Social trends defining the 2010s

By: Max Smith

The 2010s were a very important and influential decade in many aspects, one of them being social changes. A major cause of social change in the past decade was the evolution of email and text. Many people believe that the 2010s were defined by the lack of human interaction and rather just staying inside on electronic devices. A main factor of this change in social interactions was the invention of services like Snapchat, Instagram, and Whatsapp. On September 17th, 2019, Apple released its IOS 12 update which included a new feature called Screen Time. This software update was meant for people to try and monitor their phone usage, especially parents. At first glance of their “Screen Time” people were shocked by how much time they actually spend communicating through their cellular devices.  Freshman Angel Villa said, “It did shock me because I really didn’t know it was that much.” However, this is not the case for some people of the High School age because they know that they spend a large amount of time on electronics. Sophomore Sadie Dyer says, “I wasn’t really shocked with the amount of time I spend on my phone because I am aware of it.” This response is more common because spending excess time on the phone isn’t rare. 

Another large influencer socially was what many people call “Meme Culture”. A meme is defined as an element of a system of behavior that is passed from one individual to another especially in humor. Memes have made such an impact socially because of the growth of the internet. Memes are available almost anywhere and are a major part of many people’s lives whether it be plain humor or ridiculing something or someone. A recent favorite has been Baby Yoda from the new Star Wars show “The Mandalorian”. The viewer is introduced to a small green being that is a younger version of Master Yoda from the original Star Wars movies. Recently people have been obsessed with this character because of how visually odd he is. Memes have the ability to be stale for a long time or spread like wildfires because of their popularity. Inevitably people’s sense of humor has changed each year over the last decade. In effect, Memes change and differ from the previous years. These changes cause different Meme formats which are how they are structured and presented to the viewer.

Technological innovation of the 2010s

By: Ben Tobin

As the 2010s came to an end, people all over the world are ready for a fresh start and a new decade. Technology this day and age is always being promoted and upgraded to keep consumers happy. Inventions such as the iPad or self-driving cars made a big impact on the public. People seem to enjoy the new technology introduced this past decade.

An infamous technological advancement was made by none other than the Apple Company. Apple is always coming out with new devices to boost their sales. However, these new tech gadgets would not be possible if Steve Jobs had not released the Apple iPad in 2010. The iPad was the first touchscreen tablet released internationally. According to PC Magazine, the iPad inspired many rival companies to keep up with the competition in order to stay in business. Nowadays, there are too many types of touch screen tablets to count, including the Samsung Galaxy Tablet and Microsoft Surface Pro. Other rival companies may not have gotten the idea if it were not for the original iPad design.

Growing up in the 2010s, technology has had a huge impact on students at La Jolla High. Sophomore Zeke Pearl said, “The Xbox One was the best technology of the decade because Microsoft continually finds ways to keep the user engaged so they do not get bored by releasing new, exciting games for the console on a monthly basis.” Dissimilarly, Freshman Rodrigo Ramono said, “The best technological advances we have made in the last decade has been the iPhone because it was the first major smartphone to be released and we use them everyday. Also, they are constantly being upgraded and updated in order to keep the customers happy.”

Another major technological advancement seen in the 2010s was the self-driving cars. The first autonomous car was made in the 1980s, however, they were not available to the public until 2014 when Tesla released their self-driving model. Elon Musk’s self-driving cars were a big step up from other cars and have inspired other companies to upgrade their car technology, allowing them to self drive. 

So much happened in the last decade and many scientific breakthroughs were made. Companies like Apple and Tesla made consumer’s lives much easier with their convenient technology that people cannot seem to live without these days.

 Political Events Marking the 2010s

By: Kyle Elsner

This past decade stands out, with many ups and downs, and many memorable political moments. From healthcare to terrorism to impeachment, the US has made major headlines. The 2010s will definitely be remembered, but there were a few iconic moments that rocked the nation and stood out amongst others.

What kicked off such a decade was the signing of “The Affordable Care Act.” It was passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve in 2009 and soon became a revolutionary piece of legislation known as “Obamacare.” Created under the Obama presidency, it expands healthcare to everyone and secures patient protections. It also expands Medicaid to single adults and increases employer coverage. Healthcare became more affordable for everyone by increasing subsidies for middle-income families. It is still widely used today.

Under the presidency of Obama, the killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 proved Obama’s authority and made a statement. “Operation Neptune Spear,” as the strike was called, took lots of risks, although it was well coordinated. Obama received intelligence reports that confirmed Bin Laden was staying in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Obama then held five National Security meetings before giving the order for the Bin Laden Raid on April 29th. On the morning of May 2nd, 2011, 25 Navy Seals arrived in Black Hawk helicopters and began to breach the outer defense of the compound. After a 40 minute firefight, Bin Laden was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. This moment was pivotal, as it showed that Obama and the US had the guts to eliminate threats, whatever the cost, and quelled some of the pain from 9/11. 

This decade was one where gender choices and acceptance of differences was on the rise. The #MeToo movement is an example of speaking out against injustice, no matter how well respected the perpetrator may be. It was a phrase coined by Tarana Burke to help women who had survived sexual violence to share their story and have courage in recovery.  Additionally, in 2015, same sex marriage became legal in all 50 states. This was a major win for those who supported choice and those who were judged because of their choices, regarding sexual preferences. 

What stood out most in this decade was one man and the series of events that unfolded after he took office: Donald Trump. He caused excitement with almost everything he did from when he was first elected in 2016, to his standpoint on a border wall, to his current state in an impeachment trial. People’s opinions on him vary due to certain “offensive” comments he has made in the past, such as the controversy surrounding the US-Mexico border wall. He is known for being outspoken and not afraid to share his opinions on touchy subjects. He is currently in the midst of an impeachment trial. When asked to sum up this decade politically, Sophomore John Mitchell stated, “It seemed like we went from some really good presidents like Obama, too not so good Presidents like Trump.” Similarly, Ben Jiminez said, “The election of Donald Trump.” No matter what people’s opinions were on this past decade, it was certainly one of the most memorable.

What was the 2010s for our students?

By: Sofia Giordano

The 2010s had a huge impact as it was the time when many teenagers were growing up. Here are some of the popular opinions, when asked what made the 2010s…

Q- What do you think the biggest political impact of the 2010s was?

45% -Trump being elected for president in 2016 

8%-Obama presidency

7% -Donald trump’s impeachment

7%- Legalizing marijuana in certain states

5%-Gay rights/Legalization of same sex marriage

5%- Global Climate Strike

4 %- Immigration issues

2%- A woman running for presidency

2% -Death of Osama Bin Laden

2%-Epstein’s Murder

2%- Feminism

2%- Recent events in Iran

Q- What would you change in the political atmosphere going forward into 2020? 

20% – Get President Donald Trump out of office

20%- More united as a society, to spread love and peace throughout the world.

16%- Prioritize environmental problems  (ex-helping Australia) 

7%- No more wars!

5%- US party system/creating a more balanced system

5%- Less liberal ideologies 

5%- The racism, hate, and discrimination of genders.

4%- How easily a president can make decisions

3%- More journalism and less clickbait within mainstream political news

2%- The negative connotation on liberal ideas

2%- Government providing the public with more information

2%- Stricter gun laws

2%- People should stop threatening others and focus on the future not power

2%- Better understanding of Economics

2%- Take down the wall

Q- What was the best invention in regards to technology of this past decade?

13%- Uber/Lyft

11%- Apple Technology

10%- Self-driving cars

9%- Electric cars

5%- Tesla

5%- Electric scooters (i.e birds, limes) 

4%- Environmental technology to help conserve the environment

4%- Instagram / Snapchat

4%- Bluetooth 

2%- Hoverboard 

2%- SpaceX’s reusable rocket.

2%- Playstation 4

2%- 3D printing

2%- VR

2%- The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Within this decade who was your favorite celebrity of the 2010s?

5%- Tyler the Creator

5%- Selena Gomez

4%- Ariana grande

4%- Justin Bieber

4%- Wiz Kalifa

4%- Lil Mosey

3%- Zendaya

3%- KANYE WEST

2%- Beyonce

In your opinion, what was the best movie of this decade?

12%- Avengers endgame

7%- A Star is Born

4%- Finding Dory

4%- JUST GO WITH IT

4%- Knives Out

What was your favorite TV show?

7%- Stranger Things

5%- Friends

4%- Game of Thrones

4%- Rick and Morty

4%- The Office

4%That 70s Show 

4%- Jessie

4%- The Vampire Diaries

4%- Brooklyn nine nine

4%- Rick and morty

4%- Wizards of waverly place

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