“They don’t make ’em like they used to!”
“It wasn’t like that in the good old days!”
“Well, back in the day we used to…”
Raise your hand if you have ever been forced to listen to one of these phrases. If you spend much time around your grandparents (and around seniors like I do for work), you will hear at least one of these phrases when they are reminiscing about the “golden years.”
But frankly, they are right. Things have changed. People used to leave their home doors unlocked, but now wouldn’t dream leaving the house without locking the door. Yes, things have changed. In some cases for the good, and in others, not so good.
Cheap health care. Like all things, health care costs are increasing. But unlike a lot of other products, health care costs are skyrocketing at an astronomical rate. And in turn, health insurance rates are increasing to match the cost. No longer are you able to find inexpensive health insurance without really searching. Save yourself the trouble and enter your ZIP code in the box above to find inexpensive health insurance. (I said it was tough, not impossible.)
The post office. Maybe I’m predicting the future and the post office’s looks a bit grim. Ever since the computer boom and the rise of email, the postal service has been declining. Don’t get me wrong: I love, I repeat, love getting stuff in the mail (except for bills). But it is so much easier, quicker and cheaper (hello, free!) which is why internet communication has dominated. Last year the USPS or United States Postal Service lost more than $5 billion. Enjoy receiving your snail mail while you can. It might not be around for much longer.
VHS/Cassettes. Entertainment technology is one of the industries that has made the greatest strides in advancement. And much to the betterment of society. Walkman and VCR sales became almost nonexistent when VHS and cassette tapes were outshone by CDs. While some still use cassette players in their car, a Walkman lives in obscurity. Now CDs are facing extinction thanks to Steve Jobs (R.I.P) who bought iPods into popular culture. Why only carry around one CD, when you can have more than 1,000 on your iPod?
Home phones. If you were to poll the homes of those who are 30 years or younger, you would find that most do not have a landline at home. With the increase of cell phones (and their monthly cost), landlines are becoming extinct. And why shouldn’t they? If both parents in a household have a cellphone (and in some cases, the kids as well) there is often no need for a landline.
Cable. Having 500 channels used to be some sort of a status symbol, but the need for cable has dropped for many families. On-demand and instant gratification is king. That desire has catapulted sites like Hulu to the top. Who doesn’t want to watch their favorite shows whenever they want.
Newspapers. The internet. Does that say enough?