dropoffyourkee, and Pete, I agree that the best decade to be a dub is when you are young, idealistic, living on your own and/or having fun.
For Hubby and me it was def 1966-1980. After the purge at Bethell and ousting of R Franz there was a distinct change in the Borg and IMO NOT for the better. The WTBT$ cracked down on parties, study groups, and weddings. They made the service meeting sterile and took away the fun demos and forced the speakers not to be clever, inventive or use props anymore. From then on they must STICK to the OUTLINE or ELSE.
They did away with the "John Class" of DFed ones and forbade ANY association or greeting. Upper management was running scared of even more waking up after Ray's book came out so they eliminated even the POSSIBILITY of speculation or questioning within the borg. Uniformity was demanded and elders were on notice to strictly rule the pubs or face being removed. Sorry, you have to have enjoyed the excitement, closeness, and freedom of the late 60's and 70's to feel the noose tightening in the 80's and thereafter.