30 Things That Were Once Great But Have Declined So Much, They’re Seen As A Joke Now

I love painting but I'm never going to be able to sell any off it (I wouldn't want the pressure even if I could paint) but I enjoy it even if it ends up looking like a 4 yo threw up after eating paint. Sometimes we do things just to enjoy it.

The saddest thing on this list.

Hey, look where nationalism got Germany in '38. Let that be a lesson.

I was going to add this! Their credibility has plummeted, and they earned it.

RIP MTV

Didn't think it was possible for US healthcare to get *MORE* corporate

It was known he was an idiotic clown brat with inherited fortune to a lot of people in the bay area. It was (and is) painful and aggravating to hear and read people idolising him thinking he invented Tesla. Glad things are coming up now, albeit possibly too late.

That time and date specification of the Hello Kitty onesie: Straight up gold. You rock.

Here’s the original company still making the original quality boots. They’re now branded under their own name rather than the now Hot Topic quality DM. - https://us.nps-solovair.com/collections/boots

So many companies went this route. Craftsman tools, once one of the most well made lines of tools in the world (with a lifetime warranty to back it up, My father still had a bunch of Craftsman tools from the 60's, they really did last a lifetime), are now low quality c**p made in China (with only a one year warranty, and almost guaranteed to break shortly thereafter)

Grew up in my Docs. Took the train into Chicago in my Docs. Went to Punk shows and Raves in my Docs. Those working-class boots fueled my art.

I did not know this. Thank you.

They used to be cheap too, never considered a fashion brand

I have an old pair I've had forever and when I wore them to work one day a student asked me why I was wearing girls shoes. There was once upon a time when if you said that to a guy wearing Docs you were in for some trouble lol

Timberland boots... sad...

And they re still pricey as hell

Avid combat boot wearer. Have never and will never buy from Dr. martin’s. Too expensive and don’t ever hold up better than my $20 off brand boots.

DM and also timberland in my experience are the worst quality boots out there

Private equity ruins everything. The epitome of greed.

For Americans: go to the Dr Martens website and look up Made in Britain. They cost more, but last much much longer.

Still the most awesome boots on earth!

Seems to be the way of the world when a company drifts from making stuff (or giving service) to making money instead.

Don't buy brand boots, but check Blake or Goodyear fabrication.

Our local newspaper hired two young inexperienced journalists and put them in the outback part of the region. The part that other journalists don't bother to cover. They are amazing! They have uncovered corruption and criminality. Their interviews hit the nail, while the experienced journalists fumble. Their topics are interesting, even if it's stories that are not relevant to us. It is a joy to see that young journalists have the skills.

We don't want outsiders (i.e., a Union) coming between us.

Loyalty is a two way street. If an employee shows loyalty and it’s reciprocated by the employer, then it’s advantageous for everyone.

This is a bunch of bulldust!!! Eat what you want to eat, BUT IN MODERATION!!!! And to ALWAYS up the green veggies. Why do we always have to complicate sh!t????

Thanks to social networks, we realize how disconnected from reality and fundamentally stupid they are. Not all of them, of course, but a lot nonetheless.

So much this. They have been sabotaged by politics, funded by political donations from less capable competitors interested in pushing us to use their overpriced alternatives.

I enjoyed it during the early years... nowadays I check it once every few months and even that feels like a chore.

Still gets bundled pre-installed on new computers and laptops. It's the first thing I uninstall

If the government is “of the people, by the people, for the people” who is failing who?

Levi's still have a 2 year warranty against manufacturing and fabric defects and a 6 month return policy. Levis used to be guaranteed for life. Still, If you turn in a worn out pair or jacket they will give you a gift card equal to the value of the traded in item, which can be used to purchase new merchandise at a Levi's store or on their website.

now its just Premium and extra Premium (thx for telling me how to spell it)

What is up with that?! I hadn't logged in in a few years and was taken aback by the amount of paid propaganda answers and just nothingness. Really sad, it was a great platform.

The supreme court is about to make regulation of any industry neigh impossible. The Republicans are pushing a legal theory that Congress cannot pass off the ability to regulate to executive agencies, that any and all regulatory action must be a direct act of Congress. Which is an institution which is totally incapable of being reactive, and can take years to pass any legislation at all. This would effectively destroy all regulatory bodies in the US. No more FDA, SEC, OSHA, FTC, etc. Should be interesting to see what companies start selling as food when there is zero regulation.

I had a tremendous respect for them back in the day. Not anymore :(

True, my co-worker had clippers that he had for 15 years, they finally broke, he bought the exact same company ones again (for a hefty price) and those only lasted 2 years.

Agreed. Above is mention of Craftsman tools. A number of us on here are old enough to remember the giant Sears catalog that we pored over all year to figure what we wanted for Christmas. Sears-Roebuck literally sold houses in their catalog.

I think a lot of the power and prestige suffered from dilution. Go back in time and a town might have one or two banks. Also credit cards were not common. I can recall going into a bank for a $300 loan for parts so I could overhaul my car. Now I'd just toss that on my credit card. So if you pissed off the bank manager it mattered. Now there are umpteen banks in each town and each bank has multiple locations. Someone can be a lot lower in the food chain and still make manager and their powers are mainly their own local branch. My bank manager has been quite helpful a coupe of times and I like him but if I didn't I'd just go to a different branch.

Talking Heads.

They've been slime bags at least fifty years, I know from personal experience.

I like a lot of these shows. Particularly the ones from Germany, France, and Brazil.

I used Blackberry for many years and I still miss them....