André Kertész, My Friends at Cafe du Dome, 1928
In light of the resurrection of the 20s, inspiring reflection on arguably the most glamorized and romanticized decade of the 20th century, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on that romanticization and associated expectations for this coming decade.
With its jazz, iconic flappers, and “lost generation” artists and writers, the 1920s undeniably continue to be a vastly romanticized period, and I am the first person to feed into the glamorous appeal of the “roaring 20s.” Going into 2020, many are taking inspiration from the enchanting, fun energy of this decade a century ago, to manifest the same carefree, fabulous energy for the 2020s.
Of course, it is important to understand the romanticization of the 1920s is just that: a romantic, idealized, unrealistic perception of reality. The decade was filled with various landmark historic events, both positive- women’s suffrage- and negative- the Great Depression. As with anything, people often prefer to remember the good, leading to these romanticized notions of the past. In my view, as long as we acknowledge that our perceptions are more idealistic than realistic, I don’t think our idyllic thinking is necessarily a negative thing.
As a lover of all things glamorous, I also consider the 1920s to be my personal favorite decade, from what I know about it at least, and that is for multiple reasons. What I want to take from the 20s is more than its glamour- it’s the romanticization of academia, the emphasis on living and enjoying life creatively, both indulging in the pleasures of life and working hard to achieve your goals. With this, I think the 20s’ emphasis on literature and academia is something we could learn from in present day. The value of education and literature in society is something to be admired, and is something which personally inspires me to be more appreciative of my education and see the beauty in it.
The 1920s marked a departure from previous ideals and standards- shifting to a focus on creative & artistic expression, and a greater sense of openness and independence. This can be seen with women- glamorous, rebellious flappers demanding strength and independence, marking an important departure from past oppressive gender roles. Artists- writers, painters, musicians- focused on traveling, getting inspired, and experiencing life to the fullest, transforming their inspiration into creation. I think the lively and intriguing character of the 1920s can be well expressed through its iconic, representative novel- “The Great Gatsby,” which author Scott Fitzgerald famously ends with- “to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” To me, this quote is reminiscent of the ambition and romance characterizing the 1920s.
I think the elements which lead us to romanticize the 1920s embody a lot of the things which are most important in life, and things we often overlook- from intellect, artistic expression and creativity, to simply the value of enjoying life. The iconic figures of the 1920s obviously did something right, as they continue to be idolized and epitomized as the prime symbol of 20th century culture a century later.
So cheers to 2020- may we evolve into our best selves in this decade and accomplish our wildest ambitions, taking some inspiration from the roaring 20s, while continuing to progress and evolve with endless passion and persistence.