What 80's Movies Taught Me About Human Connection

Lately, I have become a little obsessed with watching movies from the 1980s.

It started about a year ago, but recently the urge has become stronger. Quicksilver, Murphy's Romance, The Goodbye Girl, The Woman in Red, and The World According to Garp are just a few of the movies I grew up watching as a child.

Looking back, I realize those movies gave me a perspective on life that has stayed with me. They introduced me to different worlds, different emotions, and different ways of seeing people. They allowed me to experience stories and perspectives I probably would not have encountered at that age.

There was something different about that time.

We didn't have endless choices. We didn't have thousands of shows available at the touch of a button. We had fewer options, and because of that, certain experiences became shared experiences.

I remember watching The Women of Brewster Place and being so excited to talk about it with the kids at school. My teacher even spent time discussing the series with us. It became something that connected us.

A story became a conversation.

Lately, this strong desire to revisit that time has come during a period where so much feels uncertain. People seem more disconnected than ever, yet we have more ways than ever to communicate. There are so many options, so many opinions, so much information coming at us constantly. Sometimes it feels overwhelming.

Maybe what I miss isn't just the movies.

Maybe it's the feeling they represented.

Those movies often had a simple formula: a problem, some chaos, some laughter, and eventually some kind of resolution. The characters weren't perfect. They were human. They made mistakes, got themselves into ridiculous situations, struggled, and found their way.

There was something comforting about that.

Being in Thailand has also made me more aware of how much entertainment shapes American culture. So many milestones, conversations, and memories are connected to movies, music, television, and shared cultural moments.

And I think I finally understand what I miss most.

People weren't performing.

The entertainment came from the professionals. We watched actors tell stories. We watched musicians perform. We watched artists create. We didn't feel like every person had to constantly present themselves, build a personal brand, or prove their worth.

Today, the endless options can sometimes make people feel replaceable. There is always something new to watch, someone new to follow, and another distraction waiting. Yet, somehow, many people feel lonelier than ever.

Not long ago, I had almost a four-hour conversation with a friend. Nothing was accomplished. Nothing was produced. There was no agenda.

We simply talked.

And it was exactly what I needed.

To be heard. To laugh. To share. To be human.

The other day, during a weekly online session with a longtime client, I noticed something was different. I could tell she wasn't herself. Instead of moving right into our normal routine, I asked her:

"How are you really doing?"

And she opened up.

It reminded me how many people are carrying so much silently. How many people are searching for a safe place to simply express what they are feeling without having to explain, perform, or hold everything together.

Maybe we are living in a time of numbness because there is just so much coming at us.

There are many ways we try to cope with uncertainty. For me, lately, it has been returning to those old movies.

They remind me of simplicity.

Landlines.

Drive-ins.

Sleepovers.

Bike rides.

Gatherings where people came together simply because they wanted company.

No one needed to gain anything from the moment.

They were just together.

And maybe that is what I am really longing for.

Not just the 80s.

Connection.