal to worry about if they could but they are feats in their own right that make today even more exciting than 1997.

1) The internet (and access to it) is so much better.
Can the same term be used to describe the amazing multi-media marvel of today that once described the clunkier, error-message-laden version of old? A decade is a long time on the web, from dotcom highs and lows to the wonders of instant messaging, blogging, social networking and video. And the greatest thing yet? Broadband. No longer do we have the excruciating pain of whirrrrrr, click, click egg-timer click, click maybe-Ill-call-a-mate-while-I-wait-for-this-to-loadooh-darnit-no-I-cant-because-the-phone-line-is-jammed, click, click meltdown.

2) British music is more eclectic.
Yes, the 1990s had Britpop, but it cant compare with sounds of today. By 1997 Oasis and Blur were past their best anyway - theres only so many times the Gallaghers can peddle their limited-chord-change brand of Beatles-meets-Stone-Roses. Now theyre more Belsize Park than Manchester these days, the kids on the streets need something edgier to listen to. Step forward the Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Jamie T, the Klaxons and numerous other grittier bright young things to take their place.

3) Portable technology for all.
In 1997 mobile phones were a luxury item for business people and high-earners. And weighing the same as a small brick, the term mobile could only be used loosely. Now the vast majority of us have a mobile phone, MP3 player, digital camera, or Blackberry - sometimes all of these rolled into one. Technology has truly crossed all boundaries of age, status and gender.

4) Food has improved.
Organic sections in all supermarkets, Jamie Oliver saving the nations school dinners from the scourge of turkey twizzlers, health food shops springing up on virtually every high street, the popularity of superfoods, myriad menus from around the world now more readily available. You name it, we can eat it. The potential for expanding the nations palate is there - now all we need to do is convince people to try new things.

5) Legislation reflects openness and tolerance.
Too often we criticise laws for restricting our liberties, but there have been changes which have affected us greater freedom over the past decade. The Civil Partnerships Act, which paved the way for the first gay marriage in December 2005, is just one small step to redressing the balance of discrimination. The Freedom of Information Act also moved us toward a more open society. It just takes people to care enough to seek out the information.

6) The weather is nicer.
I know this is controversial, but (whisper it) this fine weather weve been having of late is great, isnt it? OK, I do feel a pang of worry about whats creating our pleasant climes and whenever I cheer at a good weather forecast a future snapshot of flooded Britain flashes before my eyes. However, sunny weather, in moderation, is good for us. Now, before anyone has time to harangue me for perpetuating the demise of our planet, let me move swiftly on to point 7.

7) The world is becoming more green aware.
About eight per cent of household waste in England was collected for recycling in 1997. Last year, the average figure stood at approximately 27 per cent. This is just one example - it seems that the accessory to have in 2007 is an eco-conscience, with everyone from Cameron (Diaz) to Cameron (David) desperate to show just how green they are. Events like Julys Live Earth, with some of the world's top acts performing to highlight climate change, just wouldnt have happened in 1997.

8) Its cool to dress on the cheap.
In the 1990s fashion snobbery was rife. It was all about what labels you were wearing. Then the football WAGs came along and proved that no amount of money can make you look classy and tipped the definition of style on its head. Add into the mix the rise of Primark and icons such as Kate Moss designing high street collections and cheap is now chic. In 1997 people cut the labels out of their clothes if they came from lower-end stores, now people delight in asking if a persons Chlo frock actually came from Tesco.

9) The world has got smaller.
The minute Eurotunnel opened in 1994, the scope for Britons to explore expanded. It took a few years for it to catch on, but now we think nothing of hopping over to France for the day. But this is just the beginning. Some flight providers are now marketing Hong Kong as a possible weekend destination and weve even seen the first space tourist take a holiday flight into space. These are feats that 10 years ago wed have dismissed as the stuff of science fiction.

10) We are living in an era of choice.
However people feel about technologys overwhelming assault on our lives over the past decade, we cannot deny its impact. At the beginning of 1997, the UK had four terrestrial TV channels and viewers had to pay if they wanted to see more; the internet was something available in offices and universities but seldom in the home; and if you wanted to shop, you generally went into your nearest town. Now people are can choose where they get their TV, news, entertainment, clothes and holidays from, and a lot more besides.

There are so many disparate products and voices out there consumers can decide whether they buy into or listen to them or not, and indeed whether they want to participate by adding their comments to the clamour of viewpoints. In 1997, New Labours election song was Things Can Only Get Better. And they have. This is not necessarily because Tony Blair delivered on all his election pledges or because all his governments decisions were wise ones, backed by the nation. Things have got better in wonderfully diverse ways we never thought possible. And if life carries on at this pace, Im looking forward to 2017 already.

What do people think?

[Dirk Gently]

Life is always better in the future. Look at what life was like in 1947.

[Milky Tears]

I gave up reading it when I got to "England".

[Ralph]

I think we've got a lot to thank Tony for and we should be ever so grateful - what a great guy!

If you want to buy your first home it's so piss easy than it was in 1997 eh oops sorry strike that, er pensions are now tax free eh no, the British public pay less tax? oops... you can find an NHS dentist hmmm... Britain's better regarded on the world stage eh..kids are more heathy er... theres a minimum wage yay! I knew there had to be something...the world's greener yeah it is...Tony's been pumping tax payers money into windfarms I know because a friend tells me he's making a fortune out of it... we've got rid of nasty Tory sleaze and back handers ...oops

Yup its all great (if you've got a selective memory)!

[SiHart]

It's a hell of a lot better if you're gay, as we now almost have equality with the heterosexual community!

I have fond memories of the week Tony came to power, but that's a story for a different thread...

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

At least the economy is better. Did you notice the last recession?

I didn't think so.

[Ralph]

No but I did notice the FTSE 100 is still lower than it was more than 7 years ago that is if we're claiming politicians are responsible for economic success if thats what we have.

If the economy's in better shape I wonder why we're paying more tax? How puzzling? Well I suppose Wars are incredibly expensive not just in lives.

Still better spent on Tony's crusades than on schools and hospitals

[Pip Madeley]

It's all about the legacy.

[Ralph]

I think there's no doubt Tony's left us some legacies

He's also the first British Prime Minister to be interviewed by the police while in office regarding a criminal enquiry directly associated with his cabinet.

edited to add: Pity it wasn't Gene Hunt doing the interviewing

[Matthew T]

It was obviously better in 1997 because I was a fresh young 17 year old then and now I'm an old man of 27.

[Milky Tears]

I think there's no doubt Tony's left us some legacies

He's also the first British Prime Minister to be interviewed by the police while in office regarding a criminal enquiry directly associated with his cabinet.

edited to add: Pity it wasn't Gene Hunt doing the interviewing

He's also getting a kick in the bollocks from the electorate on Thursday night. Just before he drags his smug a*se out the door next week/moaning-faced **** takes over.

Tony even visited my constituency the other day.

It's ten years (nicely fits the thread title ) since he was last here during an election campaign. That's a sign of how desperate/bad things are getting.

[Carol Baynes]

It was obviously better in 1997 because I was a fresh young 17 year old then and now I'm an old man of 27.

I was 23/24...I could have taught you a thing or two!

Things have changed, some for the better, some for the worse, som efeel the same... Technology is making a huge difference- the way the computer is part of our lives is very much a recent thing for me. In 1997 I didn't own one, and only used one for university or work.

[Captain Tancredi]

I was 24 going on 25...and I'd agree that technology has made a tremendous impact, although it still depends on how you're prepared to use it. It was probably in 1997 that I sent my first email outside a college network, and also used the university computer lab to check out the very slow (or so it seemed at the time!) Babylon 5 website. Now I can have dozens of CDs on a iPod the size of a pack of cards, and it's still just over half full.

I think the problem is that the last ten years covers a crucial period in my life, and it's one that's seen the slow and painful death of much of my sense of hope and optimism. In May 1997, it really did feel as if things were going to get better- after all, they couldn't get that much worse, or so it seemed- and for a while they did. Nowadays I'm deeply sceptical about anybody's ability to really change things for the better, and I don't think I'm alone. The week after the election, I started my first real job, temping in Barclays Bank for 4.50 an hour; now I work for another bank and my pay approximates to around 6.75 an hour- so I suppose in one way I'm literally half as well off again as I was ten years ago. Thing is, I still can't afford to buy a house or learn to drive- everything seems to get so much more expensive year on year, but the money doesn't actually seem to be going anywhere. I think if I'd just graduated and I had the money, I'd look at going somewhere like Australia, New Zealand or Canada, because I do think this country is on its last legs and about to collapse sooner or later.

[Alex]

1) The internet (and access to it) is so much better.
Okay, the internet's fantastic but in 1997 I didn't really use it, so I didn't miss it, if you get what I mean.

2) British music is more eclectic.
Absolute rubbish! I think the British music scene is rather bland at the moment, back then there were soooo many different scenes, and sure, a lot of the bands might have only just made the top 50, but so many of them were absolutely brilliant. And music was just so much more fun then too!

3) Portable technology for all.
"In 1997 mobile phones were a luxury item for business people and high-earners." - That's nonsense as well, I knew loads of people who had a mobile back then, and they were students! I didn't get one till 2000, but my pager was still working back then and perfect in that if anyone contacted me who I didn't want to speak too I didn't have to speak to them(!)

4) Food has improved.
Yet more nonsense. Healthy food was out there back then, maybe you had to search for a bit more, but you could still get it pretty damn easily.

5) Legislation reflects openness and tolerance.
Fair enough on the tolerance front, but what about the crappy things Blair's bought (or is bringing) in, like ID cards, CCTV surveillance absolutely bloody everywhere...

6) The weather is nicer.
Well maybe a bit, but not that much. And on personal level, I don't actually prefer it as I find it harder to sleep at night. Oh, and from 95 - 2003, I had this lucky streak where every festival I went too was beautifully sunny, whereas since it's rained at least one day at every one of them. Grrr.

7) The world is becoming more green aware.
Fair enough, but Government's still aren't doing enough about it, and the way the US has disregarded the Kyote agreement is disgusting. That we have a better knowledge of the state of the world and still aren't doing enough is actually far worse a thing if you ask me.

8) It’s cool to dress on the cheap.
Nonsense again. Back in the mid to late nineties Charity Shop chic was in style, which was even cheaper than getting stuff from Primark.

9) The world has got smaller.
"The minute Eurotunnel opened in 1994, the scope for Britons to explore expanded. It took a few years for it to catch on, but now we think nothing of hopping over to France for the day." And we didn't back then, I know loads of people who took the ferry without a second thought.

10) We are living in an era of choice.
But if you ask me, British tv has got a lot worse in the last decade (with the tv companies desperate to attract viewers with any old rubbish rather than making good programmes), and yes, internet shopping is great, but for me I really love going round shops and trying to find a bargain more than doing it online.

She also just 'happens' to forget that we're currently involved in a war that has cost thousands of lives, and more iraqi's have died during the last few years than they ever did under Sadaam's reign. And also that the current climate of fear is (imo) a construct of the government's to try and control the population (cf Adam Curtis' amazing documentary The Power of Nightmares for more info on this).

Bah, okay, I'm in a bit of a bad mood today, but I really did find that article to be badly thought out, poorly researched, and just spectacularly rubbish overall.

[Carol Baynes]

Nowadays I'm deeply sceptical about anybody's ability to really change things for the better, and I don't think I'm alone.

It won't stop me trying, darling.

[Carol Baynes]

Reading Alex's post, I agree a lot of it is revisionist nonsense. So there!

[Captain Tancredi]

It won't stop me trying, darling.

I'm glad you've still got your fire- to be honest I'm not sure I can answer the question separately from looking at the course of my life over the last decade. If somebody gave me a cause tomorrow, I'd follow it, because the alternative is another thirty years of this, retirement and death. And I think that's something which has crept into British society in the last decade- a gradual sapping away of the ability to see opportunity, of imagination and people gradually becoming incapable of seeing themselves as anything other than what they are.

God, I'm maudlin tonight, aren't I? Need another good night's sleep, methinks!

[Carol Baynes]

It's not a new development. As Blur said, "Modern life is rubbish", and then went on to celebrate the ordinary..the everyday...the banal...which isn't really. Sometimes it all reminds me I'm alive- funny old world, eh?
This is the world as it is, but imagine what it could be. You can make an effort for a better day. The whole of society hasn't gone to shit; you're just sat moaning because you think you're having a shit life. You don't know you're born compared to some people. But you're incapable of seeing any good, and concentrate on the down side all the time!
See it with different eyes. I'm more than aware of the bad things in modern life, but it's not all there is, and the bigger picture is quite promising. But you have to put a bit of effort in.
The irony is, of course, that through your very attitude you're as much part of the problem you moan about as anything else. Self fulfilling really.

[Captain Tancredi]

I honestly don't know what's come over me tonight- although last night I wasn't very well so perhaps I'm getting over that. But yes, I'm very good at finding something to worry about to the exclusion of everything else- and yet today was a lovely sunny day, I'm reading a good book and I even won some Chewits in work.

But as I say, the story of the last ten years is in my case the story of ten years finding something else to do after the one thing I though I wanted to do proved impossible- it's quite funny in a way that Blair and I both started working in our respective fields in the same week and are basically doing the same job for a bit more money. I should probably look at stuff like my independence from my family instead, and the fact that millions of people can, if they wish, read what I think on any particular subject.

[Andrew Curnow]

1997 was the year Little Miss was born, and in fact I know exactly what we were doing 10 years ago today (ie, election night). It was the first night she really wouldn't settle, so until at least 2 in the morning, we three plus my brother were sat watching the TV in our flat. My brother kept deciding to go home (he lived a couple of streets away) but then wanted to hold on to see just one more Tory booted out!!

Are things better? Probably no better, no worse, just different.

[Dirk Gently]

Still better spent on Tony's crusades than on schools and hospitals

Oh yes, because increasing public spending from 312 billion to 552 billion hasn't done a thing has it?


(I sound like I'm in favour of Labour!)



I think we should all vote for the Legalise Cannabis Party.

[Ralph]

Oh yes, because increasing public spending from 312 billion to 552 billion hasn't done a thing has it?

No

I'd love to see where the money's been spent - anyway I'm enjoying this sparring Tim, better than maudlin about the last 10 years

[Nathan]

50 achievements since 1997

1. Longest period of sustained low inflation since the 60s
2. Low mortgage rates
3. Introduced the National Minimum Wage and raised it to 5.35
4. Record police numbers in England, Scotland and Wales
5. Cut overall crime by 35 per cent
6. Record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools
7. Best-ever primary school results
8. Funding for every pupil in England to double by 2008
9. Employment is at its highest level ever
10. Written off up to 100 per cent of debt owed by poorest countries
11. 85,000 more nurses
12. 32,000 more doctors
13. Brought back matrons to hospital wards
14. Devolved power to the Scottish Parliament
15. Devolved power to Welsh Assembly
16. Dads now get paternity leave of 2 weeks for the first time
17. NHS Direct offering free convenient patient advice
18. Gift aid was worth 625 million to charities last year
19. Restored city-wide government to London
20. Record number of students in higher education
21. Child benefit up 25 per cent since 1997
22. Created Sure Start to help children from low income households
23. Introduced the Disability Rights Commission
24. 200 winter fuel payment to pensioners & extra 100 for over-80s
25. On course to exceed the Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2010
26. Negotiated the historic Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland
27. Over 30,000 more teachers in England schools
28. All workers now have a right to 4 weeks’ paid holiday
29. A million pensioners lifted out of relative poverty
30. 800,000 children lifted out of relative poverty
31. Introduced child tax credit giving more money to parents
32. Scrapped Section 28 and introduced Civil Partnerships
33. Brought over 1 million social homes up to standard
34. Free school milk for five, six and seven-year-olds in Wales
35. Banned fox hunting
36. Cleanest rivers, beaches, drinking water and air since the industrial revolution
37. Free TV licences for over-75s
38. Banned fur farming and the testing of cosmetics on animals
39. Waiting times for operations halved
40. Free local bus travel for over-60s
41. New Deal - helped over a million people into work
42. Over 1.5 million child trust funds have been started
43. Free eye test for over 60s
44. Five, six and seven year olds in class sizes of 30 or less
45. Free entry to national museums and galleries
46. Overseas aid budget more than doubled
47. Cancer death rates down by 12 per cent, saving 43,000 lives
48. Cut long-term youth unemployment by 75 per cent
49. Free nursery places for three and four-year-olds in England, Scotland and Wales
50. Free fruit for all four to six-year-olds at school

[Ralph]

I must check out the Labour Party website myself later

[Nathan]

Do that - it's very enlightening.

Numbers 3, 7, 9, 11, 12, 21, 24, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 37, 40, 43, 45 & 50 are things to be very proud of indeed.

It's very easy to let the shadow of Iraq and personality cults fall over all of the achievements.