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I think of films from the seventies as a "golden era." So many classics (e.g., Jaws, The Sting, The French Connection, Apocalypse Now, Chinatown, etc. etc. etc.). The problem of course -- the turd -- is all the absolutely atrocious movies I've never heard of that were made and people labored through.

By the way, been meaning to dive into your guys' work for a while and just now getting unburied. Subscribing now!

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There is no such thing as a golden era. It is obviously in the eyes of the beholder. Even gold itself has been given a value by a certain society or societies. Hence, "gold rushes" in our part of the world where Europeans went crazy trying to dig it out of the ground. It used to be used as a monetary standard; it makes jewelry, and in a previous era was used to cover bad molars but various other metals glitter just as much. What's so golden about gold?

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We're like crows, Gareth. We like shiny things. Your comment makes me think of the goal of an alchemist to turn things into gold. Why?

At the same time, it's nice to have a metaphor for value that spans across cultures. There are few things on which humans generally agree. For some reason, gold being valuable is one of them. It would be interesting to investigate why that's so.

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I suppose the 50’s always sounded golden to me, but having not lived them it is just an impression. It seemed to be that post war time when modern conveniences made life easier, anyone could afford a home, even new immigrants. But perhaps because people had more free time to do what they wanted, they ended up wanting more than they had and a more secular, less need focused time came out of it.

The metal we are in today might be Lithium. We are in an era where we are trying to do what’s best for the earth but have many conflicting voices on what is best. And do we sacrifice what is best for humans in favor of what we think is best for earth?

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Ooh… lithium. Good choice. The geopolitical economics of it, the faith people put in it. You're motivating me to start that second EV-focused newsletter, Mom.

As for the '50s, I never connected with the culture of the decade personally, at least not as I have with the decades that came after. If I think about it now, I'm more drawn to the art made in that time—the jazz, the beatnik fiction and poetry—than the tech advancements and conveniences.

But the turds also come to mind: Jim Crow, the Cold War. Part of my disinterest in the '50s probably has to do with my lack of knowledge about the history of Canada during that time. I couldn't tell you the name of any Prime Minister from the decade. I know we sent troops to Korea. That's about it. The lack of narrative makes it hard for me to engage. Maybe that calls for a little research…

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I loved the 80s, but that had more to do with my innocent carefree life as a child than anything. My dad is nostalgic about the 50s for the same reason. Now that we're adults, we can certainly spot the turds of those eras. :)

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