So I'm officially middle aged

Actually, I've been officially middle-aged for a while. But this happened today:

I was discussing the Cold War today. You really have to lay the ground work for the kids here. They don't know anything about it. Nothing. Anyone reading this who came of age during the Cold War will be shocked by that, but its true.

I was explaining to the kids how the Cold War, and by extension nuclear was a ubiquitous fact of life, a residue that lay upon everything. Anyone of that age will remember the common childhood fear of nuclear war.

It came up somehow that during the 80's every movie seemed like it was about kids in the 50's or 60's. If you were there, you'd understand. I asked a girl when her folks were born and she wasn't quite sure where they fell, generation wise. I said, 'Describe your mother's senior picture.' When the girl got to her mom's ling, strait, parted down the middle hair I said, 'Aha! She's a 70's kid.'

And then it started.

'My dad was born in 71,' (oof). 'My mom was born in 67,' (Ouch).  'My dad was born in '74,' (ugggh,I'm older than him)...

It was only about half a dozen kids, but still.

Anywho, I was describing a world of detente, Mutually Assured Destruction, NATO-Warsaw Pact, Henry Kissinger etc,etc...it was utterly alien to them.

They even have '80's' day in high schools now.

If you were there, you'd understand.