From a technological standpoint, the 90's were interesting. Computers and internet became mainstream, small cellphones replaced huge cellphones and beepers. We went from analog to digital (VHS to DVD, Casette to CD). We saw a huge and radical (pun intended) technological advancement.
Economically, we were doing pretty bad in the early stages but then saw a boom in the mid 90's.We were better off economically than we are today.
Culturally, we were a little better off than today. IMO, We were in the early to mid stages of becomming the paranoid nanny state that we are today. People began getting more "health conscious" and eco friendly, The tobacco witchhunt (the war on tobacco companies and tobacco users started gaining strength), The war on drugs and brain washing propaganda was also becoming more intrusive (Remember D.A.R.E?), worse than it was during the 80's, being under surveillance was becoming the norm (although nowhere near the unconsitutional level of the patriot act era). Everything was becoming corporatized and commercialized. The middle man was slowly but surely being put out of business. There was resentment and lots of countercultures as a result of this and violence was becomming more prevalent in entertainment.
mainstream Metal/Rock went from generally happy to Doomy and gloomy (grunge etc), hardcore gangsta rap became popular, mortal kombat forever changed the gaming industry, they pretty much caused the rating system. There was also fear of the world ending in 2000, we also had the Y2K crisis. Times were changing and very fast.
