[bee_rider]

50's to 80's seems like a much more dramatic jump on so many levels than 20's to 40's. For the latter, you are dropped into the second act of your life and expected to catch up to a new world. Fish out of water stuff.

The second, real story seems so much more tragic somehow.

[ido]

I wonder if it only seems more dramatic because you are more familiar with the 50s and 80s than with the 20s and 40s? E.g. in many ways the 20s was a lot more liberal/"modern" than the 40s in a lot of places. I think a European going from the roaring 20s to the fascist/nazi 40s would have a hell of a shock.

[qw]

I think the numbers refer to age and not decade. If you are 50 years old and wakes up at 80 your quality of life has dropped dramatically.

[ido]

Ah, in that case that's true!