I was ten in 1980 and twenty in 1990, so I remember the 1980s well enough. Looking back, they seemed like much simpler times. After arriving from the UK in 1976, I grew up in Meadowvale, around Winston Churchill and Derry Road until moving to Toronto‘s beach(es) in 1988.
In the 1980s, it seemed there were far fewer shootings, the parents and grandparents of those who would become Toronto’s gangstas of the early 21st century were only now beginning to arrive from the Caribbean and Horn of Africa. In the early 1980s GTA suburbs the culture was far more homogeneous, yes we were mostly immigrants, but from Europe for the most part. My friends in elementary school were Brits and a few Germans and "exotic" Italians, but none of us were interested in holding on to the cultures of the home countries. No, we wanted to be hosers, lol, toque-wearing, hockey-playing Canucks like our Canadian born pals and neighbours. There was no discussion of multiculturalism, non-conforming gender or sexual expressionism or identity politics, at least not in my experience. No one seemed to have ADHD or anxiety issues, and any mentally-ill or special needs kids were invisible as far as I can remember. The 1980s must have been a hard time for anyone who didn't conform to society's standard of the time - the school yard was no place to stand out as different. My few non-White friends did all they could to fit in, ditching their ethnic food and mother tongues for our dreadful baloney and white bread sandwiches and English. Looking back from my perspective today, I have to recognize there was a lot wrong, unwelcoming and unequal with the 80's, but as a young person I didn't see it at the time.
But, when I see the shootings, gang culture, road rage, our general impatience and default anger and indifference to each other, plus our massive household debt, lack of savings and housing crisis, and dependence on devices and sceens, plus the youth anxiety crisis, etc.... I can't help but feel the 1980s were a golden time that I was fortunate to experience. I suppose that's why I ride a 1980s motorcycle and still use paper maps and yes, a compass!
I came of age in roughly the period.
Odd how we remember things differently.
First, the murder count was higher than now, even though the population was smaller.
Lets remember 1991 with 89 homicides; removing the anomaly of last year, we've generally been below 70, sometimes substantially below in the last 2 decades.
But with almost 50% more population!
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I also remember there being nothing to do on Sundays as most stores had to be closed.........
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I remember a far more boring food scene
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I also remember a Toronto that was more multi-cultural than you remember, having gone to school w/Psalma, Nazareen, Randi and a host of others from various backgrounds; the beginning of a good thing.
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I remember violent bathhouse raids and homophobic cops; a much lower high school graduation rate and far more pervasive bullying.
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I remember walking down Yonge Street when it looked and was a hell of a lot rougher, rowdy bars, a plethora of strip clubs, and adult cinemas, a whole lot less people, and a whole lot more sketch.
That never phased me the way it did some............
But this halcyon picture of a wholesome, homogeneous town is really out of step w/the Toronto I knew.
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Also, while I endeavour to always be looking at new cinema, new art, and listening to new music...............there's no question, the music I grew up w/was better than todays........
But don't take my word for it, take the word of my teenage niece who thinks I have the coolest music collection on the planet! LOL
