With time racing at the pace of a hadron collider, it’s easy to remain oblivious to the passing years. Only after a while, years, if not decades, do we notice how much things have changed around us, ourselves included.
It’s when we press pause on the present and look right back into the past. What do we see there? Well, it’s no secret that most humans have a strong sense of nostalgia that puts the years gone by in an exceptionally positive light.
This thread from Ask Reddit may also give us some answers by showing what things people thought were simpler, more accessible and efficient, and overall way better in the past. And now we can all decide whether it’s true or it’s our sentimental longing speaking. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
#1
my knees/ankles/back…
Image source: bbpr120, Towfiqu barbhuiya
#2
Saturday Morning Cartoons.
The late 80’s/ early 90’s heyday.
Image source: Shadow_strife, Ksenia Chernaya
#3
I miss the days before social media was a big thing. Everyone would just hangout and be focused on the interactions we were currently having.
Image source: pineappledaddy, Jessica Da Rosa
#4
Home appliances. Old ones could be dropped out of a plane and still work well. New ones break because someone looked at it funny
Image source: ForgottenForce, Dinh Ng.
#5
The sky. Light pollution has destroyed one of the most beautiful sights that humans had gazed upon for thousands of years.
Image source: ProtectorOfSol, Francois Le Nguyen
#6
Prices vs earnings.
Image source: Jimbruno55, Igal Ness
#7
The environment.
Image source: 227743, Antoine GIRET
#8
Being a kid…I don’t think kids today get to have as much freedom and fun as previous generations did
Image source: PhibesIsMyDoctor, charlesdeluvio
#9
Airports.
Image source: Ron_deBeaulieu, Phil Mosley
#10
Certain dog breeds. Imagine, pugs used to have a nose they could breath through and eyes that didn’t get infected every time they almost bulged out of their heads…
Same with shitzu’s. And imagine English bulldogs that didn’t collapse in exhaustion by even hearing the word walkies
Image source: Shoddy-Day7300, Никита Теленков
#11
The weather.
I remember playing outside every morning during summer vacation.
This summer, even 5 minutes spent sitting in the early morning sunlight that came in through the window was enough to give me headaches.
I live in south India- and no matter what climate change deniers say, it’s been getting steadily hotter year after year in my part of the world.
Image source: AP7497, Taylor Heery
#12
Weird to say, but inconvenience and boredom. I kinda miss being like, “whelp, there’s nothing on TV, I’m gonna go walk the neighborhood and knock on my friends doors”.
I primarily text and talk to friends on the phone now, it seems like an event to actually meet up. Even friends who are less than a mile away.
Image source: ThinkIGotHacked, Lesia Gant
#13
People’s attention spans.
Image source: Drizzledizzler, Kerde Severin
#14
MTV.
Image source: Super_Analysis_9390, wikimedia.commons
#15
Flying in general.
More seat space, meals included (and a choice of meals), actual metal utensils, luggage included, no need to get to the airport 2 hours before your flight…
Image source: cinemascifi, Hanson Lu
#16
Christmas…. I don’t know how to explain it. We didn’t have much money so it wasn’t because of the presents. We actually used to wrap our own toys and give them to each other for Christmas. But there was always just this feeling that I can’t explain. Sometimes when I watch the 90’s Christmas movies I can feel it again for a moment, but then it’s gone. It’s just the happiest, most peaceful feeling. It just felt like magic.
Image source: Ridiculous48, S&B Vonlanthen
#17
Being a kid without technology.
Image source: xXQueenofWolvesx, Ryan Fields
#18
Fast Food. No, it has not always sucked a*s.
Image source: brock_lee, Brett Jordan
#19
Cost of living
Image source: SoulfulYam, Karolina Grabowska
#20
Privacy
Image source: letsgetbrickfaced, Thomas Lefebvre
#21
Manners and respect.
Image source: Shining__Rose, Helena Lopes
#22
Freetime… life was more slowly and you had more time for yourself and your hobbies.
Image source: Knorff, Anastasia Zhenina
#23
Video games.
I literally still have my original N64 and controller. It still goes strong. You just turn the game on and play it. No 60 GB downloads. No loading screens. No ads. No updates. No pay to play.
Image source: corviknightisdabest, Pat Moin
#24
I didn’t experience it personally, just second hand, but I believe working.. you had set hours and then no one could reach you after. It irritates me sometimes how normal it is to still reply to messages or send emails during off time and weekends or vacations.
I wonder what would happen sometimes if I just fully ignored my phone and shut it off the moment I’m off but it would really just be more stressful, and besides you can save yourself some later effort by tackling things right away. But in the past, everyone was off at the same times, everyone was out of reach, so it’s not like you’d come back tomorrow to 50 emails and messages either. It was just over when it’s over.
My parents and their friends seemed to have so much uninterrupted time.
Image source: lillie_connolly, Torsten Dettlaff
#25
Fruit and corn. They have been bred to be sweeter and harder for transport, and have lost much of the subtle fruit/corn flavor they used to have.
Image source: Botryoid2000, Wouter Supardi Salari
#26
When you could write letters and not have to reply for days at a time to now we feel obliged to keep in 24/7 contact with people.
Image source: Human-Perspective-83, Angela Roma
#27
Housing prices
Image source: Whenwillthisend12, Birgit Loit
#28
my mental health
Image source: Wonderful_Audience60, Nik Shuliahin
#29
A job had a clear purpose.
So much useless “Pseudo-work” done today compared to back in the day
Image source: Mofme, Vojtech Okenka
#30
Internet. It was new, more friendly and funny
Image source: Funny_Skirt6059, Thomas Jensen
#31
Insects, more than 40% of total have disappeared over the past decades.
Image source: ________________me, Andre Moura
#32
Shopping Malls
Image source: nerdmoot, Tuur Tisseghem
#33
Gas prices.
Image source: ItsDominika, Mehluli Hikwa
#34
The future
Image source: fukkingapig, Pixabay
#35
Smart phones too, Reddit is the only social media I use and still I stare at this f**king thing 5 hours a day. I know I’m addicted to it and I’d love to punt it but unfortunately it’s also my phone, my map, my camera, my tape measure, my dictaphone, my Walkman etc. etc.
Image source: tarkuspig, Jonas Leupe
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