Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Things Were Actually Better In The Past

People Break Down Which Things Were Actually Better In The Past
Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Wise people tend to glorify the past for good reason. Simpler times seemed to indicate just that. Less life drama.


While many technical advances have also made our current life easier, it certainly has come with its share of complications that never existed prior to another time.

Curious to hear from strangers online, one Redditor asked:

"What was actually better in the past?"

People found traveling, particularly flying, was less dramatic back in the day.

Travel Scene

"Airports."

– Ron_deBeaulieu

"This is true. We used to go to the airport to go to the cafe within the airport, watch the planes take off, people watch."

– Botryoid2000

Comfort In The Skies

"Flying in general."

"More seat space, meals included (and a choice of meals), actual metal utensils, luggage included, no need to get to the airport 2 hours before your flight..."

– cinemascifi

A Proper Send-Off

"And you could say goodbye to your friends at the gate. Get there early before the flight and grab a leisurely meal with them. Man, airports used to be fun."

– Ron_deBeaulieu

TSA Efficiency

"In the 90s airport security took half as long."

– oarngebean

Many Redditors believe living in the present is a huge economical inconvenience.

Income Injustice

"Prices vs earnings."

– Jimbruno55

Parenthood Crisis

"Psh. Try childcare. Our childcare cost for two children is more than our mortgage. When I was the same age, it cost my parents about $50/week. Today that would be roughly $135/week per kid. We’re paying $500/wk and still don’t have full time care for both kids. Sh*t’s crazy."

– JsDaFax

Criminals seemed to have a field day once upon a time.

Untraceable

"Being a criminal. If there was a security camera, it was too low resolution to make your face very identifiable."

– Delica

Before CSI

"also DNA analysis and fingerprinting wasn't as good, no Internet to track you."

– ScorpionX-123

Leaving The Country Undetected

"It used to be that it was possible for someone to commit a serious crime, move across the country, and never be caught. As communications technology has improved, that’s no longer feasible."

– RealHumanFromEarth

How people occupied their time in the past seemed to be more favorable.

The Life-Line Device

"Smart phones too, Reddit is the only social media I use and still I stare at this f'king thing 5 hours a day. I know I’m addicted to it and I’d love to punt it but unfortunately it’s also my phone, my map, my camera, my tape measure, my dictaphone, my Walkman etc. etc."

– tarkuspig

Product Efficiency

"RainX washer fluid. I used to put a gallon in my car and it would last forever. Never had to use the wipers because rain, snow, road grime, and salt would all bead right off. Then one day it seemed like it never worked the same. Not sure if it was done for their bottom line purposes or environmental reasons(because there's no way even the new stuff is good for the environment) but it worked better in the past for sure."

– wrbasher

Aging Drawbacks

"my knees/ankles/back..."

– bbpr120

Nostalgic Magic

"Christmas…. I don’t know how to explain it. We didn’t have much money so it wasn’t because of the presents. We actually used to wrap our own toys and give them to each other for Christmas. But there was always just this feeling that I can’t explain. Sometimes when I watch the 90’s Christmas movies I can feel it again for a moment, but then it’s gone. It’s just the happiest, most peaceful feeling. It just felt like magic."

– Ridiculous48

Less-Stressed Pet Owners

"Certain dog breeds. Imagine, pugs used to have a nose they could breath through and eyes that didn't get infected every time they almost bulged out of their heads... Same with shitzu's. And imagine English bulldogs that didn't collapse in exhaustion by even hearing the word walkies."

– Shoddy-Day7300

Now What?

" Weird to say, but inconvenience and boredom. I kinda miss being like, 'whelp, there’s nothing on TV, I’m gonna go walk the neighborhood and knock on my friends doors.'"

"I primarily text and talk to friends on the phone now, it seems like an event to actually meet up. Even friends who are less than a mile away."

– ThinkIGotHacked

The sentiment that the past was better stems largely from nostalgia.

Aside from accessing our Gameboys and Tamagochis, my friends and I would ride our bikes or skateboard out in the cul-de-sac.

We would scrape our knees from falling, get knocked to the ground playing freeze tag, and come home with dried mud on our clothes from a day of roughhousing.

It was some of the best times of my childhood, and I feel for today's youth who still have the option of playing outside but choose to live on their iPads and iPhones instead.

They don't know what they're missing, TBH. Maybe it's just me.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Senator Chris Murphy, President Donald Trump
Facebook.com/Senator Chris Murphy / Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Dem Senator Drops F-Bomb In Fiery Video After Trump Calls For Congressional Democrats To Be Hanged

Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said "maybe it's time to pick a f**king side" in response to President Donald Trump's call for a group of congressional Democrats who are military veterans to be executed after they reminded U.S. troops that they must disobey unlawful orders.

Senators Elissa Slotkin (Michigan) and Mark Kelly (Arizona) joined Representatives Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania), Maggie Goodlander (New Hampshire), and Jason Crow (Colorado), all of whom are veterans. In a video message, they noted that the Trump administration is "pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens."

Keep ReadingShow less
Two people facing each other resting their hands in their heads accross a table from one another
a man and a woman sitting at a table
Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash

Dating Red Flags People Ignored And Instantly Regretted It

Many of us are taught growing up to give people the benefit of the doubt.

A belief many people adhere to when dating.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from @prissyxoxo25's Threads post
@prissyxoxo25/Threads

Woman Rejects Boyfriend's Proposal After He Bought $900 Ring From Walmart—And The Internet Has Thoughts

Relationships can dissolve for all kinds of reasons, but a key reason that's become more popular with the prevalence of TikTok and Reddit is not staying with someone who doesn't listen to their partner or prioritize their needs.

Knowing a person's favorite song or how they take their coffee might seem like a mundane thing, but it's an intimate detail that shows that you care about your partner's likes and interests.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dr. Jennifer Tsai; Person holding Christmas lights
@drjenandjuice/TikTok; Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

People With Astigmatism Are Flabbergasted After Realizing What Christmas Lights Look Like To Other People

Sometimes you don't know what you don't know until someone shows it to you in a TikTok video.

For instance, a person might not know about the possibility of having an astigmatism, which is an ocular condition that causes blurriness in vision, and the blurriness worsens with bright, contrasting lights. Blurring taillights at night, especially when it's raining, is a common occurrence among those with astigmatism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @lookitskateeee's TikTok video
@lookitskateeee/TikTok

Family Goes Viral After Throwing Hilariously Dramatic Funeral For Child's Pacifier

All children grow and develop at different rates. Whether they crawl earlier, walk later, have trouble letting go of the baby bottle, or just cannot get behind the idea of mushed green beans, each child will have a journey all their own.

But an experience that more families than not know is the very real attachment many babies and toddlers develop to their favorite beloved pacifier.

Keep ReadingShow less