The 2000s

Television:

By Leah

The 2000s TV shows were mostly about messed up family life and friends. While in the 1900s a lot of TV shows were about war, and did not include blacks, in the 2000s shows were mostly comedy. Some shows included sexist and racist shows.

TV shows like arrested Development were popular. Arrested Development was about a guy named Michael Bluth, who finds himself forced to take care of his spoiled family. This show was famous because it was a comedy. People could relate to it because of their own family life and people just wanted to get a laugh. This is similar to another famous animated tv show, Family Guy. This show is still very popular. Family Guy is a politically incorrect animated TV show. It features a family with all the characters having their own issues. The stupidity of the show and the politicly incorrect jokes, make it entertaining to watch. Modern Family is a TV show that first aired in 2005. It is about three families that are interrelated. In this show is a gay family. This show is important because it shows that gays should be treated the same. The next show is everyones favorite. Its the tv show FRIENDS. In this show Rachel Green flees her wedding and find her friend Monica Geller, who is a New York city chef. She becomes roommates with Monica and joins her social circle of people who are single and in their mid 20’s. In this show Rachel and her friends (the social group she joins) love life. This show is comedy and although there are no morals. This TV show is enjoyed by everyone because its relatable and/or just funny. . A famous kid show in the 2000s was Lazy Town. Lazy Town is about an 8 year old girl named Stephanie who travels to Lazy Town to visit her uncle, Mayor Meanswell. Being a kid show this show is different from the others because it cannot include inappropriate and politicly incorrect context.

To conclude all these shows are a comedy about the daily life for a group of people. These shows can have politically incorrect jokes, and still be very popular. Most these shows are still watched by kids, teens, or adults everyday because they are funny and for some, relatable. Although these shows can include racist or sexist jokes equality is still important. With that said, the American value system now and in the 2000s is Ethical equality. Racist jokes are “ok” because we all are equal, and everyone knows that.

News and poliTIcs

By Jonathan

The early 2000s was one of the most terrifying years in terms of military actions, presidential actions, and terrorism. First off, on September 11, 2001, a Tuesday, four hijacked passenger planes crashed in the US, two at the Twin Towers of the Financial District in Manhattan, New York, one in the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia, and the last one crash landed into a field in Pennsylvania.

On the Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001, people were going about on their daily routine. At 8:46 a.m., the first plane, an American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a large hole around the 93rd to 99th floor. 92 people, including the 5 hijackers, were immediately killed upon impact. The impact also rained a ton of rubble onto the ground, and blasted large holes on the other three sides of the tower. At around 10:28 a.m., the tower collapsed one floor on top of another. The total collapse time was 8 seconds, which would mean the collapse of the North Tower was a controlled demolition, but it wasn’t. This collapse was like the collapse of the South Tower, which collapsed about half-an-hour earlier.

17 minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., a second plane, United Airlines Flight 175 slammed into the South Tower, killing 65 people, including another 5 hijackers. The impact rained more rubble onto the ground and blasting more huge holes on the other three sides of the tower between the 77th floor and the 85th floor. At around 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed one floor on top of the other. The collapse looked like a controlled demolition, because the floors collapsed one on top of the other, in what is known as the Pancake Theory. The collapse of the Twin Towers officially made Ground Zero and everywhere south of 14th Street uninhabitable for a while. After the attack several firefighters raised the iconic USA flag on Ground Zero, probably to show that what happened that day didn't affect the United States' status.

At 9:38 a.m., another plane, American Airlines Flight 77, smashed into the wall of the Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. The impact killed 64 people aboard the plane, including another 5 hijackers and 125 people working in the Pentagon. The impact also left a gaping hole five meters in diameter How that happened, it’s still kind of a mystery, including the flight path just before the plane destroyed part of the Pentagon’s outer ring. Pictures of the impact and 86 cameras outside the Pentagon capture a gaping five meter hole and no Boeing 757 in site, all of the filmstrips were confiscated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Only scraps of the American Airlines Boeing 757 were left. Some minutes after the crash, part of the structure of the outer ring collapsed.

The fourth and final hijacked plane on 9/11 was United Airlines Flight 93. It’s intended target was either the US Capitol Building or the White House but due to a large passenger rebellion, the plane ended up crashing into a field near Shanksville or Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The fatalities of this plane crash was 44, including 4 hijackers.

The president of the United States of America at that time was George Walker Bush, son of former president George Herbert Walker Bush. President George W. Bush was visiting a school in Florida when an When he arrived back at the White House on the night of September 11, he delivered an address stating, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” Then, he declared war on terror on September 20th, 2001.

9/11 reflects the 2000s because that day occurred during the early 2000s, and most things afterwards, for example: the War on Terror was the result of 9/11 and President George W. Bush’s actions. The 2000s was a terrifying decade because people were discontent about their country’s security. Since George W. Bush had declared war on terror, more Americans lives, mainly the men and women in the military, were lost.

In conclusion, (in my opinion) the 2000s was a very difficult decade because of the 9/11 attacks. Also, These four attacks, and George W. Bush’s actions started the war on terror, or the invasion of Afghanistan. These actions also stirred up the start of Islamophobia, which isn’t fair because most of the Islamic people and Muslims aren’t terrorists. The United States of America these days is more about Ethical equality but because of the way we treat Islamic people and Muslims, thinking they’re all terrorists, basically disproves the Ethical equality theory. Yes, I’m calling it a theory because Ethical equality means that people of all races and religions get equal rights and one or two races or religions aren’t picked on, or marginalized. However, in America, Islamic people and Muslims are usually picked on.

Film

By Nick

The 2000’s, film was a wonderful topic in which, many more would come. The 2000’s presented a new generation of animation, movies would usually be animated, instead of live-action filming. So, movies such as Shrek, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc. and more would become such popular animations, more came in the following year.

First of, Shrek was one of the most popular animated movies in the 2000’s, Shrek is about a ogre who, in fact is named Shrek. After his swamp is full of annoying fairy-tale characters, Shrek agrees to Lord Farquaad’s offer on saving a princess for him. Many children and Another animated film was, Ratatouille, about Remy, who wanted to be a cook, since he loved food, and a lovely dish. He wants to create beautiful dishes, but there is only one problem. Remy is a rat. This animated comedy is about Remy, the rat, trying to become a chef in one of the finest restaurants in France. Moving on, Monsters, Inc. is an animated film about two monsters with the names, Sully, and Mike. Both of them, top of their scare team, When, they realize, they have release a small girl by the name, Boo, they have to find out how to keep her hidden, from the monster world. Next, one of the best animated films during that time, The Incredibles, about a family of superheros forced to become a plain, boring family, by the government. But, when a new villain reveals, they force themselves to stop him. Finally, Up, an animated movie about an old fellow, Carl, who decides instead of going into a retirement home, he heads to the place his wife and him always wanted to go, but, everything changes when a boy scout, Russell, comes with him, now Carl, has to find a way to find his dream, and keep everyone safe.

To conclude, 2000’s film was mainly focused on children film. It doesn’t seem to really have a deep inpact about politics, or the economy, or anything else, mostly just to entertain the children, maybe for the things that are happening throughout the world. These movies were very popular because parents wanted to bring their children to something wholesome. They seem to not want children to know about the current events. Current animated movies seem to show a focus, and that focus is to teach children a lesson. But, current animations are different than the past animations because past animations movie makers want to focus more on quantity than quality. They wanted to get cheap laughs from their movies, and make a profit. Now, the movies that are presented were for a cheap laugh, that the filmmakers intended to get more butts in the seats, just because of the mature jokes. Present animated movies have a large difference than back then. Present day movies hit a hard subject such as racism and don't just try to get a cheap laugh.

MUSIC

By Silas

In the 2000s, most of the popular music was fairly similar to today’s examples. The songs were usually about sexual or romantic relationships or desire, often in a sort of nightclub “setting”. When they weren’t about lust, desire, or relationships, they were often about the nightclub setting itself. R&B dominated the top charts, along with more energetic electronic/synth pop.

Many popular songs were successful partially because they were about relatable topics, which might touch or connect with people personally.

The following are a collection of five top 20 hits, each accompanied by a summary of the song’s topic, style, and the most likely reasons that the song was significantly popular among many, many people across America from 2000 to 2009.

The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

This song is mainly about a nightclub party experience, with lots of synthesized instrumentals. In the beginning, the lyrics talk about how the lead singer’s “gotta feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a good night,” which is the namesake of the song. Later, it shifts towards an excited, on-the-fly yelling and singing type of music.

This song probably was popular because of its exciting melody, and its ideas of just letting go and partying all night long, which is still relatable to some, as well as popular in music, today.

Timbaland ft. OneRepublic - Apologize

In this song, the singer uses the perspective of a man expressing his feelings about a breaking relationship, and how “it’s too late to apologize.” The lyrics are in second person, as if the song is addressed to his fiancée. It’s likely meant as a sort of a goodbye, actually. While he doesn’t give many clues as to why he and his partner are fell apart, the music video reveals that she had an affair with another man, in plain sight of the singer.

The use of metaphors like “I’m holdin’ on a rope, got me ten feet off the ground,” as well as a catchy refrain and connection to common laments, were presumably what boosted this song to its success.

Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)

This song’s slow and mellow verses are about the singer letting go and becoming independent from her lover, and being able to sustain herself while alone. The chorus is much faster and louder, and the melody is less sad. She begins by singing about how it “has nothing to do with you [her lover],” then goes on to say that she’ll miss him, but has to move on and “be a big girl now.”

This song probably was popular because of the soft, sweet singing, the changing but catchy melody, and, like most other popular songs, because it could be relatable or touching to many listeners.

Mariah Carey - We Belong Together

The decade’s number one top hit, this prominent song is mainly about how the singer misses her old lover, and her regrets that they left each other. It’s repetitive, and isn’t really about anything more than that, but that easily achieves the effect of really rubbing in her point.

This song probably was popular because of the soft and steady singing, mesmerizing instrumentals, and (I know how much I’m repeating myself) because some of the audience definitely was going through the same sort of thing, or had previously.

ADVERTISEMENT

Advertisements in the 2000s were rather competitive. They are usually displayed to public by the means of television, radio, or newspapers. Most ads had models in them, and were for a clothing company. Ads did not have a meaning them. They were for show and popularity. Some ads had celebrities in them because everyone followed celebrities.

An example company at the time was Guess, and the ad shows a woman model wearing Guess clothes. Models come to advantage because people can see what the clothing they want to buy looks like, on others. Also, if the model of the clothing or shoe brand is a famous model, like Britney Spears modeling for Skechers, people are more likely to buy that item because a famous person is wearing it. People these days are watching advertisements on TV, like the fast food items being displayed on television to children. Similar to the fast food ads were the soda ads. All kids love soda, and advertising it made more and more kids want it. Also it the fast food meal includes a toy, like the McDonald's Happy Meal, children would beg their parents to buy it.