The 1988 Show

It would be easy, if perhaps a bit cynical, to point out all of the ways in which American culture is different today compared to what it was in 1988.1 Certainly, things have changed, and a dollar doesn't buy what it once did. But this is true of every era. The cost of living goes up and times inevitably change. As cynicism goes, however, this is the minor leagues. If we wished to sound the depths of nostalgia, we could get much more disparaging. We could, for instance, work our way through the entire calendar year of 1988 and note how little things have changed rather than how much they have changed. For example, we might remember that on January 15, 1988, Jimmy “The Greek” bemoaned on national television that black athletes are better at sports because of their “thick thighs.” And, he continued, that's because slave owners always bred them that way to “work in the fields.” Luckily, in the years that followed, no one ever was racist again. On February 21, 1988, multi-millionaire televangelist Jimmy Swaggart appeared on television after being accused of hiring prostitutes, giving his famous “I have sinned” speech. Luckily, in the years that followed, no holy men ever sinned again. Also in February of 1988, to coincide with the Olympic games being held in Calgary, Nike launched a new ad campaign, introducing the world to the “Just Do It” slogan. Luckily, Nike went on to just do so many wonderful things for children and other sweat-shop workers around the world. On March 16, 1988, The First Republic Bank of Texas failed and entered FDIC receivership—the largest government-assisted bank failure at that point in history. Luckily, in the years that followed, no bank ever defrauded anyone ever again. On the same day that the Texas bank failed, Lt. Col. Oliver North and Admiral John Poindexter were indicted on multiple charges related to the Iran-Contra affair in which $30 million was illegally sent to Iran in order to be funneled to the terrorist Contras in Nicaragua. North and Poindexter were found guilty of perjury and other felonies, though their sentences were later overturned. Luckily, in the years that followed, no politician ever lied to the American public again—especially about issues of violence and war. (And if they did lie, unlike North and Poindexter, they were surely all held accountable.) On April 7, 1988, The Soviet Union announced it would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan after a bloody nine-year war there had taken countless lives. Luckily, Afghanistan went on to become a place of peace right after that. On May 27, 1988, Microsoft released Windows 2—“the only operating system you'll ever need.” Luckily, we all still use Windows 2, and it continues to run like a dream. On June 23, 1988, NASA scientist James Hansen was called before the Senate. He testified that man-made global warming had begun and was measurable. He used the phrase “climate change” and warned that drastic measures had to be taken and changes needed to be implemented immediately in order to protect the planet. Luckily, everyone listened and today the planet is fixed. On October 30, 1988, Philip Morris bought Kraft Foods for $13.1 billion dollars in one of the largest—and strangest—corporate takeovers in history. But luckily, all of the multinational corporations after that decided to play nicely once they got together, and capitalism has worked ever since to lower prices, spread the wealth, create good living conditions for all, and generate a healthy middle class in the United States. Indeed, it would be too easy to go through the calendar year and find such examples of “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” But we need to be realistic in our analysis, not cynical. And realistically, the relationship between change and permanence is a complicated one with a complicated theoretical ontology at work. So let us begin here: in order for something to change, there must be a permanent background a permanent it such that the change be other something not change could And there is at a relationship at work. this is the if were to times than are right and everyone around would this and be to would through the of the in which are a that times at the same so did in the the entire at the same and up times than it all and and and were to in at the same The point of that we would We it it was and we it it was we more be that this right in because if there is that is a background that the there is which we the change. and at the same would what they have always is just one it to about the entire If the is of how we change at that every change in always something we at the the and culture of that it all and must be because something has the which we 1988 But what could that for instance, we were to at a from 1988 such “The 1988 we would find that this television It would be that something is out of with the But is And is this so to it that are no in such with the up the did they such is it that the way 1988 is not the way that we our did we change our and our a new it that our of what a what to that of and it a the the If we go for such of from the to the in what a find of culture to change And change has a of in the We this to the It would not be too much of to that the were with the of change. It to them that there were that change could place is so much that there like at one of of was to the For example, once that it is for to through the because in order to get from point to point it must go of that and this But in order to get to that it must of that which to be still of And in order to get to that point in it must of that The like the of get and they are in and would to up to of for the to at all would of change, must be was of the of change that no one ever the same was a about the way in which change one in a The to the of the the place the that is no changed so much that it is no the same And that all things are what right do we have to that is from one to the of the is one of how change and The is not one of change, though that is how at change is just one of the though it to be a of NASA scientist James in 1988 was that he was us about a change in the that was to at the warming to place though if we had the were and they to around us change, is a But the is that change in to be with permanence the If we the and that must be because something has years which we But what is the permanent background that the change It be the culture because that's the with was a of no The is that different men are being compared to one that they are and the has to do with how much they have in is no between and And in a it is not the of the year 1988 and the year they are were once called 1988 changed But there was a and were to with the same we that and 1988 are different because we are them to for instance, we were to at the 1988 and it to the to we might that the is the in the and we might not could ever the we would still all that is and has its the would We would in and American culture in 1988 to American culture in the is that there is one and has changed But has changed is like is is one and And which is it one culture If it is there is no change. And if it is there is no change since there are just things being change to be the for of background which we the of we inevitably to the that what must have from 1988 to must be must be the this is the of must be the that is and the still point around which the culture and the And is that are in which must us of this But it is And, there is no better place to for to the of than the that held the one on the for the of January in had one in than other that He did not have the one of the year that at the of our the from which his more than million He launched a world to his in It was a year in which was his Do remember were in are right 1988 was still in was to to up about not to get in remember “I the year and remember that many were to play to the of it it on his and had to to the before would it they still only to do at that his was not about and be of Indeed, the times have changed. But to be of this in was of was not to his had a at the The and we were more about that much of a of with We we listened we to in the We our that way a to still do But had a what do what the same that was the and change, they always do the years how is it that is and are about things that we But there of ways to And 1988 in the year that went that would the of no how it is January of 1988, the held a in which they a new that had appeared in the and to be in the had many different the called it and the is a that of to be released in the a that however, a is the that the of 1988 was to it in January of that year that the its to to begin is a in the of in the the same one with and the of 1988, was a and had in a million in for has in countless since its to the it years to a that on the of not we are still on For better for this is one of the of a us through and a different might we not be the we to be in the to be is The might not be the he is at from the of not we are still there is a and point that and have in before it had a was to the And though to the used was and more at in to the that it was used the of that the culture in the the years was the in a of the and that was always there in and to the in the the and that and in a that what it in of to such Indeed, it is the of that our for we the of change is not one is our of us little in of to the of change. But if we our and begin about the of change, we begin to it might be to find a better way to about if we the of and the of in 1988 was a year in which was a in the It would be one to on how it is that in all of did not out and the of his public his for in a in a public is of But the and the a to many might that to with it is to that there were ever about his there be in this and there might be something to about what it for culture to get at that we got to the in this way is that it too much on to on what to for and in that it in of the and of the and of to the in of what the culture out of being it is a of that 1988 was not a in that was to and with for had and in of about his every in 1988 was a year in of history. On February 1988, a of the of in the on the was at a and being found to be a once was for from the On May 1988, the which “the of It was a that and had in many the that would be called “the culture years later in the was the year that the was with a was and to have to his than years continues to be in the of to from being The 1988 would be a though in the the of because the a new of hiring that a of that could more than a year and to the and of the was years and is the that he would he found to be in It more to were to begin and was the year of the American is a that has to from being in has and for their and that us in the has its to more than million The culture at in 1988 was to 1988 in that of the and a of the that same of were It is little that was called “the and had the It was in 1988, however, that the the ever to spread about a that was May of that the and the a to every in the United States. The such issues get from from and ever get the of which million were to the that there were The use a for instance, it anyone from ever with a for this was was one of the years that it public that were to a with his had appeared on The and in John in And of in with other were to have from in the in that would to of the and because of the of decided that a a to and it was at the of that the to that he was years found the culture to his and to in And his with Jimmy was the of a that The culture had changed from such it still it something that is better than to be But are that what we are is not to be are of a of has only to of at the to the of the and the complicated anyone must about not to a that to and that is a after a and “I have a to something that to in public that a little just to it out and the that followed, no one was about what had about had us it was of our just too And what of culture in the a to to many with them to on from being their of the war men the of and the of in different of the a of their a which the for the and of and it a of that to a in The and the with and all it had its in James to And in the it the from to of The was the of a different ways on the and background however, we might that it was to be with “the in with being a The that being a could being to just how such a always if the culture is to and such And in to he was not only a a in a was a for a of his of his It was a that could have multiple and be many different things at the same But all have multiple It is one of the and things about something different to today than he to in But do because just a what they are always a what it is always in The and changes and something different to different at all times because that's what it to be a that is is not to that it is a is not a It is the of the of the always in a always in that there is it is to be the is to that there could be in which there is no But that is is always And this is the of It is not the of not we he might have out if we have the right to such a And it is not the of how so many could have the it is that what one is is always a of what one As and before 1988, only in of what it We them And what the called of the more we that what it to be this is to be this that The is to being something like than it is to being a is the for which we have the that the permanent background which change is is only the It is a to us in that out in just like we to is a about the that is surely was the one of there was a of what just that was not the did to if it if it went too for The about the it was released in And it was the of in of It would that have this a was the one of 1988 from a point of because it was the one of that year being the ever to one million on with the of this a more than the might have on released to in And if the of a has much so that we might that change is the change in our 1988 his of with a Also in 1988, and a on and on the culture at was the year that the was The would go on to cost and the with only a of the the of the and and The about to The in the that was to be a it was that the would be too and the so that it would be to that the right had so were sent in and violence to go together, we are up to the that and are always at the of was the year of the 1988 was the year that and the for it is this that of today to from to might for the of the the is the and in with little to were still had As was a to go and use the to to what he he had other than a there was his could of the of the of is that it has changed the of what it to a of in did in 1988, was in have a of a of was much of a of and it was a a dollar it is is and a more than it is to find If went to a and they had different on the it would be to what of this would what of would such a of would and The are in of we are about to it is though it is a of And the is in the of It would have to years that a culture we would have the of its But perhaps this is because we were to us and on be because this is a on the point about in on a has times more compared to is a on a is million that is it than million a is like of the are in the for that are and the of and they all of that not this the and of what is still is And the for in the and they find they all of the other that are at that same is on the that if a sound is it is all that we on and all we in to at that however, this is just is because we the of the of at different the same way that we more than we the of the and the in order to something than the of their do we the of is a on a is not rather a one note is a bit than the it is the that we And so what is the of what it of is And we have all to that it is change that we It is the of however, that is not because once we to the we to the change in And this is because all and all are of us to up their the we them for The that and are in one of the in culture It not only us to the around us the that be than on how we be a of we be we that to begin with and we to the it our and our is true of all and all with them and we we use the is not at all like It is a different of is not like a a changes about how we how we of our our And so is not just like a It changes about how we to how we and how we our The of the is that the of change the years has us that have that are for are that us and it is of their in that they are this they to us and us that they are us and for The that today are the of corporations not not and not the are to once we use the it is not that we the in the is But it is for us to that a of change is and we must just and go for the the of we must be on must have a and must and and every of our lives. the way in which the has changed our culture since its and in its it that we have a culture to the that is to we could a of what is and in that on we that it is all On a what we for is the to be and not have the and us in the ways that they The is that that perhaps the is that its of is a of how is on a with its was the year that the went It was to the and the of the was to in of the on the since anyone had would change, of the But it is not the of the that is in for what the and has always is the of the to the and were it that this had not the was only a the a were of the way to the and to we the of being to the to we were It was our were still and it is little that the of was so the of We have for and for for so that they that they are And though we to that such are we all still that the has still not The and of the not And so we to of a that us something something something with and We of a of the on the other of the and only we that the the more like what we we The is our only But a for us is one a of a on the other of the would still be to with be with we from our is something that could the up in of not that our that we need is a that the in the with us we to the and rather than is the of the But what the is us to have a is what we had before all of this got in between us in the we for out We it is the only and only of to to to us what we had before it on the and our The we have around is that we are to do with of true if of all us what we all and would have to do so of its is the that at the of many And we might that was the one of that was the year that the got the year that a could to be the year we and to that we have no the change, the year we let us like and us in the the perhaps the we to the to the that we are the still point of the around which and because in the of our we to that we are the we have that it is change that our we have that change is of the work of and and though the of be we do not to that there could ever be of a in American culture is the of a The from to is the true change is the change from being to change, the change, the from to is a change more than the for the for is But it is all of the is the of change, the which it all And we to find something that is and for a But are And so we must a change that all change. It is the of the largest for change there the of the of the and everyone that this is if are like not to about it too on this is to at the of the point and to and be It is a order to to one is to But the of the is that this is change on a entire We have had a good And the be to our something is the we a of the that the our we not before the world not be But if we to on for of we would have no world. is because the than billion our be up the of its in a of its begin in The so in that it and in their our planet is the begin and out and to its a our and the so every in the in its black just out of like a in the than one there be no in the of them be and might be to that this is the of the the is that the of the is just the years to all begin to the of and in for after this of and And with all and all of in a this point in the black are the only and things in the the only things The black that used to at the of their up the of that used to their and the and black the the of a black And after there are no more no at all, in the and in For a little But a little change is at this point in the of the and so it is that out of of black such that a of black all of its and is black And at the of years the is with black that begin out of in one of and they out the of that used to be in their As they the they is so and the is so and that the of do not have the to with they and have no on It is at this years from that it is all and the is and And black of all and all the such a minor in this that it is of us were ever The in the all was only change And it there is to be and no to be found in So this to and let it are to and so is the and so is all of But only is there we do about it is the that there is something in the entire in the of how change changes it doesn't change And what did do must be had it is of being and this is must always the of the what it to be and to have there is there must be change. there are they must there is it must be there is it must be The of this all we there all in It was there in the one from that the that the in the that was on the more than other and on of the in 1988 with a was to out The that us the of that is in is to But a Do And

Fetched live from OpenAlex and de-inverted. Abstracts are not stored in this database: the inverted indexes are 8.6 GB of the frame’s 9.3 GB of text, and the host has 13 GB free.