Don’t older generations always enjoy telling members of the next generation in line how things were so much better back in the day? See if this list proves whether Millennials deserve those bragging rights.
Going Freerange
Beyond getting cell phones at an early age, Gen Z is also used to multiple apps that track and report back their location in real-time. Not so for previous generations, who would strike out into the world in the morning and not check back in until dinnertime or dark, whichever came first. This seems like a major security threat these days, but it felt a lot like delicious freedom at the time.
Life Without Social Media
Imagine if you will growing up with zero chances that your every move could be recorded and broadcast for everyone to see in just a matter of seconds. And members of past generations are plenty thankful every escapade and mistake they ever made wasn’t posted out there… forever.
Being Unreachable
People used to live their lives for hours or even days at a time when no one could pick up a phone and reach them. At all. Unimaginable these days when phones have essentially become another human appendage. And it was totally OK if you couldn’t immediately answer and respond.
Books From Libraries and Book Stores
There was a time not too long ago when reading a book or magazine meant a trip to the local library or bookstore first. These were exciting outings when people would pick up and check out multiple books. Turning real paper pages and getting the first whiff of that new book smell seemed to add another dimension to the experience of reading.
Be Kind, Rewind
Watching videos or listening to cassette tapes meant manipulating a physical thing to go forward or backward. Before returning or passing the tape along, etiquette demands you rewind it. Like most social niceties, that little rule wasn’t always followed, and Gen Zers will never know the frustration of waiting minutes for a tape to rewind so they can take it from the top.
Checking the Answering Machine
Upon returning home, your eyes would immediately go to the answering machine to see if anyone called about your business or pleasure while you were away. You had no idea who called until you approached the machine (which was plugged directly into the wall socket and the telephone) when you were good and ready to find out. The caller had no idea when you might check your messages. It was like ninja telephone life.
Cockpit Visits
Before the horrific tragedy that was the 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil, airline passengers were free to pop into the cockpit and say hi to the Captain, even while the flight was in the air! In general, air travel was more relaxed and kind of a treat. It’s unlikely at this point easy access to pilots, and the cockpit will ever return. A safety necessity but a little bit sad, too.
Airport Gate Access
On the ground, it used to be the whole family, and some friends could all pile up right at the gate to wave goodbye or hold up welcome home signs upon arrival. It made you feel like a minor celebrity, and flying is a lonelier experience now that only ticketed passengers can go through security to reach the gates.
Renting Videos
Streaming is great and another time saver that arrived on the scene along with Gen Z. But there was something about going to the video store, browsing the aisles and, reading the packaging on the video, then choosing two or three to watch through the weekend. It was a little addition to the total movie-watching experience.
Dial-up Modems
Beep, beep, boop, SCREACH: The sounds of your modem trying to hook your computer up to your internet service provider. It was frustrating at times, but the ability to connect to the whole world from the comfort of your kitchen counter seemed worth it at the time. Gen Z would probably be frustrated to tears by it these days.
Gaming Strategy Guides
So get this: Millennials played plenty of video games, but there was no YouTube to learn a good hack or lesson to make it to the next level. So what did we do? We looked at BOOKS. For real. Strategy guides gave gamers a helping hand to get unstuck. Unless the info in the book was wrong, then you were still stuck.
Scheduled Programming
There was no Netflix cheating and no need for constant spoiler alerts because when a show aired on TV, that was when everyone could see it. Period. This shifted a bit once people got video tape recorders that let them capture and watch their favorite show at a later time (after rewinding the video cassette, of course)
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