Dynasty 1981-1989 (TV Series)

Dynasty




Dynasty was a prime soap during the 1980's, it is all about wealthy clans with big shoulder pads, arguing and conflicting about how to deal or manage money and their children. The show comes across as a hierarchical set up, all about the high class families. The short  clip below shows this iconic 80's imagery, starring Joan Collins, the women in the clip are clearly very wealthy, this is noticeable just by their attire and jewels. The clip also features the 80's iconic hair styles, both ladies have their hair full of volume and weight, either and up do or down.

In addition to the clip above, this next clip also shows 'Dynasty' as a representation of the 80's. The opening scene of this clip shows a 'yuppie' styled attire from the male who is clearly very wealthy as he walks into his mansion. A yuppie was a term used during the 80's to describe a wealthy city worker, usually dressed in smart designer suits and fashionable accessories. This clip also shows how fashion was changing, the blonde lady has a very masculine jacket on with huge shoulder pads, making her seem very broad shouldered. 

On the other hand, this show may not be the best representation of the 80's as it completley focuses on wealthy families and does not portray lower class families and the diversity that their was in this era. Dynasty leans towards the idea of the American Dream as being wealthy and fashionable. Even though this show does reflect the 80's era by the typical fashion is does not portray other tyoes of families.

The Wolf of Wall Street

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   A 'yuppie' is often pictured as a popularly stylish young middle-class individual whom is overly ambitious when it comes to financial success. American historian and columnist, Victor David Hanson felt the phenomenon of 'Yuppism' centred around "self-absorbed young professionals... [that were] generally out of touch with, indeed antithetical to, most of the challenges and concerns of a far less well-off and more parochial Middle America." Whilst this analysis may have been true the 1980s was perhaps a time where the American Dream seemed more real to young individuals and this era of 'yuppism' meant that the 'go-getters' had vast opportunities. Hanson argues the very energetic, determined people had great chances, yet many others were arguably left behind and cheated by these people, particularly in relation to finance and brokerage firms. 

   
   

   Nevertheless, whilst not all of these charismatic people were "self-absorbed", the stereotypes of a 'yuppie' do not come from no where. Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) along with Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name (2007) are both prime illustrations of the greed and materialism during the 1980s. Belfort's story starts towards the end of this era in 1987 where he was one of many that got sucked into Wall Street in the hope that one day he would become a millionaire. Fairly straight forward, yet what entailed in so much of Wall Streets endeavours was the drug inducement, moral corruption and dysfunctional lifestyles many people had. Belfort's company, Stratton Oakmont, which was founded at the end of this era (1989), had 1,300 people employed, the majority of whom would have partaken in the drugs and love of prostitution. These employees would all be seen as the typical cultural figures of a 'yuppie'. One particular scene in the The Wolf of Wall Street, perhaps epitomises these figures as up and coming individuals who had the opportunity to become more prosperous. In Belfort's speech in one of Stratton Oakmont offices he looks to one of his first ever employees speaking about her stating:

   
   

   "Most of you have met Kimmy, the beautiful sophisticated women she is today... The women who spends $3000 on Armani suits, drives a brand new Mercedes Benz, spends her winters in the Bahama's, and her summers at the Hamptons... the Kimmy i met didn't have two nickels to rub together".
   
   
   

   
   

   
   

   Here is a clear representation of a 'Yuppie' through the use of film and how many of these people actually grew up in families towards the bottom quintile of earners. Therefore, this portrays the 1980s American Dream for many 'yuppies'. Unfortunately, however, as seen throughout American history and literature the American Dream always seems to have negative connotations, and in this case it depicts the abuses of the capitalist system. Many of the employees were arrested and charged with fraud, stock-market manipulation, and participating in the so called 'boiler room'. The characteristics of this term would include cold-call high pressure selling ("Ram Steve Madden's stocks down their throat until the choke on it"), unpleasant working conditions (i.e. prostitution during the working day), and dishonest sales techniques. 

   
   

   A quote from Belfort's memoir, as seen above states "I partied like a Rock Star, Lived like a King", which certainly reflects the clear aspect of materialism that drove the life of a 'yuppie' in much of Wall Street. Yet, as seen in much of history, whilst Kings may thrive many people will be cheated out of the system through unethical treatment. Essentially, Belfort would gain vast amounts of stock, with "minimal public disclosure", then drag up the prices to then be sold fiercely whilst profits would be made, yet investors would always lose. A quote from Belfort and perhaps a 'yuppie' ideology was "I want you to solve all your problems by becoming rich", even if that meant disregarding many of their former morals and values which Belfort initially had at the start of his Wall Street career. 

Yuppies Wall Streets and the Modern Day Yuppie

Definition of Yuppie

:  a young college-educated adult who is employed in a well-paying profession and who lives and works in or near a large city.

Flims such as the American Psycho (2000) and more recently Wolf of Wall Street (2013) depicted the idea of Yuppies, money oriented, drug addicted and self-image obsessed. They were very much obsessed with image how they looked and quick, substantial profit. Looking into a person like Jordan Belfort although he mainly dominated in the early 90's he did start out aiming to be a Yuppie, and actually turned into being the Yuppie. He ticked the boxes. Unlike Trump who is viewed a the Yuppie that began it all, he had a lot of privileges to help him out.

Whereas Jordan Belfort, saw Wall Street as a way to make it in America, it was the 80's version of American Dream. It was about going to the right clubs, taking the right drugs to ensure you didn't need to sleep or miss out on anything. What set them apart from the Trumps is really how they had nothing so to make in the world and to have the lifestyle they wanted they had to take a massive risk and step on whoever needed to be stepped. It was really this era where morals and values just didn't exist anymore, that viewed eventually the risk/bet would have to pay off. Then they would have the life they wanted.

Modern Day. - Yawns

It's funny how history almost mirrors itself. This decade has coined the up and coming as are the "Yawns" - young and wealthy but normal. Saying how there's been a massive shift from the Yuppies who would ride around on yacht to this new attitude of entitlement to a defensive crouch of financial and existential insecurity. This how come about because of the yuppies, they have made the yawns. Due to this parenting style of you can have it, you should have it all, and you will have it. It has left the yawns in the state of imbalance as none of it is true, they were set up the fail.

Sources; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10560364/The-Wolf-of-Wall-Street-meet-the-real-bad-guy.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/fashion/tell-tale-signs-of-the-modern-day-yuppie.html?_r=0

The Secret of My Success

The Yuppie is defined as being a well-educated young individual that was born during the baby boom. The Yuppie had a high paying job that was centred in an urban environment and was of a higher class. During the 1980s the Yuppie could be described as an ‘influential demographic group and as a new lifestyle and value orientation that places extreme emphasis on the pursuit of financial rewards and career success.’ This highlights how ambitious this social group was within the 80s as these highly educated young individuals believed they had the potential to become an economic powerhouse.

The Secret of My Success is a 1987 film which stars Michael J. Fox and portrays the Yuppie in a comedic manner. Brantley Foster (Michael J. Fox) is a recent graduate from the University of Kansas who decides to move to New York where he has a job as a financier. When he arrives he discovers that the company has been taken over by a competitor and is fired before he even starts his job. As the film continues he gets a job in the mailroom through the help of his uncle who is the CEO. This shows how being of this certain class has instant positives as it allows Foster to have the opportunity to climb the company ladder. Due to his role in the company Brantley is able to see where ill-advised decisions are occurring and as he has no power in the board room he creates a new persona through the access of the mail room and his great understanding of company processes. This new identity is the most generic image of a Yuppie from image to personality. The film portrays the Yuppie as a successful well motivated individual that achieves high ambitions and this can reflect on 80s in terms of meritocracy.

This film portrays the positives and negatives of the Yuppie, the negative being their lifestyle and the moral decisions that are made within their personal relationships. The positive being their highly ambitious nature and determination to improve their social ranking.     

Wesley Perkins, H. ‘Religious Commitment, Yuppie Values, and Well-Being in Post-Collegiate Life’. March 1991, Pg 244. 

The most powerful Yuppie of all

In locating a contemporary articulation of the ‘Yuppie’ it is first important to define the term in its origin. Writing in 1986, Hammond terms the ‘Yuppie’ as a ‘new political species: The Young Urban Professionals, children of the baby boom whom now have college degrees and high paying jobs. Hammond continues to characterise yuppies as having ‘childhoods of prosperity, high educational levels…and salaries which match their ambitions’. Further; ‘according to press accounts, they crowd the labour and real estate markets.’

One of the most famous representations of the Yuppie is Gordon Gekko, the lead character in Oliver Stones’ ‘Wall Street’ (1987). His portrayal in the film is archetypal of the young, masculine definition of the yuppie – Unashamedly rich, ruthless and powerful, Gekko exemplifies the ruling class of the 1980’s as he exploits the capitalist system for his own means with little to no ethical or moral consideration. As he famously says to Bud Fox;

“You’ve got 90% of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own.”

Similar quotes from the period in which Gekko operates are numerous;

“I’m going to be upset and there is going to be hell to pay.”

“I know how to build. I’m going to take the approach of leadership. I’m going to get good contractors and push the hell out of them.”

“They’ve worked for me and they want to continue working for me.”

How interesting it is then, that each of those last three quotes are taken from real estate tycoon and business magnate of the 1980’s, Mr Donald J. Trump. Covering the refurbishment of the Wollman Rink in his 1986 article for the New York Times, Martin Gottlieb analyses and quotes ‘developer’ Mr. Donald J. Trump and his powerful ‘clout’ in business and real estate affairs of the middle of the decade. Just four years previous (at age 36) according to Forbes, Trump had a fortune of $200 million. In terms of his wealth, his success, his history and his character, Trump is certainly an articulation of the yuppie. A yuppie whom now assumes the most powerful position in America and the world.

The yuppie attitude becomes increasingly problematic in the context of presidency because of its essential features. Yes, hard work is desirable but business acumen is more useful to an authoritarian or even totalitarian leadership model and not the self-acclaimed ‘Land of the Free’. Trump’s attitude, both in the 80’s and now appears to be rash, ruthless and petulant whilst some of the best presidents exude a calm, assured and conscientious attitude to leadership.  You need only look down his Twitter feed to find examples. It is sadly apparent that Trump’s short comings, exposed and somewhat founded in the yuppie era of the 1980’s, could amount to more regressive and damaging policy.

1. Hammond: Public Opinion Quarterly: Yuppies

2. Gottlieb: New York Times 1986

3. O'brien: New York Times 2005

4. Youtube: Gekko teaches Bud about capitalism