Ah, the good ol’ days, huh? Weren’t they great? You know, when things used to be cheap and good quality ? Now, it’s pretty much the opposite. Everything is super expensive, and it falls apart or breaks easily. I’m talking about clothes, appliances, and a slew of other things.
So, it’s no surprise that a recent Reddit thread that asked, “What’s a thing that used to be great but has now become really bad?” is totally blowing up. I’m sharing a few of people’s answers below as I’m sure you’re intrigued.
Flying
“Flying. From the shrinking seats, poorly-behaved people, no food, baggage fees, and carry-on fees to questions about plane safety.”
Okay, it’s good that I’m not the only one that thinks that. I used to love flying as a kid, but now I just dread the whole thing. The seating on the plane is uncomfortable, and the whole departure process is tedious. Can we go back to the good days, please?
The Internet
“The internet in general. I used to be able to search Google for a subject and then get a list of reliable websites to read from. Now, it’s 99% crap, ad-ridden sites that all want to sell me [crap] I don’t need.”
Yup, pretty much everywhere you search you get bombarded with ads and I find that annoying AF.
Social Media
“Social media. When it started or even as far back as 2012-2017, it was fun. Just a platform to post silly, goofy pictures and stay in touch with people…until the rise of the influencers, content creators, and whatnot! Now, it’s just a filtered, carefully curated, negative, toxic wasteland.”
Oh, I hear you loud and clear. There’s no authenticity online anymore. It’s all advertising, and that’s pretty sad.
Thrifting
“Thrifting. All the rich kids ruined it.”
“Not only that but the prices they put on some second-hand items these days is RIDICULOUS, you may as well buy them brand new in some cases.”
Oh yeah, I just wrote an article about Value Village and how they just jacked their prices. I have to admit I was shocked.
OkCupid
“OkCupid. Used to be an innovative dating site with a multitude of features that distinguished it from its competitors. Everything went downhill when the Match group bought it.”
I’m going to go back even further than that and say Lavalife. That was the only dating site I used back in the day, and it was great.
Breyers Ice Cream
“Oh man, those Breyers ice cream cakes were the best and one day they just vanished. I’ve been craving them on and off for years and they are just relics of ice cream shelves past.”
Oh, I don’t think I’ve ever had those, but I bet they were good. Is it just me, or does anything good tend to disappear eventually?
Cooking Websites
“Everyone knows the struggle of scrolling through 273 paragraphs of bull**** before getting to the recipe, but now some actual antichrist websites are putting the 2nd page inside the first where after you get past the 273 paragraphs it’s like ‘now click here for the recipe’. Rage-inducing.”
Ha, ha!
Movies
“Movies in general. I feel like they used to have substance, but now everything feels like a cash-grab.”
I agree with this wholeheartedly. Now, all you get is constant sequels that can never be as good as the original. Hollywood has definitely run out of ideas.
Makeup
“In the ’90s/early 2000s, you needed concealer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, and some lip stuff to get the standard ‘attractive’ look. Now, social media makes it seem like you need 100 different primers, fixers, gels, mattifiers, creams, eyebrow tools, and contouring equipment.”
That’s why I stick to the basics, ladies. I don’t need all that crap, ha, ha.
YouTube
“YouTube. Try watching it for an hour without adblocker on. It’s wild. They literally penalize you for using their platform.”
I don’t spend enough time on YouTube for this very reason. Every time I try to watch something, I get forced into an ad. It’s pretty irritating.
Streaming
“Back when Netflix moved away from sending DVDs in the mail, they turned to streaming. You had everything you wanted in one place, for one small price! Now, there are about 15 different streaming platforms. Might as well pay for cable at this point.”
Yup, I’m actually totally confused by all the streaming services, so I have none, ha, ha.
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MTV
“MTV. It was so good back in the ’90s. Actual music videos and shows that featured artists, MTV Unplugged , Daria , Beavis and Butt-Head , Æon Flux , TRL , Celebrity Deathmatch …Then, Pimp My Ride and Cribs were pretty fun, though it was the start of reality TV-style shows.”
I remember when having MTV was a big deal. Now, I couldn’t care less as I don’t watch anything on there anymore.
Concerts
“I remember being able to go to shows for $15-$30 to see three to five bands in a scummy, poorly lit bar. Everyone had so much fun, just enjoying the music. Now, you’ll never find a show under $50 unless it’s a local unknown band, and everyone’s so aggressive about trying to get to the front and get a photo op for social media that they ruin it for the people who want to go and enjoy the music.”
I used to love to go to concerts, and now I can’t afford it, and the experience isn’t the same at all.
Cars
“They used to be awesome. Affordable. And fixable. Now, they’re mostly pieces of crap and highly overcharged. They’re faster than they used to be maybe, but the cost isn’t worth the parts. And they fail so easily.”
Um, that’s because a lot of the production went away from places like Japan and Germany. Even the cars made in Mexico these days are not as good as before, and that’s a fact.
Playing Outside
“Being able to go outside. Maybe not so much in the cities, but in the suburbs, there were all these open fields and forests to go into, you could stay out till the sun went down just riding your bike. Now those fields and forests are paved over and turned into a strip malls. Those big areas with playgrounds? Bulldozed for some… half-assed jungle gym.”
As a kid who grew up playing outside, I feel sad for the kiddos these days.
Being Busy All The Time
“Not being busy. Not constantly ‘hustling’ or trying to do it all. Not ‘living for the weekend.’ Downtime can be a good thing.”
It’s what I call “slow living.” Basically, instead of always being on the run and rushing, you take your time. I know it may seem like a novel concept for some, but it feels much better than pretending that you always have to be or do something. Let’s just enjoy living, okay?
Living
“When I was young, life was awesome. Friends, fun, adventure, meeting people, partying, sex, music. Now it’s all work until you can’t work anymore, sleep, work some more.”
Oh, yeah, I second that. Is it just me, or does the time seem like it’s just flying by, huh? Every week, weekend, and month is just — poof — gone in a flash, and then you’re that much older.
Buying A House
“The search to buy your first home used to be exciting and filled with choices. Now, it’s ‘take it or leave it’ overpriced homes you can’t afford in a terrible neighborhood. Or continue paying your super high rent.”
I couldn’t agree more. Not only is it no fun, but an average person can’t afford anything. We are getting priced right out of the market.
So, which good thing do you miss the most?
I would have to say the pleasure of flying. Now, I like being somewhere, but I can’t stand the process of getting there. Why did they have to ruin it all, huh? I don’t like it. And, of course, the fact that we still can’t afford a home it’s pretty sad and overwhelming. I feel like we will be renting forever if things don’t change.
