Someone Asked “What Was Normal In 2002 But Not 2022?”, And People Listed 30 Examples
The early 2000s was a magical time. Trapped between the old and the new, it was a short period of pure bliss and carefree experiences. Bright-eyed teens with low-rise jeans spent the afternoons listening to mix CDs full of the freshest hits on the radio. Kids whiled away the days watching MTV, learning Britney's dance routines, and playing Snake while waiting for a text on their Nokia 3310. The new millennium felt like entering the future, and, yes, flying cars and anti-gravity hoverboards were just around the corner.
The world moves quickly, and many things have obviously changed over the past 20 years. So to reminisce on the good old days, one Reddit user recently asked: "What was normal in 2002 but not 2022?" Fellow community members must have been feeling nostalgic as the thread immediately became a hit!
Get ready for a trip down memory lane because we at Bored Panda have gathered some of the best responses from the thread. We hope you can get a kick out of these amusing examples from the dark ages, aka the life you likely lived in 2002. Be sure to upvote the replies you find most relatable or that take you back in time, and then feel free to share your own recollections with us in the comments!
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Going out without a phone or any other kind of remote communication device. Imagine driving a back road without anyway to get a hold of someone if you break down.
Go and knock on the door of the nearest house and ask to use the phone.
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That’s more than 20 years ago. Everyone had a Nokia 3210 or 3310 and those came out in 1999/2000.
I was in my 20s then, and I’d guess only about half of people had cell phones in 2002, maybe less (in Canada). Many people didn’t see the need for it, and plans were expensive. Also lots of folks who did have phones, especially middle aged, just kept their phones in their car for emergencies and not with them all the time. Phones were used primarily for calls and texting wasn’t too common (you had to use the number keys for letters plus you were charged per text) Editing to add: I just remembered about pagers! Some people still had pagers instead of phones back then too
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Back then we used our brains. Worked just fine for civilization until, oh about 20 years ago.
Lol. Just reading maps. I mean, people always talk about texting and driving...have you ever seen a road map? They're the size of your car and you have to literally read that sh!t. Follow lines and it's super tiny print... it's shocking there were not more accidents.
I'm glad we don't live in that era anymore. In my country, crime levels are high, so knowing where someone is all the time is great. In the old days you'd just have to wait and wonder if they were dead.
I remember when I was in the Army in the days of MapQuest. I was driving to my next duty station and MapQuest was wrong in the directions. So I had to stop, buy a map. That is when I was thankful for when we were in basic training, we were taught how to read maps because of not I would still be lost till this day lol.
I remember thinking 'how obnoxious and ostentatious' when I saw someone walk out of their apt talking on the cell. when they had a landline right inside their apt. but now I have this fear of breaking down and having to walk a lot.
That's why my sibs & I insisted that my parents had one. Their car broke down after getting a phone. Without it, they would have been stuck & unable to call AAA. They always liked going off the beaten path, so to speak.
Well I am pretty sure that in 2002 cell phones started to be more and more common. I was 15 at the time, I had already my phone and all my friends had them too and none of us left it at home when went out. Edit: not that we could do anything interesting with them except for calling and texting but you know.. When you have it, show it.
I had a proper one in 1998 and still have the same number. UK I had a carphone in the US in 1993. I never used it because it was so expensive.
The only time I use my phone is for June's journey and here on BP. Oh and to post on Instagram. That's it besides calls. I stay off it.
Burning CDs, then writing the names of each song with the number track on the front of the CD
Back in time.I did the same. But I recorded it from radio station using a cassette.
A comedian making an edgy joke and not have their career nuked
Smoking cigarettes everywhere. Cars had ashtrays and restaurants had Smoking sections.
Fat-shaming and body-shaming. I say this after watching all the compilations of America’s Next Top Model. Those judges have a special place in hell.
Going to blockbuster and hanging out at the mall
I miss renting video games. Not going to pay full price for a game that once I beat it I'll never play again.
Floppy disks. I work at my school as a program they offer and I saw an old 2000 PC with a floppy disk.
These are diskettes. Floppy disks were much larger and actually floppy.
VHS tapes. I was 6 in 2002. They were at the end of their life, but most of what I watched up until then was on VHS.
Using payphones.
Australia still has payphones, except that now you don't have to pay to use them. https://exchange.telstra.com.au/why-were-making-payphones-free-for-calls-around-australia/
Going home with your digital camera so you could upload the photos from your day to your computer and email them to your friends or upload to Friendster.
I still use my digital SLR camera. No matter how great a phone is, it can't beat the camera.
Criss Angel.
A single paycheck buying everything I needed.
"Everything I need"? I don'T think I ever had a paycheck that big...
Napster. For all you young farts, it was the original (as far as I know) platform to download music and make mix CDs. Y’all probably don’t know what CDs are anymore either. Hey are big in 02.
Making plans. Back then your ‘Yes’ meant 'Yes' and you better show up on time to not miss everyone. Now, people be lazy and just text you when they’ll show up, two hours later.
People have always been flaky or punctual, that is nothing modern. The only thing I could think of is that in the past you had no way of letting others know so, if you cared, you turned up to make sure they didn't worry. Now it's easier to call and cancel last-minute. But my grandma was the flakiest person ever.
flip phones
I dunno about that ... Samsung's just dropped the latest version of its popular flip and fold phones...
Being in chat rooms with people of all ages, like MSN chatrooms. It's a good thing that it isn't a thing anymore.
Frosted tips for guys and streaky highlights for women.
I still see streaky highlights every now and again- I'm a bit conflicted about them, because while I don't particularly like the look, they do make their wearers' heads remind me of little hard candies. You know, the ones with the swirls? And that's just nice.
Smoking indoors even around kids
Dial up Internet was still common
Not having a mobile
Wearing jeans under a dress
Buying CDs/DVDs
Telephones attached to the wall
Not using a car seat from 4yrs+
Glitter hair mascara
Leaving your kid in the car while you go into a shop
Cheque books and using cheques to pay for things
Swiping cards no pin required just a signature
2 door cars (nightmare to climb into the back)
Food had even more junk inside of it and it wasn't really frowned upon if you fed your family that c**p all day everyday
Ringback tones
oh man i wish this would have been bigger, i loved hearing a song when calling someone
Faux hawks — the mullet of the 2000s. But back then, they were called mohawks, which would not go down well today. I'm suddenly feeling like Grandpa Simpson. I guess Simpsons references too.
Note: this post originally had 38 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
A lot of these seem to miss the point. It's things that were acceptable not things where there have been advances in technology.
That’s what I was thinking. But then again, BP will change the headline 10 times anyway, as always...
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I don’t remember much of 2002. My father died the year before (I was 12) so for some reason my brain erased most of those years……
One of the points on the list (ironically one of the ones not cut out on the short version) is just a list of the current post with Amanda Bynes attached at the end..lol
A lot of these seem to miss the point. It's things that were acceptable not things where there have been advances in technology.
That’s what I was thinking. But then again, BP will change the headline 10 times anyway, as always...
Load More Replies... I don’t remember much of 2002. My father died the year before (I was 12) so for some reason my brain erased most of those years……
One of the points on the list (ironically one of the ones not cut out on the short version) is just a list of the current post with Amanda Bynes attached at the end..lol
