The biggest difference between 1975 and 2005 would be the pervasive pessimism and nihilism of the 70s. Everyone was convinced that it was just a matter of time until we had a nuclear war, every institution was rotten, religion was a crock, our economy was just about to head into a world wide neverending great depression, pollution increasing exponentially, crime and lawlessness taking over, and social norms were crumbling everywhere. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Yeah, we’d had a good run, but nuclear war, famine, overpopulation, and urban violence were going to inevitably destroy everything. If one horrible trend didn’t do us in, any of a dozen other horrible trends would.
So forget about saving the world, forget about making the world a better place, forget about the future, because there wasn’t going to be any future. Only thing to do is rock and roll all night and party ev-e-ry day. I’m outta order? I’m outta order? This whole COURT’s outta order! Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown.