Things change over time . That’s part of life, you know? But sometimes, change happens so gradually that people might not notice right away.
These pictures show some of the ways time has really changed things. We can’t turn the clock back, but we can always take a look at how things used to be , for better or for worse.
“This 1970s Point-O-Matic still being used in my office.”
We definitely don’t use pencil sharpeners like this anymore. This one has that very distinct beige color that a lot of appliances from the ’70s and ’80s had, which makes it look super-dated.
Come to think of it, we don’t really need pencil sharpeners as much these days, what with computers.
“A postcard I mailed 3 days before Peru’s abrupt March 2020 lockdown arrived today, 505 days later.”
Last March, things changed so quickly. One minute, we’re all making plans and going to work. The next, everything is closed. This incredibly late postcard is a reminder of what life was like immediately before everything changed.
“I bought my daughter some books from the local thrift store. When it came time for her to read one to me we found that kids have been using this book to learn since 1984.”
Times may change, but learning is eternal. Every kid is going to learn to read and go to school. Apparently, though, this book has weathered a lot of tiny hands and eyes. It’s cool that it’s still going!
“The HitClips I found in my old room yesterday.”
Remember HitClips? Those things were…kind of useless, but also so cool! The original MP3s before that became a thing.
I might still have one or two of them in storage somewhere. I’m tempted to go looking for them now.
“My grandmother made the local paper with her pie recipe in 1969! My mother framed the newspaper clipping.”
This is obviously a very proud moment for this person and their grandmother. But it’s kind of funny to think about how these kinds of things don’t happen anymore. Not a lot of people still read the newspaper. But people can post their recipes online these days and get a lot of recognition.
“The worn off part of this movie theater seat looks like the Batman symbol.”
You can tell that this seat was loved by many moviegoers over the years. And while that level of wear is kind of concerning, it’s also super interesting.
You don’t think…someone shaped it like that on purpose, do you?
“An old telephone box in my village turned into a book swap.”
Ah, phone booths. Phased out thanks to the cellphone, and all but forgotten. For one to become a book swap is like breathing new life into it.
And I mean, it’s kind of the perfect size to house a tiny library. So it works out really well.
“Power-washing a building in New York City, during the era the city ran on coal plants.”
When you realize the building isn’t really that color…it’s just super dirty. Like, the difference between the washed part and the rest is huge. It’s almost stressful. It makes you think about all the gunk we’ve been putting into the air.
“Old village I visited this week had original village laws up.”
I’m sure these rules aren’t still in effect, but it’s pretty cool to be able to look at them. It really makes you realize how, over centuries and even decades, things can dramatically change. You aren’t going to see something like this with modern laws.
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“A cherry tree is born on top of the empty trunk of a mulberry tree.”
What better place for a tree to grow than, well, on top of a dead tree? I guess this is a case of something new coming from something old, but it’s still such an odd sight. At least it saves on space, I suppose?
“Barbie technology through the ages.”
I never had any of these when I played with Barbies! Not even the walkie-talkie (or is that supposed to be an old cellphone? It’s hard to tell).
Still, it’s cool how her accessories changed to match the current age. Now she’s using smart devices.
“The site of the first Waffle House, now a museum, is down the street from me in Avondale Estates. Atlanta, GA.”
At one point, this Waffle House was an actual restaurant you could buy food from. Now, it’s a museum. I wonder if it gets a lot of tourism, considering it’s where the fast food chain all started.
“An old laptop we dug up at work uses an overhead light to illuminate the keyboard.”
Compare this laptop to one you could buy in 2021, which has a backlit keyboard and probably weighs at least half of this one, and you’ll really see how much things have changed. Technology is just so amazing, isn’t it?
“While tearing up their carpet, my in-laws found a giant Monopoly board.”
I wonder if, at one point, this Monopoly board floor was frequently used. I can just picture all of the human Monopoly games that were played on it. But since someone is actually planning on living in there, it probably won’t get that much use.
“I acquired a neat little book from the 1850’s.”
I think old books from the Victorian era are just incredibly neat. We need to bring back notebooks bound in leather with gold embellishments. That’s one thing that’s changed that probably shouldn’t have.
Notebooks today, they just aren’t the same, man.
“Planting 90,000ish trees take a few inches of shovel.”
I guess even the sturdiest of shovels will wear down over time. It’s amazing just how much that shovel on the right has worn compared to the brand new one on the left, but I guess that’s what 90 thousand trees will do to ya.
“Went to a local antique shop with my friends and found a training letter from Ford Motor Company from 1939 for 8 bucks.”
I bet you Ford employees don’t get letters like this anymore. It’s truly a product of its time, and it’s so cool that things like these can just be bought and sold in antique stores.
“Buried Easter Island Moai statue devoid of weathering shows detailed carvings.”
The Moai statues of Easter Island are a sight to see. Though they just look like heads, they have whole bodies underground that people are starting to dig up. The difference between the part that weathered and the part that didn’t is amazing!
“This dog statue is worn down from being petted so much.”
I guess people can’t help but pet a dog, even if it’s just a statue. It must’ve taken a lot of pats for this dog to get worn down so much. But you know what? That just shows that everyone thinks this statue is a good boy!
“Bamboo that grew up during the pandemic without the effect of tourists’ touch.”
The difference between the new bamboo and the existing stuff is so interesting . I mean, without people carving things into it, it’s so smooth. It almost looks normal, which shouldn’t even be surprising, and yet it is.
