Cranky History
The Ten Trends
Cranky Code

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A Cranky History

Here is a snapshot of the "cranky" historical perspective featured in the book: a series of seemingly insignificant incidents taking place over five decades. These occurrences systematically blurred our social boundaries to a point that behaviors we once considered private or public, and polite or pugnacious have converged. People now feel free to openly express their crankiness, impatience, anger or rage, wherever they may be.

THE BUILDUP OF CRANKINESS OVER TIME: A five decade account

The Fabricated Fifties - Birth of a dream:

A structured, small town society receives big promises with unintended consequences laying the groundwork for radical changes in an orderly little world.

The Skeptical Sixties - Tattered dreams and disillusionment:

A leadership letdown, social turmoil, and the seeds of urban exodus fuel our unease and we search for ways to ease our disappointment and social discontent.

The Sassy Seventies - The rise of consumerism:

Increased wages, rising costs, credit cards, commercialism, and radical changes in media content shift our perceptions of society and our role as consumers.

The Egotistical Eighties - Access, overload, and excess:

Extended commutes, affluence, consumerism, communications, career competition, and the new 24/7 lifestyle offer us new levels of self-indulgence.

The Nasty Nineties - Talk is cheap:

Media sensationalism, technology addiction, fixation on convenience, and time constriction push us toward an ger, intolerance, and self-absorption.

What's next - the terrible twos?

We can hope things don't get too cranky during this election year. It would be nice to see a trend toward the Tremendous Twos or Terrific Twos. Stay tuned!