It seemed to me that around the mid-1990s there was a major ground-shift. At that point what was previously a sideshow had become mainstream. The generation which grew up in the 60s was now fully integrated into society and was holding the reins. With it came its pre-occupation with pop culture.

The 60s generation had been the first to really get the benefit of disposable income. The teenagers of the era had economic clout like never before. In the 90s that social group, now ‘grown-up’, is the economic backbone of the Western world. Demographically it forms the biggest sector with the greatest influence. The 60s pop culture was invented by the youth of the day. It is still carried by that demographic, the now forty to fifty-somethings.

The immaturity I’ve referred to previously ties with this. At its genesis in the 60s the pop phenomenon was a subculture. It was almost subversive in style. The institutions that presided then and looked at it askance were still defined by the old Victorian structures which had dominated society for over a century. These have all but gone now to be replaced by a new model made up of people of my age and background. This model is characterised by immaturity (by definition if nothing else). In some ways I preferred having the old structures to pitch against. At least you could pick on a clearly determined adversary. Now the enemy is within and not such an easy target.

I’ve been observing this trend for thirty years. At first I was positively excited by the prospects. Now I’m only disappointed at the outcome. By the mid 90s I would say the transformation was complete. We had set the tone for the coming age. If celebrity culture and mass materialism is to be the bedrock for that age then heaven help the future. Let’s hope it proves to be just the fumbling first steps of middle youth.