To ask what you miss the most about the past?

[Appalonia]

Been thinking recently about how much we've lost due to the internet, although of course there are lots of amazing things too. For me, I think I miss things like record stores, long conversations on the phone with friends, so many high street shops that are now gone forever, online shopping just isn't the same, especially as you can't try something on, mix tapes, seeing a film in a big cinema, bookshops, lots of independent shops, so much is commercialised now, department stores, in my city, there was only Debenhams and now that's gone, I miss going into town and browsing, there's nothing left other than pound stores, it's so sad.

What do you miss that modern life has robbed you of?

Texan.

I'd keep whatsapp for messaging, that's been invaluable, but I'd happily get rid of social media and games consoles to an extent.

Timotei shampoo
Swiss hair repair conditioner (that minty stuff)
Overall I preferred not having a mobile phone - I resisted until 2007.
Rock concerts where people aren’t filming it with their mobile phones, just enjoying
Clothes that actually covered your midriff and thighs properly
Affordable housing /property
Those second hand record shops
Books, especially those second hand stores; now everything is bought (or read) online
Idk why, but the Ford Cortina
80s stuff/culture/fashion/music: I’m thinking of Ashes to Ashes tv show, very nostalgic!
Writing letters instead of emails or adding someone on social media
Memories instead of being connected with everyone (and yes, I’ve recently deleted Fb)
My Dad; my grandparents

Going for a drive on Sunday. Just pootling about, maybe stopping if you saw something interesting, perhaps for tea at pub or hotel ( yes, really,,sandwiches or scones and jam).

actually in the Eighties we use to drive from Notting Hill into Leicester Square for the theatre, and park on a meter which was free after 18.30. Only once had to put it into the ( very cheap,off peak) car park instead.

You can still go for a drive on Sunday as far as I'm aware.

Not sure about the regulations on pootling.

Lovely post @mamabear715

Of course they still go out. All I am saying is that it is different now when you can just get access to things like new books, music, films even performances from the comfort of your sofa. Even the kids see how everything is pretty disposable given how easy things are to get. Imagine reading about a film in a book and it sounding amazing but having no way to see it, it's not available on vhs, or shown on tv then one time you're in Paris and they are showing it in a little cinema across the city so you go and see it and it's so exciting and magical to finally see it true story). These days read about an obscure film in a book, sounds amazing, online for 2 minutes and you can stream it or order it for next day delivery. Years of anticipation, wondering and imagining are no more and in some way the experience is diminished.

Thank you @princessjoan that's so kind! :-)

So it was better when we had less access to stuff that we wanted?

Speak for yourself. I love having such easy access to art, music, literature and other creative content. There's never been a better time to be a consumer, surely?

All seems like misplaced nostalgia. There are record shops (and vinyl fairs etc, its not hard to buy records), you can have long conversations on the phone any time you like, there are plemty of physical shops, you can make mix tapes (or burn cds, or use an ipod or spotify, all the same thing really). I saw a film ina big cinema last night, I visit bookshops.
I'm not at all seeing what you're robbed of...maybe you just need to move?

Imagine reading about a film in a book and it sounding amazing but having no way to see it, it's not available on vhs, or shown on tv then one time you're in Paris and they are showing it in a little cinema across the city so you go and see it and it's so exciting and magical to finally see it true story)

But most people wouldn't be in PAris to catch it would they, so really its just imagine really wanting to see a film but tough shit you can't.

What's great about that?

Wordsworth!

Going for a drive on Sunday. Just pootling about, maybe stopping if you saw something interesting, perhaps for tea at pub or hotel ( yes, really,,sandwiches or scones and jam)

This is outlawed now, in the "future"? I wasn't aware.

This whole thread is people complaining they can't do things that are still freely available, or missing things that never existed.

Amen!

I also miss the pre mobile phone days when people didn’t take ages faffing around trying to take the perfect selfie at tourist spots despite knowing that other people are waiting to take photos at that spot too. The days when you’d just ask someone to take a photo and hope it would be ok.

A work environment where most live/socialised locally.

That chocolate bar that had different flavour cream centres.

Having the front door key on a long piece of string pulled up through the letter box.

Think the biggest thing I miss is freedom and time. Remember just going away for a night or a weekend hillwalking and camping, then when flights were dirt cheap , I lived near the airport and you could still turn up and book something and go, we went to many places in Europe just getting a hostel when we arrived. I could probably still do all the same things I used to to but work, kids, parents, health issues have all taken their toll.

I don’t watch 24 hour news
I said I believe it leads to our general anxiety

Smoking. An inexcusably bad habit which led to some serious health problems later in my life, but I loved my fags at the time.

Drinking lager and lime or lager and blackcurrant with my mates in the pub, wandering home pleasantly pissed at closing time. A minor hangover in the morning which didn't wreck my entire weekend.

Being young
Having more energy
Having no one dependant on me & 4 people looking at me/waiting for me to tell them what I've planned/arranged for us every weekend & special occasion/event
Not being the go-to member of the family ALL the time
The way a certain boyfriend made me feel (even if he turned out to be a c**t)
How much easier school was than working
Having no mobiles
Family who have passed
Saturdays at my nans house
School holidays
Not having to think twice about my weight. Until now I've never needed to diet
Being able to eat anything and everything without putting on weight
The 80s & 90s in general
You could go to a clothes shop and ask if they had your size 'out the back', there was always more stock not put out
Less cars on the road
Going on holiday was a lot more exciting & the airline price was 1 cost per person inc meal and luggage, not broken down into cost of seat/meal/legroom/luggage/hand luggage/ which queue to pay for to get on the plane. It spoils it nowadays
Duty free was a hell of a lot cheaper than the shops and good value
No beauty pressure (these days it's nails, botox etc)
I could go on forever!

for context, I'm 50.

Being 20

The 1990s in general.

Especially Cadburys chocolate from
that time.

Proper entertainment shows and proper comedians.
Nothing like the generation game on now. Its all voting off programmes.
Comedians aren't funny with the exception of Peter Kay, they just stories now that aren't even funny.

A Labour party that had principles and supported the working classes.

Same!
I miss the size I was when I thought I was "fat"