People now like to reminisce on how 2016 was the last time things were normal, but you know what? While that is true, the peak of Western civilization was right before 9/11. Clinton was a great president. Then, 9/11 happened and things went downhill. Americans really were the best they ever were in 2001.
Americans were really united in the fall of 2001. It was a dark, brief period for america but people looked out for each other, everyone was caring towards others, people were united, people were civil, people did not hate each other due to disagreements, etc. The pop culture was at its peak at the time. The pop culture back then was the PERFECT coping mechanism entertainment for what we dealt with at the time. I was 4 when Superman was a big hit and i heard it on the radio. That song was good for its era. Also, nu metal was at its peak in 2001. Slipknot, Disturbed, Linkin Park, P.O.D., Mudvayne, System of a Down, etc. These bands made such angry, cathartic music and it still sounds modern to me, even if i was only 4. Todays' pop culture is just the same shit from the 2010s. This decade lacks originality, and none of the entertainment is interesting. The music is nothing cathartic anymore. It's not angry and to the point, unlike nu metal. The music is too futuristic while music in 2001 actually sounds modern to me. You also could play the PS2 and play GTA 3, which sold quickly at the time. There was also the first harry potter movie. Linkin Park's hybrid theory was the biggest album, and teen pop was dead and nu metal was bigger than it. Rappers didn't even use autotune. You could cope by skateboarding, listening to linkin park and slipknot, and playing GTA III to escape 9/11's emotional effects. PC culture from the 90s declined by 1999/2000 and the 2000s were anti PC. We didn't have stupid woke culture back then. Society was apolitical in the Clinton era to some degree. Political polarization was rare.
Tons of good videogames or movies were there. Dragon Ball's Cooler's Revenge was there and the GameCube came out. Skateboarding was everywhere. Guys didn't dress up in broccoli haircuts and spiked hair was everywhere. Ozzfest was at its peak. Pop punk still was kinda punky. The Internet was simpler. There wasn't social media with echochambers of preachy people.
Literally just look at this data: Many americans began to view others as trustworthy or helpful right after 9/11. Among zoomers in late 2023, 31% of people in their 20s reported feeling often or always depressed, and most were at least somewhat happy, especially if they were heterosexual or had a college degree, but in early 2002, a few months after 9/11, just 13.4% of young adults were depressed, compared to 25.4% in New York. This means even NY young adults in early 2002 were less likely to feel depressed than young adults today. 21.2% of blacks would experience depression in early 2002, including 25.6% of blacks in NY. 29% of black zoomers experienced depression at least some of the day in late 2023, and this percent might be higher among the ones in their 20s compared to teen black zoomers. Many zoomers feel loved or supported by others, but many don't. Everyone felt united right after 9/11. Half of zoomers felt they do something interesting each day or motivated to go to work or school. Most Americans in early 2002 felt hopeful, interested in life and proud of one self. Most Americans in early 2002 were not even depressed, although it did affect some New Yorkers at the time, particularly ones with no college education or who are Hispanic. Nonetheless, depression rates are higher now than back then.
In fact, compared to 2001, American's mental health or physical health is lower now, and didn't decrease until 2020, according to Gallup surveys. In August 2018, Americans were asked about their mental health, and 45% of zoomers had excellent or very good mental health, compared to 54% in late 2022 having excellent or good mental health (but that 2022 one did not have a "very good" option). In late 2022, 19% of young adults reported poor mental health. Stress levels were found to be higher in 2023 than 2019 in the surveys on people's wellbeing.
I will admit that people's wellbeing wasn't exactly at normal levels until late 2002, according to Gallup. Bush's approval rating also went back to normal levels by that point, but in 2002 and 2003, people in America still felt less alienated, according to this data. Also, suicide rates in america were at an all time low. In December 2019, a bit before covid ruined people's wellbeing even more, 14% of americans were not very happy, compared to just 11% of in November 2001. The vast majority of Americans were in November 2001 were at least fairly happy, including 37% being very happy. Happiness levels decreased a bit in late 2001, but it went to normal levels in late 2002, with just 6% of Americans in December 2002 being not so happy and half being very happy, and another half being fairly happy.
EVEN THE SUICIDE RATES WERE AT AN ALL TIME LOW BUT NOW AT AN ALL TIME HIGH SINCE WWII ENDED
Nowadays, toxic positivity is a thing whereas positivity was used more responsibly in late 2001 without getting excessive about it. I can feel safer talking to someone in 2001 than today as a lonely guy. Nowadays, virgin men are the most hated people online now.
Americans were really united in the fall of 2001. It was a dark, brief period for america but people looked out for each other, everyone was caring towards others, people were united, people were civil, people did not hate each other due to disagreements, etc. The pop culture was at its peak at the time. The pop culture back then was the PERFECT coping mechanism entertainment for what we dealt with at the time. I was 4 when Superman was a big hit and i heard it on the radio. That song was good for its era. Also, nu metal was at its peak in 2001. Slipknot, Disturbed, Linkin Park, P.O.D., Mudvayne, System of a Down, etc. These bands made such angry, cathartic music and it still sounds modern to me, even if i was only 4. Todays' pop culture is just the same shit from the 2010s. This decade lacks originality, and none of the entertainment is interesting. The music is nothing cathartic anymore. It's not angry and to the point, unlike nu metal. The music is too futuristic while music in 2001 actually sounds modern to me. You also could play the PS2 and play GTA 3, which sold quickly at the time. There was also the first harry potter movie. Linkin Park's hybrid theory was the biggest album, and teen pop was dead and nu metal was bigger than it. Rappers didn't even use autotune. You could cope by skateboarding, listening to linkin park and slipknot, and playing GTA III to escape 9/11's emotional effects. PC culture from the 90s declined by 1999/2000 and the 2000s were anti PC. We didn't have stupid woke culture back then. Society was apolitical in the Clinton era to some degree. Political polarization was rare.
Tons of good videogames or movies were there. Dragon Ball's Cooler's Revenge was there and the GameCube came out. Skateboarding was everywhere. Guys didn't dress up in broccoli haircuts and spiked hair was everywhere. Ozzfest was at its peak. Pop punk still was kinda punky. The Internet was simpler. There wasn't social media with echochambers of preachy people.
Literally just look at this data: Many americans began to view others as trustworthy or helpful right after 9/11. Among zoomers in late 2023, 31% of people in their 20s reported feeling often or always depressed, and most were at least somewhat happy, especially if they were heterosexual or had a college degree, but in early 2002, a few months after 9/11, just 13.4% of young adults were depressed, compared to 25.4% in New York. This means even NY young adults in early 2002 were less likely to feel depressed than young adults today. 21.2% of blacks would experience depression in early 2002, including 25.6% of blacks in NY. 29% of black zoomers experienced depression at least some of the day in late 2023, and this percent might be higher among the ones in their 20s compared to teen black zoomers. Many zoomers feel loved or supported by others, but many don't. Everyone felt united right after 9/11. Half of zoomers felt they do something interesting each day or motivated to go to work or school. Most Americans in early 2002 felt hopeful, interested in life and proud of one self. Most Americans in early 2002 were not even depressed, although it did affect some New Yorkers at the time, particularly ones with no college education or who are Hispanic. Nonetheless, depression rates are higher now than back then.
In fact, compared to 2001, American's mental health or physical health is lower now, and didn't decrease until 2020, according to Gallup surveys. In August 2018, Americans were asked about their mental health, and 45% of zoomers had excellent or very good mental health, compared to 54% in late 2022 having excellent or good mental health (but that 2022 one did not have a "very good" option). In late 2022, 19% of young adults reported poor mental health. Stress levels were found to be higher in 2023 than 2019 in the surveys on people's wellbeing.
I will admit that people's wellbeing wasn't exactly at normal levels until late 2002, according to Gallup. Bush's approval rating also went back to normal levels by that point, but in 2002 and 2003, people in America still felt less alienated, according to this data. Also, suicide rates in america were at an all time low. In December 2019, a bit before covid ruined people's wellbeing even more, 14% of americans were not very happy, compared to just 11% of in November 2001. The vast majority of Americans were in November 2001 were at least fairly happy, including 37% being very happy. Happiness levels decreased a bit in late 2001, but it went to normal levels in late 2002, with just 6% of Americans in December 2002 being not so happy and half being very happy, and another half being fairly happy.
EVEN THE SUICIDE RATES WERE AT AN ALL TIME LOW BUT NOW AT AN ALL TIME HIGH SINCE WWII ENDED
Conclusion
I think it's my conclusion that this (2001) was the best America ever was. We are now just a divided nation and the world went to shit after 2016, but 9/11 was the beginning of the end. 2001 was America's peak and while 9/11 killed the peak, americans were united and civil in late 2001. 9/11 caused today's politics to eventually happen, but while it united us in the short term, it divided us in the long term after the great recession (caused by 9/11).Nowadays, toxic positivity is a thing whereas positivity was used more responsibly in late 2001 without getting excessive about it. I can feel safer talking to someone in 2001 than today as a lonely guy. Nowadays, virgin men are the most hated people online now.
