2019 is almost over and before we know we are in the new decade: The 2020s.
The 2010s are finally in their twilight. It seems that the past 10 years have zoomed by before we get to catch a break, and the new decade is upon us. There are many events in the 2010s that shaped Malaysia and the world, for bad or worse. Here are the things that happened in the 2010s.
1. Comic Book Adaptation Films Dominate The Cinema
Starting from the 2010s, comic book films, superhero films, began dominating and attracting large crowd to the multiplexes. Marvel and DC films, attract large crowds and were a commercial and critical success, like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Avengers, and Iron Man. Some of the comic book films fail to do well.
2. Smartphones
In the late 2000s, starting in the 2010s, smartphones began to enter the market. As the decade gone by, more and more people began to use smartphones, to the point that QWERTY phones (like Nokia, Blackberry, Motorola) have effectively been pushed out of the market. Apple and Android are now the major players.
And not to mention that smartphones have become the equivalent of a minicomputer. These things weren’t possible in the 2000s, and we wonder what technology has to offer to us in the 2020s.
3. Streaming TV
Netflix has been around for a long time. They start out in 1997, as a DVD Rental store. They turn into streaming in the 2010s offering many titles for use to relax and watch., becoming on- demand. Traditionally TV were not on-demand and you have to abide by the schedule. With on-demand streaming, you can watch the shows and films anytime you want, and you can stop whenever you want without missing it.
Netflix isn’t the only one to offer to stream. The recent launch of Disney Plus, Apple TV and the upcoming HBO Max service, looks to make the streaming war even more intense. The 2020s will see streaming dominate traditional television, and perhaps overtook it.
4. Natural Disasters
Climate change seems to be inevitable during the recent years. On 11 March 2011, an earthquake shook the coast of Japan causing a tsunami that struck the western region, killing 15,000 people and hundreds of thousands were injured. Not only it caused damage, but it also caused a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant. Many towns became ghost towns around the area.
Not only Japan was hit by natural disasters. Nepal was hit by the worst earthquake in 2015, which killed over 8,000 and saw heritage, historical sites destroyed. The US saw one of the strongest hurricanes striking their land in 2017 and 2018. Indonesia’s Sulawesi was hit by a rare tsunami in September 2018 that killed over 4,000 people.
5. Social Media + Influencers
https://www.instagram.com/p/B41GEgDhcOF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The social media has become the place for people to share their photos, statuses, and videos. It has also become a place for influencers to show who they are and work with brands, companies, hotels, etc to promote their cause and advertise them.
Before social media, traditional media were used to advertise brands, companies, and services. TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers. For influencers today, social media is the go-to place to advertise
6. Fidget spinners
Remember how fidget spinners suddenly dominate the world by storm in May 2017? Spinning it feels so satisfying and is claimed to have cured autism. It has since become dated.
7. Terrorism
Terrorism continues to take lives of innocent people all over the world. From France to Afghanistan, terrorism shows no signs of abating. The worst I remembered was the 2015 Paris attacks, where 130 people were killed doing the things they love. Kabul bombing, Egypt church bombings, and the Berlin truck attack. I have lost count on how many terrorist incidents there have been.
8. Refugee crisis
War displaces people. Kills thousands. Infrastructure damaged. Thousands injured. The war in Syria has sparked a refugee exodus never seen since world war 2. They were forced to leave their homes because of the conflict and had to go to lands never set foot. Many of them headed to Europe, where the countries there faced the worst refugee crisis since the second world war. Not only has Syria been the victim. Refugees from Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and places of conflict are uprooted from their homeland and had to go to a better place elsewhere.
9. Protests and revolution
Rohingya crisis, ethnic, sectarian tensions, protests, and revolutions have been a way for the masses to make their voices heard. The most noticeable revolution of the 2010s was the Arab spring, where revolutions in the Arab world toppled governments and dictators. The Egyptian revolution is one such example of them.
Elsewhere protests have been sparked by government inaction. Mass shooting events in the 2010s, particularly the Florida school shooting, Las Vegas shootings have caused Americans to protest gun rights.
10. The rise of memes
In the 2000s, memes weren’t used and created as much as they were today. Now, memes have become so common that they have metastasized to everyday life, expressing our thoughts, reactions, and feeling. Many have found memes as a way for people to let out their stress. Memes have originated from films, news, pictures, and even current events.
With the meme culture still going strong, it doesn’t look like it’s dying, and will surely get stronger and more fun.
What are some of the major events that have shaped our future? Let us know in the comments!
Header image source: Adweek
