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.
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.
Because it's no longer legal to pay to go into insane asylums and poke the inmates with sticks.
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If you want to attack this type of industry, go after the child pageants. Those are the worst ones.
I agree. I'm severely overweight but I actually still enjoyed ANTM. I think it's more crazy that these girls still, like after 80 years of seasons and knowing better, think they're actually going to get anywhere in their careers by joining the show. In fact, being on the show is usually detrimental. But I don't hate that people want to be models and work in the industry. I have a much deeper hatred of child pageants. They don't help in any way that is positive. At least with modelling you're goal is to get work, to get experience in the fashion and design industry, media, etc. In child pageants, we're literally just sexualizing children for money and it's so much more for the parents than the kids. It would be one thing if it was a competition to make money that goes for college or whatever. But it's literally about putting on makeup and outfits and smiling and getting fake teeth and hair and sometimes even surgery to look like dolls. It's just gross.
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I'm morbidly obese. I've had food issues from childhood. Do I know I have a very ugly body? Yes. Do I need you to point it out? No. Do I know I won't live as long or as (physically) comfortable? Yes. Do I need you to tell me? No. The more you push, the more I resist. Do I know I'm resistant because someone is telling me this stuff? Yes. Does it help me to stop? No.
I feel that. I went from morbidly obese to just overweight when I fully felt loved and accepted for the first time and weight wasn't important, where years of bullying and shaming just kept making it worse before. I hope you'll find a way to have a good relationship with your body, whatever that means to you. <3
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Howard Stern used to hold things like butter face competitions, there was just the low hum of cruelty in the media.
To be fair, their job was to judge people on their appearance. Standards vary over time - but if you're trying to earn money as a "model", meaning an ideal person, then unhealthily overweight should be criticised.
exactly, it's not that different than singing competitions, or those cooking shows. They had to be judged, only that this happened to be their appearance and not a talent or ability.
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If you think they're vicious then you would be horrified what you hear agencies say to these young people. Actors and Models are some of the lest secure people on the planet. I did hair and makeup in Hollywood for over a decade. Even the Victoria's Secret Angels were so freaking insecure. They get so picked apart, deal with so much rejection on a daily basis and it's all about their physical appearance that they can't change. They can develop an eating disorder and maybe lose a few pound but that isn't the answer. In the 50's something like 60's of American women could have been models. Now it's less than 1% of the world. All because they happened to win the DNA lottery. We really need to start at the root of the issue. Sample size's, the ones you see on the runways before they're mass produced are a size 2 maximum. So the models/actresses have to be no bigger than a size 2. I took my 11yo niece shopping last week. One store now offers 000 TRIPLE ZERO! What does that even mean?!?!?
they weren't even close to what models faced in the real model industry. Besides, even if it can be seen as cruel or bad taste, it was a reality show in the end, which we all know has nothing of real. It was all for the show and the drama. They also valued other things like attitude and effort and originality, which I doubt have any value in real model agencies
Do people really sit and watch shows like this? I find it hard to believe. Do they get some kind of thrill watching people get insulted and pushed around? All I have on my telly is Roku, and only because it came with my Roku tv. I don't even use it. I watch YouTube videos mainly, and I choose what to watch. I don't think I could bear watching shows of this ilk. It would make me feel so bad for people.
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This one is not black or white. This dumb "body positivity" movement is stupid AF. Its like complimenting a drug addict for his weight. Medically you are FAT and unhealthy and have a way bigger risk of dying. Stop supporting this c**p calling women thick... its just fat.
Yeah, but there is also a difference between having a healthy weight and the beauty standards the industry wants us to accept as normal
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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
