Comment by graeme
5 years ago
It was more common in the past. In 2002 the cold war had ended only 11 years prior. Now we are 30 years out.
Same as how back then you could say “in the war” and people knew you meant WWII, but nowaways youth may give you a confused look.
But yes at least in Canada we used to use the east/west framing, and in respect of russia. In 2002 they were the more prominent power compared to China. That situation has heavily reversed.
I know a professor who taught at a community college in Brooklyn. He had a section on 9/11 and would warn his students if they had a personal connection to the events that they may want to skip those classes. Some students who were native life long New Yorkers didn't even know what 9/11 was.
The only way I can fathom this being the case in Brooklyn is a combination of kids living under a rock and a total failure of the local public education system.