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35 Everyday Things That Quietly Vanished Without Anyone Noticing
And yet, you must admit that Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for a reason! At least for the phrase The Times, They Are a-Changin', which perfectly embodies the ruthless flow of time. And indeed - just yesterday something or someone was literally on everyone's lips - and now it is already in the past. Just like Dylan himself...
But old Bob is still with us, and there are things that have disappeared completely without a trace, although it would seem that only yesterday they worried our minds and were of interest to the whole world. And this viral thread in the AskReddit community is dedicated to just such things. So please fasten your seatbelts, our time machine is about to dive into the misty depths of the past...
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#1
Fireflies aka *lightning bugs. I live rural and I used to see hundreds on a warm summer night. Now I get excited if I see just one. I mentioned it to other people who live in the same area as I do and they were just like "Huh. Yeah. You're right!"
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Some of the things you'll find in this Bored Panda selection have lost their meaning simply because the phenomena they were directly associated with are gone. For example, telephone booths - just because there is no more need for street pay phones. Some have moved into the category of museum exhibits simply because they found a replacement - like video game cartridges. And some are still with us, but we do not pay the same attention to them as before.
For example, postcards. Back in the '90s, postal services around the world sent millions and probably billions of postcards for festive occasions... and for no reason at all. But communication standards have changed several times since then - and who would think of waiting a whole week for a postcard when you can just call and see anyone's face on Zoom? Postcards have gradually become an anachronism - although you will agree that getting this small modest piece of cardboard with handwritten (another anachronism, isn't it?) words is still [darn] nice.
By the way, have you noticed how we gradually forgot how to write by hand? Moreover, with the spread of voice messages, even the skill of typing is gradually losing its importance and significance. And still, nostalgia is not the same as grumpy lamentations, as it was good before. In the end, in the years of my student youth, when we had to take notes a lot, I would have literally sold my soul for one of the voice transcription services widely available nowadays...
#10
Having many Family photographs in homes. Not completely gone, but homes used to be plastered in them. The only times I really notice them is in homes of older people.
Be that as it may, times are changing, and we are changing with them. And yes, for the first time this phrase was uttered back in the days of Ancient Rome, and it cannot be said that all the innovations of humanity since then have been to its detriment. So please feel free to scroll this list to its very end, enjoy this slightest touch of nostalgia and be sure - the best is yet to come!
#13
Longevity in careers – this is a big one nobody seems to have said. Longevity in careers has largely gone away. People used to get a job and after being there for decades reap the benefits of being seasoned employees (higher salaries and better perks). Maybe it’s because I work in the Entertainment industry, but I feel that longevity in careers has gone away. Meaning, people can be amazing at a job, but after 5+ years the employers start wondering if they could be doing better with a younger/cheaper candidate for the job. I understand if you ever want to move up in a works place they expect you to bring your A-game, but 30+ years of being incredible is hard. Some years will be better than others, and if employers don’t have loyalty to their employees anymore, it is likely the good employee will be fired or let go at some point. I feel like in recent decades this has forced many people who normally wouldn’t, to switch careers. Can someone work successfully up the ladder at any job without having to shift to another company for a promotion? A combination of employers halting upward movement of their staff while they look for new employees to fill higher roles, and the fact that they “get bored” of their seasoned employees has largely killed the idea of anyone having a single career.
#21
Custom ringtones. (obviously I know some people have them but we somehow went from virtually everyone having them to almost no one giving a s**t.)
#22
We're in the process of full size can of Arizona teas for $.99 disappearing. I'm seeing a lot of places starting to carry the smaller plastic bottles for $.99 or the larger plastic bottles for more. I'm honestly surprised that they've lasted for this long at the same price.
#23
Postcards. And not just in the usual places, like museum gift shops and tourist traps. There was once a time when you could buy at any truck stop or roadside motel a postcard of the small town you were driving through. But not anymore. No point when you can just text your friends a photo.
#25
TV bumpers. There used to be a little sequence between the show and commercials. Some of them were really interesting and creative. I think my generation remembers the "wand IDs" on the Disney channel (where a Disney celeb would use a wand to make the logo). There were also bumpers that were PSAs or other actual content. Edit: yes I watched THAT documentary on YouTube. It's amazing. Everyone go to Defunctland's channel and watch the one on the Disney channel jingle. Just trust me. Don't look up spoilers.
#27
"Ringback" tones or "CallerTunes". Where you could assign a song to play when people called you instead of them hearing ringing.
#29
Lobster tanks in grocery stores! Not that I particularly want them back, but those are nostalgic [very]
#30
People fainting when something unexpected happens. And people carrying smelling salts for just such an occasion. It’s so 19th century…
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