What are some things that have disappeared, and no one noticed? What comes to mind? My first thought was slide phones. I remember thinking they were so cool when they entered the market, but smartphones quickly phased them out. A community member asked this same question online and here are 25 answers other people shared.
1 – Sunday Paper Ritual
Finally, a user remembers the ritual of reading the Sunday paper and the freebie magazines like USA Today and Parade. It was full of fun things like movies to be released soon, puzzles and sales. The Sunday paper today is sad, and looking at the phone is not the same.
2 – Knowing Your Neighbors
Thanks to the internet, we're too occupied to worry about who lives next door. One shares that in the past, they would hang out with people in their street and attend events like birthdays. Nowadays, neighbors don't even introduce themselves. They only interact when there's something to complain about.
3 – 3D Phones
Several thread contributors agree that 3D phones were terrific while they lasted. They didn't need glasses to give the 3D effect and could record 3D.
4 – Fireflies
If you've lived in a rural area, you're familiar with the spectacular show of hundreds of lightning bugs on a warm summer night. Someone says that now, they're excited just to see one.
5 – Family Photographs
I remember days when you could tell a family's history by looking at the pictures on their walls. Another confirms that family photos are only in older people's homes. Younger people prefer stencils with words like “Family” and “Live, Laugh, Love.”
6 – Standard Working Hours
Do you remember the days you couldn't wait to grow up and be an independent adult? Now you're an independent adult who works all day and can barely squeeze in time to eat.
Somebody remembers their dad's confusion after learning they had to work for eight and a half hours daily. They only got thirty minutes for lunch, and the job was unpaid.
7 – Businesses Answering Phone Calls
It's unwise for businesses not to have a direct line. I'm not happy to spend on a business that makes it hard to contact them. A commenter who has to call doctor's offices for work notes that one office has a four-minute opening message. It includes their address, directions to their office, new-patient, and Covid-19 policy.
8 – Games Everywhere
A person who grew up with arcade games tucked away at the gas station observes that they started disappearing in the mid-90s. The arena their brother played hockey had an Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 machine, and it was such a lifesaver whenever they were stuck watching his games.
9 – TV Bumpers
Gen Z may not know that there used to be exciting scenes between the show and the commercials. Disney channel had ‘wand IDs,' where a Disney celeb would use a wand to make a logo.
10 – The Demise of The Monoculture
Do you remember when everyone watched the same TV shows and listened to the same music? A responder shares that they all knew commercial slogans and fell for the same fads. Now everyone is siloed into a highly defined subculture.
11 – Full Size Can of Arizona Teas
Maybe you haven't noticed, but one declares that we're in the process of losing full-size cans of Arizona teas for $.99. Larger plastic bottles are taking their place.
12 – A Chance To Win
I don't know about you, but my inner child gets excited whenever I win something. An individual states that they no longer get the chance to win sweepstakes under the cup on drinks. All prizes are in a code that you should enter on a website.
13 – Ability To Buy Software Products
Monthly subscriptions can be a pain, and many affirm that they miss the days when they didn't need one for all software products. Although the change wasn't instantaneous, they're still salty about it.
14 – Useful Packaging
To skimp on the production cost, companies have made packaging useless. A forum member describes the convenience when their cereal came with waxed paper. They'd roll it down after opening the package to keep it fresh.
15 – Corporate Pensions
According to another, corporate pensions used to be a standard benefit. 401Ks gave corporations an excuse to junk pensions.
16 – Game of Thrones
Was Game of Thrones that disappointing? Someone who's never watched the show indicates all the buzz seems to have dwindled after the final season. No one raves about it anymore. Shows like Breaking Bad and Friends have stood the test of time.
17 – Privacy
Are you normal, or do you live in fear of ending up on a stranger's social media platform? Many express that they fear doing something in public that would make them go viral.
18 – Value for Your Money at Restaurants
Restaurants are on a mission to reduce portion sizes until it looks like we all order kid's portions. A commenter responds that restaurants have quietly reduced portions since the pandemic. They advertise large portions but serve smaller ones for a higher price.
19 – Longevity in Careers
You can be excellent at your job, but your boss will still look for cheaper labor. A contributor writes that employers no longer have loyalty to their employees. They can let go of employees at any time. To adapt, employees have to shift companies to climb the ladder.
20 – TV Repair Shops
An internet user recounts how TV repair shops used to be a guy behind a counter with shelves full of electronic guts. You'd get a ticket to pick up your electronics later. If you'd brought your TV, you'd be stuck with the radio for a week.
21 – Payphones
Payphones are a public safety feature. A responder recounts how they were stuck at the airport after their phone died. They had to borrow a cell phone to contact their ride.
22 – Gum With Sugar
Multiple answers cover the sad fact that today's gum tastes like you're trekking through Iceland without winter attire. They say it's mintier, and finding sweet gum is a pain.
23 – Color
We're in the minimalist age, where everything needs to be muted grey. An individual states that they had a fun-looking McDonald's in their area, now being renovated into a standard grey-colored McDonald's. The world is no longer fun.
24 – Postcards
Physical photos, letters and cards carry a charm that digital media cannot erase. A person recalls the days when they could buy postcards at any truck shop or roadside motel of the town they were driving through. Postcards are now pointless; you can take photos and send them to friends.
25 – Livable Wages
Inflation has us by our knees. Numerous people concur with the observation that you cannot afford the same things you could afford ten years ago. A minimum wage job could get you a one-bedroom apartment and a chill lifestyle. Now, with a salary of $80K a year, all you can manage to pay is rent for a room that costs as much as a whole apartment used to cost. Paying for food and a tank of gas is a struggle (depending on where you live).
Source: Reddit
