ADVERTISEMENT

Things change. Whoa, that’s a real shocker, I know, but bear with me! The fact of the matter is that even the things, places, and people we love most in the world change over time. It’s inevitable. However, while some things improve and mature like good wine set down to age in your fancy castle cellar, others… well, others age like cheap milk, left out on a sunny windowsill for far, far too long.

Redditor Open-Outcome-660 went on r/AskReddit with an intriguing query, asking others to share the things that they think used to be great but have become incredibly bad since then. The question instantly hooked internet users and the thread got over 3.4k responses.

It all came flooding out, from people sharing that MTV has steadily gone downhill over the years to folks pointing out that the internet is no longer as great as it was in the good old days. Have a read through some of the best responses to the thread and upvote the opinions you agree with, dear Pandas. Do you have any of your own examples about things that have become really bad over time? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

Bored Panda had a friendly chat about nostalgia, change, and some of the things that actually went from bad to great with Open-Outcome-660, the original poster of the question. Be sure to scroll down for our in-depth interview with them!

#1

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk The history Channel. I used to watch it in the 2000s. Now it's all swamp people and aliens

mrsbundleby , Erik Mclean Report

Add photo comments
POST
jpwoodman1980 avatar
JP
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We call it the Hitler Channel because it seems that is all they air in the late winter and early spring.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

According to redditor Open-Outcome-660, the reason why the question resonated with so many people was that it's a spin on an age-old statement. "I really didn’t expect my question to gain as much traction as it did, but, in retrospect, the reason for it is that it’s the age-old statement of 'things were better in the past' turned into a question," they told Bored Panda.

I wanted to find out more about the inspiration behind the question and the redditor was more than happy to talk about it. "The question started when I was browsing through YouTube one morning and got frustrated by how polluted the platform has become of ads," they mentioned something that many of us can relate to. "Most videos had multiple commercials. Most commercials were 20 seconds long. Even 5-second videos had at least 5 seconds of commercials before I could watch them. Naturally, my first thought was that this platform had gone from great to worse. My second thought was what went up on Reddit: 'Is there anything else that’s had this trajectory?'"

#2

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Appliances. Used to be made to last. Now they're just made to last the warranty.

RedBeardedMex Report

Add photo comments
POST
dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know, I'm in S. Korea, and the microwave we bought in 2011 is still showing no signs of dying. Each smartphone I had, except for one, I changed only because they started getting outdated, and, as the software becomes more and more demanding, you need better memory and storage. Same goes with computers and tablets. We changed our fridge in 2016 for a similar reason (simply needed a bigger one, the previous one was really tiny, but still fine and working), and it's still as good as new. Same goes for the freezer, and the laundry machine. Our TV, bought in 2017, still no signs of dying. Air conditioner, bought in 2016, still strong. So..... either you are unlucky with faulty products, either you live in an environment that's unfriendly to appliances, or you need to learn better maintenance.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#3

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Internet in general. I used to be able to search Google for a subject and then get a list of reliable websites to read from. Now it's 99% crap infomercials/ad ridden sites that all want to sell me things I don't need.

MissFunkyH , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

In Open-Outcome-660's opinion, nostalgia definitely plays a role in how we perceive how things were in the past. "If I could go back in time momentarily to compare things, I’m pretty sure I’d like many of today’s things more. I’d probably also discover things I really don’t like about the old experience. It’s probably easy to look back with nostalgia goggles since we probably have a very selective memory when we make comparisons," they shared. However, that's doesn't mean that some things weren't objectively better in the past.

"Nevertheless, I definitely think that there are truths in people’s thoughts of some things being better back in time. In my case, I definitely think that YouTube has become a worse experience in terms of its ads. In other cases, people might experience that their society has become worse in some aspects, and that may very well be true. It’s not the whole truth, but the factors may be sufficiently big to put on those nostalgia goggles and determine that the whole thing is worse now," the redditor mused.

ADVERTISEMENT
#5

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Patriotism. It used to feel like a good thing to be proud of my country, to be grateful for the blessings of living here, trusting that our government is at least trying to do the right thing. But now this has devolved into this nasty "My country first, best, and alone" crap, all others are bad, wrong, and are enemies. It doesn't have to be that way.

ststeveg Report

Add photo comments
POST
dariazotova avatar
Daria Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Russian, I strongly agree. Not that we ever trusted the government much but it's got a lot worse now...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Cooking websites. Everyone knows the struggle of scrolling through 273 paragraphs of bulls**t before getting to the recipe, but now some actual antichrist websites are putting a 2nd page inside the first where after you get past the 273 paragraphs it’s like “now click here for the recipe”. Rage inducing.

dogbert730 Report

Add photo comments
POST
ejf-sanderson avatar
ejfs
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Do you want to know my baking secrets? Well, first you have to read my entire family history, then guess which of these is the correct link to the recipe which is actually a video on my vlogging channel which has more ads than actual content."

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

While it can be a lot of fun to whine about how bad things have gotten, from time to time, it's best not to forget that there are plenty of positives in life, too. I wanted to get Open-Outcome-660's opinion about what things have gone from bad to great.

ADVERTISEMENT

"There’s a whole lot of things that have turned from really bad to great. One example is acquiring knowledge, where just a few decades ago, everything would have to be gained either through books or lectures; whereas now it’s at your fingertips. Another example is ease of living: fixing things such as buying things online, signing contracts, picking a movie to watch, or listening to music has become a lot easier, safer, and more accessible compared to a couple of decades ago. A third example would be ease of travel, where nowadays it’s quite easy to get by with English around the globe, flights are cheaper and things are waaay easier to book, find reviews on and look up at a moment’s notice if needed," the redditor shared what things have definitely improved with time.

#7

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Flying. From the incredible shrinking seat, crazy people, covid, no food, baggage fees, carry on fees to questions about planes safety.

real_voiceofreason , https://unsplash.com/photos/_1REcmACJaQ Report

Add photo comments
POST
kfidei avatar
GoddessOdd
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am old enough to remember when flying was a really elegant way to travel. We dressed up... we were polite to one another and to the cabin attendants.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk MTV. It was so good back in the 90s. Actual music videos, shows that featured artists, MTV Unplugged, Daria, Beavis and Butthead, Aeon Flux, TRL, Celebrity Death Match... Then Pimp My Ride and Cribs were pretty fun though it was the start of reality tv style shows

Sure-Top-4676 Report

Add photo comments
POST
aminahays avatar
Amina Hays
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beavis and Butthead and Celebrity Death Match were brilliant. It's a shame, a damn shame I tells ya!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Streaming services online, Netflix was op back in the day, now you have to have 15 different services if you want to watch all your shows

Brandon74130 , Glenn Carstens-Peters Report

Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True, I have Netflix and Prime but not Disney or anything else. I'm not sure what other streaming services are available in the UK. The costs add up

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"Thinking from this other perspective also made me realize that we often compare things in the past with the time they were in. It’s a bit hard for me to say that the internet was really bad a couple of decades ago because that was a part that society and those technological times. If we somehow got to swap the internet experience today with 20 years ago, I think it’s pretty safe to say that the experience would have been perceived as going from great to really bad."

There’s no shame about being nostalgic for the good old days. Most of us are guilty of it. (Some, like me, are a tad guiltier than others, but hey, I loved the ‘90s and early 2000s.) In fact, nostalgia can be incredibly comforting. However, there does come a point when reminiscing about the past can become problematic.

#11

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Hollywood. They ran out of ideas.

Madpoka , Kushagra Kevat Report

Add photo comments
POST
titas-burinskas avatar
Titas Burinskas
BoredPanda Staff
Verified
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They haven't, it's just that the executives of AAA movies prefer safe options.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#12

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Thrifting. All the rich kids ruined it.

MWBPLH , Becca McHaffie Report

Child and adolescent therapist and member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Kemi Omijeh, explained to me during an earlier interview that many psychologists believe that our childhoods are the foundation to who we are as adults.

“It explains why we frequently revisit our childhood as it influences our present," she told Bored Panda.

Therapist Kemi revealed that we’re nostalgic about our childhood if our experiences have been full of being loved and nurtured. On the flip side, it’s hard to feel nostalgic for a time in your life where you felt anxious, unloved, uncared for.

#14

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Entering the workforce and saving up. Never was great in my lifetime, but I've heard stories of people buying their first house after like 2 years of saving. That's just a fantasy these days.

Hrnghekth , Sharon McCutcheon Report

Add photo comments
POST
kona4me avatar
Kona Pake
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First timers are practically unable to buy their first home, so they are forced to rent, which developers have Jumped on and are building hi-rise cubbyholes (250sf) for rent or tiny little houses (500sf) with zero lot line which they’re only able to afford with two or three roommates

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

Politics - it was never great, but there’s no room for two people with different views to actually talk. It’s not a sports team, why is everybody so entrenched and angry.

roberthart327 Report

“If we’ve had a difficult childhood, it can be hard to feel nostalgic, instead it will feel like something we need to get over in order to move on," she said.

"Nostalgia can also be a good coping strategy for times of low mood and challenges," Kemi told Bored Panda, adding that this is only true up to a certain point. Once nostalgia starts interfering with our everyday lives and our ability to be present in the moment, it’s time to scale back.

#16

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Amazon. It’s slowly turning into Wish.

nicolioni , Super Straho Report

Add photo comments
POST
jamie_mayfield avatar
Ivana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I use Amazon more as a search engine. Find what I want, then go to the company website and buy it from the company rather than off of Amazon. It is way easier to notice when something is a straight up scam. Never buy clothing from Amazon, it is all now just rip off Chinese manufactured crap. I use Amazon less and less all the time. They don't vet their sellers and I am just done with getting ripped off and returns now being a pain in the ass.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

I used to love a good conspiracy theory - UFO cover ups and so forth - but now its just these redneck crazies crowding into the most outlandish shit ones like microchips and lizard people.

GoodAndBluts Report

Add photo comments
POST
wendillon avatar
Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I friggen loved old urban legends too about ghost ships and crazy government experiments but it's all cryptids and SCPs these days. Don't get me wrong I love a good skinwalker story, but they're becoming an overused plot device.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk The air. Literally breathing in pollutants.

NaturalBoonie , Christian Wiediger Report

Add photo comments
POST
sepantt avatar
SealOfDisapproval
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Depends on where you live, and at what point in time you start counting. In the US, for example, the amount on dangerous pollutants in the air is down by 75% from the 1990s.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"If we end up comparing it to our experiences today and feeling like nothing is as good as it was, then this will inevitably affect our mood and our ability to do what we need to do. We can become stuck in our nostalgia; in which case it might be best to seek help from a counseling professional to help you process your past in order to enjoy your present,” she said.

Something to keep in mind is that we see our past memories through a filter when we relive them, so all the tiny details might not be as accurate as we think. That doesn’t necessarily mean that MTV wasn’t amazing years and years ago, however, it might mean that things weren’t as overwhelmingly fantastic as we remember them.

#19

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Not being busy. Not constantly “hustling” or trying to do it all. Not “living for the weekend.” Down time can be a good thing.

roegdgdfgdf , Steve Halama Report

#21

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk The search to buy your first home used to be exciting and filled with choices. Now it’s “take it or leave it” overpriced homes you can’t afford, in a terrible neighborhood. Or continue paying your super high rent.

SloDancinInaBrningRm Report

See Also on Bored Panda
#22

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Being able to go outside. Maybe not so much in the cities, but in the suburbs there was all these open fields and forests to go into, you could stay out till the sun went down just riding your bike. Now those fields and forests are paved over and turned into a strip mall. Those big areas with playgrounds? Bulldozed for some shitty half-assed jungle gym.

Can't go out on the streets anymore. Kids get the cops called on them constantly. So much more private property too.

And if you wanna go somewhere that isn't outside, you better cough up some money. Every place charges you to be there now. And not for long.

Igothisway Report

Add photo comments
POST
gemmelltastic avatar
Got Myself 4 Dwarves
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say this is dependent on where you live. I'm in a small town in Scotland, nothing but wide open spaces, trespassing isn't a thing as you can walk on peoples land within reason obviously - right by me there's a big country house that has peacocks and a pen of boar that we can walk up to to go see them. Loads of free parks, playgrounds etc - both in my town and Scotland as a whole

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Top Gear

aodskeletor Report

#24

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Youtube

sremcanin , NordWood Themes Report

Add photo comments
POST
ggiscarnival avatar
beastmachine.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

TBH YT is decent if you constantly give the feedback so that it shows only the stuff you like

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Rap

downtownbake2 Report

Add photo comments
POST
ljamie04 avatar
Hollysmom
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meant something in the early days now it's just misogyny, violence and drugs

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Living.

When I was young life was awesome. Friends, fun, adventure, meeting people, partying, sex, music.

Now it's all work until you can't work anymore, sleep, work some more.

Goof-Off-Corpse Report

#27

Etsy is all Chinese garbage now and you have to search forever to find something handmade.

Pinakolonopin Report

#28

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Radio. Wth are they playing now?

BlueonBlack26 , Alexandr Sadkov Report

Add photo comments
POST
kirstinmoyer avatar
FelineWine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you're able to stream your music, do that! Way less ads (or none if you pay for a service) and you can tailor the music to your tastes!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk To be honest, quality of work in professional settings.

Last-Two-6780 Report

Add photo comments
POST
danrider avatar
Son of Philosoraptor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like fatty typos in legal settlements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! Drives me INSANE. Quality is getting harder to find lately.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Cars. They used to be awesome. Affordable. And fixable. Now they're the cheapest pieces of crap and highly overcharged. They're faster than they used to be maybe but the cost isn't worth the parts. And they fail so easily.

Hugebluestrapon Report

Add photo comments
POST
carolyngerbrands avatar
Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Too much computer stuff. My dad used to say about a broken car "If it's mechanical, whack it and voila".

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Yahoo answers lol it's dead now but it used to be fun kind of like reddit but then later on karens took over... couldn't even ask a simple question about cooking or anything innocent without getting a lecture

princessmatcha0 Report

Add photo comments
POST
abigailwilliams_2 avatar
Call Me Mars
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That reference picture though... I don't want to know what happened in that interaction...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#32

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Disney I always loved dark gothic disney cartoons Now its just rubbery overproduced cheesy stuffs only.

Emotional-Two-9075 , Stone Hood Report

#33

Action movies....too many CGI

B1gChuckDaddySr Report

Add photo comments
POST
julianareads avatar
Osgood_7
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's because the stunts/wardrobe/makeup etc departments have unions, but CGI is run like a sweatshop so it's cheaper

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

News media, not saying "great" but it used to function

DarkPasta Report

Add photo comments
POST
bumblebee_4 avatar
bumble bee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Totally agree that the news media has died. It is ALL opinion, telling people what to think, sprinkled liberally with emotional blackmail. Now I have to read various sites and piece together common threads to find the truth

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

35 Great Things That Have Aged Like Milk Nickelodeon

Gryffindork1995 Report

Add photo comments
POST
dc1 avatar
DC
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So true ... Rocko's Modern Life alone is better than anything running there today.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.