Top 10: If you could live in a different decade, what time period would you choose?
- Readers discuss if they would visit the future to see how society has advanced or go back in time to experience moments in history
- This week’s question: If you could only wear one colour for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you had a time machine, would you choose to live in a different decade? Photo: ShutterstockThis week’s question: If you could only wear one colour for the rest of your life, what would it be?
To take part, drop us a line via this form or email us at yp@scmp.com by 11.59pm on July 26. Tell us your name, age and school.
Here are the decades our readers want to visit ...
Venus Pang Ching-yi, 15, Tak Nga Secondary School: I would choose to live in the 2200s because according to Doraemon, a Japanese cartoon, society will be heavily mechanised by that time. For instance, everyone will be able to fly in the sky using a device called a “hopter”. Although it seems impossible, I am very curious about whether this future could be real.
Sophia Ling, 11, German Swiss International School: The 1960s. It was a time of great social change, and I would love to have been a part of life back then. The music of that era was also fantastic with legendary artists such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. The fashion was also iconic: bell bottoms, tie-dye shirts and colourful prints. I would have loved to take part in activism in the US through the country’s civil rights movement and protests against the Vietnam war. The 1960s was also a time of space exploration, and I would have been thrilled to witness the first moon landing in 1969.
Top 10: What would you do if you could stop time for one hour?
Chan Bo-wen, 14, HKCCCU Logos Academy: Definitely Europe’s Renaissance Era. It was a monumental step forward in Western society for arts and literature – the renowned works produced during the 14th to 16th centuries are awe-inspiring. I would like to have observed the masters honing their craft: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael are just a few notable examples.
Vaibhavi Palshetkar, 15, Island School: The 80s saw the rise of American singer Michael Jackson, Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda, portable audio players, and more. Even 80s American slang like “tubular” sounds cool to me. Aside from that, this decade also saw major technological developments and the fall of the Berlin Wall. I would like to go back in time to witness these events and see how people reacted.
Helen Ng, 17, Harrow International School Hong Kong: The 1970s. It was a time when Hong Kong was already starting to modernise, but the culture was slower and had more of a human touch. This was also when my favourite Japanese fusion band Casiopea was releasing albums and going on tour! Although living in that time would make me a boomer by today’s standards, that would be well worth the trade.
Angela Iu Hei-nga, 15, Tak Nga Secondary School: I would live in the 2010s. It was right before the pandemic started, and it was full of fun memories with my friends, without a worry about the future. But after the pandemic began, there haven’t been many outdoor activities. Instead, I spend time scrolling on social media which feels like drowning in a sea of helplessness. The 2010s were a time when I enjoyed my life with friends, laughing and joking around. I miss the good old days.
Top 10: Who would you choose to switch bodies with for a day?
Heer Donda, 13, King George V School: The 2000s. I feel like our current decade is travelling too fast, and I am struggling to keep up. In the 2000s, I feel as though many social issues were resolved, and everyone was living an ideal life. Now, with technology rapidly advancing, I feel as though something could go wrong.
Suri Chan Tin-wing, 17, Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College: I must choose the 2000s since everything about this era seems wonderful. Shows, films and idols that I admire debuted in this decade. I am a fan of Disney Channel movies and series from that time, such as High School Musical, Camp Rock, and Hannah Montana. None of my friends are fans of these series. They don’t even know who Zac Efron is. I probably would have more in common with my friends if we all lived in this decade.
Clarisse Poon, 13, St Paul’s Co-educational College: Imagine a world with AI robots, space hotels, and more advanced technology everywhere – wouldn’t that be fabulous? Living in the 2100s would be an opportunity to experience the latest technology and explore what machines could bring to humanity. It would be an eye-opening experience to join the robots in the future world.
Zhou Leran, 16, Munsang College: Definitely the 1990s. That decade was marked by historic events, including the rise of the internet and the return of Hong Kong to China, which I would have loved to witness. Culturally, the 90s also saw so many Cantopop hits, such as my favourite song, “Sky” by the Hong Kong band Beyond, and it would have been awesome to attend their concerts.