As the decade draws to a close, Prospere Magazine has come up with a list of what it thinks are the five worst things of the 2000s (outside of the recession, natural disasters, middle east issues and 9/11 – these belong in their own categories):

The Flip Flop:  A total fashion DON’T of the 2000s

Flip flops as streetwear: Flip flops belong in the home, at the pool and the beach.  A few years ago, people were wearing them on the street!  Some girls even wore it to the White House!  I realize that we live in a more casual society these days, but come on!  Many offices had to quickly re-write their dress codes because young people, especially summer interns were wearing them to work.  To make things worse, “regular” flip flops were replaced by Crocs and Croc look-a-likes, which are even uglier.  And don’t get me started on their cold weather counterpart, UGG boots.

Inappropriate clothing on young kids: OK, for decades, kids liked to emulate their favourite stars, and the 2000s weren’t the first time kids wore clothing that was considered inappropriate.  However, the kids who are doing that are getting younger, and parents seem to be fine with it.  After all, it’s the PARENTS who are paying for these things.  No eight year old has the cash to buy clothes that make them look like they popped out of a hip hop video.  What’s wrong, Mom and Dad?  Why don’t you teach your kids to be ladies or gentlemen?  Do you seriously want your kids to look like pimps and hos?  Your EIGHT YEAR OLDS?  You don’t need to send kids to cotillion or finishing school,you just need to say no. 

Sarah Palin: How did this woman end up in politics, again?  Sorry, but she’s an embarassment to articulate conservatives in the United States (and in other countries, too).  I don’t understand what was going on in John McCain’s mind when he picked her.  She may reflect some of her voters, but really, who wants an inarticulate, not-so-sophisticated politician?  Oh, and hockey moms exist primarily in cold climate districts.  I don’t think there are too many hockey moms in, say, Phoenix.

Reality Television and its stars: At the beginning of the decade, the term “reality TV” pretty much did not exist.  Sure, there were documentary lifestyle shows on cable TV like MTV’s Real World, but competitive television where people were eliminated on a weekly basis did not exist.  Nor did people go on television just to become famous.  Who knew in 1999 that one could do that?  This past decade sure has brought out the so-called “fame whores” who were just “lucky” that they were able to go on television.  In the past, one only went on TV because they were talented or did something amazing. Today, not so much.  Where are the dramas and comedies?  Television used to be all about them.  What’s happened to the family sitcom?  There hasn’t been a good in YEARS.  Unless of course, the whole point of reality television is to show how stupid our society has become (not that the general public often realizes that they’re being made fun of).

Paris Hilton: Yes, she may be a reality star, but she gets a category all to herself.  Sure, “socialites” have been seen in the press (and the press reporting on their behaviour) for decades, but Paris seems to have her own thing.  Sure, she has a brand going, but what’s going to happen when she gets older, when having fun, partying and looking for a “BFF” on a reality show isn’t cool anymore?   Besides, her awful behaviour isn’t setting such a great example to society, anyway.

Flip flop image © Le Do/iStockphoto