Why the Seventies Will Always Be My Decade

A few weeks ago, my lovely English professor, referencing to my blog's uncommon focus, expressed a bit of confusion over my intense interest in the 1970s: "I must say, I've had students who are really into a certain period, like the Civil War era, but I've never had someone who is so interested in the 1970s.  It's...interesting."

At the time, I hadn't given my passion for this peculiar decade much thought, and since "I like it because I like it" doesn't really have a nice ring to it, I just smiled and agreed that indeed, it is..."interesting."  But it got me wondering, why do I have such an interest in the 70s? So now, seeing as this is my last post on Gospel of the Piano Man (trust me, I'm much sadder than you are) I feel like answering this question will be a nice way to wrap up this series.  So without further ado...

---

To be honest, the 1970s don't look so great on paper.  They're a collection of years tainted by so many tragically memorable events.  The violence of the Vietnam War caused an incredible wave of distress and disillusionment.  Watergate dethroned our nation's leader and unveiled the ugly truth of corruption in America.  The Munich Massacre.  The energy crisis.  The Kent State shootings.  The break-up of the Beatles.

And if that wasn't enough, the decade also has the misfortune of being sandwiched between the psychedelic sixties and the glamorous eighties.  I mean, who cares about earth tones and rusty orange when we can talk about Woodstock or the rise of the supermodel?

The common sentiment might be best summed up by Elizabeth Wollman of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History who writes:

"The 1970s gets a bad rap.  Rarely revered as a glorious- or even particularly memorable- time in contemporary American history, the seventies is more often seen as the sad stepchild to the 1960s, which is celebrated as a decade of peace, love, and revolutionary social change.  In sharp contrast with the 1960s, the 1970s was painted, even as it progressed, as an era of crushing disappointment: defeat in Vietnam, bad or downright corrupt political leadership, staggering economic problems, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, and inane fads."

And yet, the 70s remain my decade of choice.  I've done some soul searching and uncovered some reasons why the seventies, despite all its faults, will always be my decade, and the first place I travel once we finally master the art of time travel.

---

Roots
If you listened to my This I believe podcast or read my post about my favorite place on Earth, you know that my love of history really stems from stories of my mom's 1970s childhood in the suburbs of Philadelphia.  So I guess that's where you can say my love of the seventies stems from too.  After all, it was from my mom that I grew to love the wonderful 70s music scene, and from my grandparents that I was able to spend time in a home that could have passed for a museum of the home decor and technology of the decade.

Music
This one probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise, seeing that I usually can't go more than one week without writing about my favorite singers of the decade.  And can you blame me? The 70s had it all when it came to music.  On the west coast you could chill with the likes of the Eagles, Joni Mitchell, and CSNY, then hop over to the east coast and disco the night away (or rock out with the one and only Billy Joel).  Whether you want harmony and good vibes or something a bit grittier, the 70s are your one stop music shop.

Hair

Randy Meisner, ca 1970s

I don't have very much to say on this topic, other than that a very surreal moment for me was watching the Eagles documentary shortly after getting a foot of my hair chopped off and some legit fringe added to my forehead and realizing that I had just gotten the same haircut as guitarist Randy Meisner.  I consider this both a great honor and a testament to the amazing hair of the 70s.

People
Ugh, I know.  It's so hard for me not to be cheesy in these posts (but then again it's my last, so I don't feel that bad about it).  In this blog, I've always tried to focus on the people behind the events, the cultural phenomena, the one-hit wonders, and the movements that changed history.  Despite the war, despite the economic struggle, despite the corruptness of politics, there were some beautiful things that came out of that decade.  Like the cliche classic metaphor of the flower growing out of the crack in the pavement, the people of the 70s made it a decade worth remembering and celebrating.

The Muppet Man

I love reading self-help career articles  (you know, the ones published by Forbes and Fast Company that have titles like "how to ace the interview without selling yourself" and "six habits of highly successful business owners".  I probably spend a good few hours a week reading those articles, feeling empowered for all of 15 minutes, and then promptly forgetting everything I just read and starting all over again.  

---

I also really love the muppets (stay with me here).  I love their bright colors, their zany personalities (looking at you Animal), and honestly I just enjoy saying the word "muppet."  But most of all,  I love this musical number from Disney's 2011 film The Muppets, starring Jason Segel and muppet "Walter":

That song is definitely one of the happiest (and funniest) things I've ever seen-- which got me thinking... who is the man who started it all?  So this week, I want to tell you about the man behind the muppets: the one and only Jim Henson.

---

You really can learn a lot about a person from watching his/her funeral (yes, I am aware of how creepy that sounds).  But really, as I was researching Henson's life for this post I kept happening upon articles and videos from Henson's memorial services in 1990.  And from reading about his requests that no one wear black, to watching the moving musical numbers by Big Bird and the muppets (really), to listening to moving eulogies by his friends, I felt that I gleaned so much about Henson and his life.  What struck me most was that he was incredibly loved by everyone who knew him-- something rather uncommon for a person of his immense success.  He actually reads like a poster child for how to succeed in life and your career.  So (and this is where that first part comes into play) I'd like to use my recent obsession with self-help and my fascination of Henson to give you some advice that I might imagine Henson giving if he had written a self-help book.

--- 

Pursue other creative outlets

Henson is best known for blessing the world with his wonderful and whimsical puppets that became the famous characters of The Muppets and Sesame Street.  But did you know that he was nominated for an Academy Award in 1966 for an experimental short film he made?  Or that he came this close to opening a nightclub named Cyclia "that would immerse its patrons into a perfectly synchronized environment of music, images, and dance?"  Henson focused on the ventures that brought him commercial success, but also set aside the time to pursue his "passion projects."

The takeaway: No matter what you do, make room in your schedule to pursue your passions.  This will bolster your creativity and lead you to performing better in your worklife.

Pay attention to detail

In a eulogy both hilarious and truly touching, Henson's work partner and close friend Frank Oz tells a story about a homemade gift Henson once gave him for Christmas. And what struck Oz most about it was the attention to detail and the intricacy of the piece.  Henson took the time to pay attention to the tiniest details of his work in order to achieve the effect he wanted.

The takeaway: It's important to go the extra mile;  if you notice the little things, people will notice you.

Be grateful

According to Oz, Henson not only noticed the little things- he truly appreciated them and soaked in their presence whenever possible.  He appreciated so many of the things we take for granted on a daily basis: warm weather, taking walks, and especially dessert.  And Oz believed this was a part of Henson's magic: "I think life was just this dessert for him.  I really don't believe that Jim could have been such an extraordinary creator if he hadn't been such an extraordinary appreciator."

The takeaway: Show appreciation and gratefulness for the small joys and successes in your life; positive energy can take you far.

Create Something

Above all, Henson's legacy is the beautiful things he brought into the world: his films, his sesame street characters, his muppets.  Henson was able to give back by creating something that continues to have a positive impact on the world- decades after his passing.  His work continuously brings laughter, song, and education to children and adults alike.

The takeaway: Life is better when you create things.

Care about people

Must I say more?

---

Bonus: Here is a picture of my sister Chrissy with the Jim Henson statue at the University of Maryland (their shared alma mater).