They were better times. Other than that brief crash in '87, the economy was booming, the middle class was starting to be able to afford luxury items, jobs gave 100% health benefits, everyone was happy, technology was new and exciting...I miss it.
Today expenses outweigh people's incomes, the Internet gets people in trouble on a daily basis, porn is mainstream, health care sucks, reality TV promotes stupidity as being cool, people are idolized for making bad choices, and we have to live with the government watching everything so we don't get blown up by terrorists.
Not exactly the "flying car and jet pack" future we were hopping for.