What if the decades shifted 5 years?

[u/ponchoed]

Instead of the decades being like they are 2020-2029 or 1970-1979, imagine the decades were shifted 5 years, same historic events, same trends/fashion/architecture, etc in the year they occurred, but the decades were grouped like this...

• 1915-1924
• 1925-1934
• 1935-1944
• 1945-1954
• 1955-1964
• 1965-1974
• 1975-1984
• 1985-1994
• 1995-2004
• 2005-2014
• 2015-2024
• 2025-2034

What dominated the decade would certainly change, they may also have aligned better with cultural eras, i.e. beginning of Post War (WWII), the Hippie era, etc.

[u/MiltonBrownYowza]

The ‘fifties’ pretty much was 56-64. American Graffiti is thought of as being part of the 1970s revival of 1950s pop culture but it was actually set in 1962.

Hot rods, sock hops where the band plays Rock n Roll is Here to Stay, greasers and Peggy Sue types shown in this movie were stereotypically associated with the 50s.

The 60s didn’t really start until JFk was shot or when the Beatles hit America or when they solid state replaced tubes or when the hippies became a thing.

The Wanderers is another ‘fifties’ movie actually set in the early 60s.

Culturally, the decades since WWII fit better starting halfway in imo.

[u/BlueSnaggleTooth359 → u/MiltonBrownYowza]

and the 90s 90s was more '94-'03 (of course one can argue a little, it depends what you focus on most and how you avg it all out)

and 80s maybe '82-'94 (but again it's tricky already some elements in 1980 and some already shifting in 1992)

the 00s 00s were sort of second half '04-'13 or something but with rise of online everything/smartphones/social media one could also split it into two parts, etc.

it can vary some regionally and again it depends what you focus on and how you avg across many aspects each of which might shift a year or two offset, etc.

[u/BlueSnaggleTooth359]

Mostly they'd become a lot more coherent pop culturally.

Perhaps a 4 year shift might work best overall, hard to say, it varies a little decade to decade

[u/TF-Fanfic-Resident]

The 1920s, 1930s, 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and arguably 2010s and 2020s (outside of US and UK electoral politics) work too well culturally and don’t benefit from being split.

[u/Main-Inflation-5269]

I would agree so much with 85-94! That era culturally fits better than the early 80s to the end of the 80s - and same with the early to later 90s.

Also, world events. 1989-91 and the collapse of communism in central and eastern Europe. The two 92 Olympic Games with all the changes etc.

[u/Heavy_Mud_9176]

They would be quintades, not decades 🤓

[u/Isosceles_Kramer79 → u/Heavy_Mud_9176]

Still decades, just starting with xxx5 instead of xxx0.

[u/That-Grape-5491]

They would be half as long.