The kids of today are, on the whole, fortunate. They live in a world of advanced technology, meaning they're entertained like never before. High-tech toys, video games, YouTube, online gaming, and social media have given them a whole digital world at their diminutive fingertips.
That's not to say that the children of previous generations were unfortunate. There were plenty of things for youngsters to enjoy before the things the world has to offer them today existed, and the children of today are missing out on some of those things.
Redditor u/fkaren20201 asked, “What do you think people born after 2010 missed out on?“
These were some of the best answers.
1. Physical Photographs
Picking up a packet of physical photos from the drug store is a special feeling these newer generations will never know. Even though, as u/pm-me-racecars pointed out, “Polaroids are coming back,” film and getting non-Polaroid film developed is expensive and time consuming.
“The film is so expensive, though!!” u/PinkyTurnipseed wrote. “And where's the thrill of waiting at the photo counter to see what actually came out? Not quite the same, IMO.”
That feeling of looking through old printed photographs simply can't be replicated by digital images. While physical photos still exist, u/PinkyTurnipseed is correct in saying that the magic of waiting for them to be developed has disappeared. But patience isn't something the current generation of children has had instilled in them.
2. Good Children's Television
Not only did kids these days miss out on what u/No-Conference9567 called the “best era of Cartoon Network,” another Austrilia-based user felt the bar on kids shows has been severely lowered.
“Children's tv shows in general (here in Australia at least), I feel like so many shows are more sterile and dumbed down,” they wrote. “That could absolutely be my own bias talking but I feel like the shows I watched as a kid weren't afraid to teach me some life lessons.”
There was so much more to cartoons back in the day. In the 1980s, for instance, we had Masters of the Universe, Care Bears, ThunderCats, Dungeons & Dragons, Jem, M.A.S.K., Rainbow Brite, and more. Cartoons were much more colorful and virile and tended to convey important messages about life. The same can't be said about the children's television out today.
3. Not Always Being in Front of a Camera
Do you remember a time when every thing you did wasn't documented by your phone? These younger generations certainly don't.
“This so much,” wrote u/pibbleberrier, who added that: “growing up in the era of no smartphone is a god send looking back.”
These days, children live their lives under constant surveillance. They must feel like they exist under a microscope. Think of all the embarrassing things you did as a child and imagine all of them were filmed by other kids and plastered all over social media, potentially going viral. Paranoia must run rife through the children of today.
4. The Early Internet
Several people posted this answer, with u/kevin_ackerman saying, “The internet when it was young and beautiful.” and u/mukino saying, “The early wild west internet.”
Users agreed in their droves, with u/AllHailKeanu replying, “Late 90s internet was so fun. Everyone had webpages! You liked a show or movie? You made a website about it! And then we’d all find each other and link to each others websites.” u/amortizedeeznuts replied, “member guest books? and visitor counters? and those cheeky “under construction” gifs? ahh. nineties.” and u/pibbleberrier asked, “Geocities anyone?”
They're so right. The internet was so much more wholesome and fun when it was a new thing. Now it seems so much more vitriolic. Bring back the days of dial-up – you all remember the noise, right?
5. Video Games Without Microtransactions
Remember when you just had to buy a game and that was it, no more buying content? Kids today probably don't. “I miss N64 days where you buy a game and it's complete with no further purchases required or even advertised to you,” wrote u/Micro-G-wanna. “Such a more simple time.”
While video games have always been made for profit, they're cash cows on a colossal scale these days. To maximize enjoyment from the majority of games, players must constantly purchase add-ons, and downloadable content, meaning the initial outlay on the game in its original form was only the beginning of the spend. Frankly, it's extortion. Back in the day, once you had bought a game, you owned everything it would ever have to offer you.
6. Better Happy Meal Toys
Even McDonald's Happy Meals don't have the same appeal they used to.
u/Salzberger wrote: “Gonna be honest, bring back the plastic. I know, I know, dead sea turtles and whatnot. But f*** me their cardboard toys are just rats**t.”
We understand McDonald's reasons for switching to cardboard toys, but these users are entirely correct in saying it's resulted in an inferior product. Happy Meal toys used to be a thing of joy; they were as good as the toys purchased in stores. Now they're cheap, lifeless, soul-destroying, needlessly complicated monstrosities.
7. Blockbuster
Family trips to Blockbuster is another thing new generations miss out on.
“It may seems stupid,” wrote u/darfka, “but there was something just nice and comforting doing that each Saturday when it was our father's turn to have us for the weekend.”
Watching movies on demand, courtesy of streaming services, certainly has benefits, but going to Blockbuster and choosing one (or more) was an adventure. The majesty of walking through those doors and seeing a world of cinema in front of you — the smell of the plastic, the thrill of physically picking movies out, the beauty of the cover art — that can't be replicated at home.
8. American Patriotism
For u/CorpsDolphin answered, patriotism is in short supply in the younger generations. “In America, I would say a sense of patriotism. Regardless of if we should have gone to war, most Americans were pretty United and patriotic in the early 2000s.”
“I do miss that experience,” u/Just_SomeDude13 added, “feeling like we're all united and pulling in the same direction, it was legitimately a beautiful thing to witness in the wake of such tragedy.”
It's safe to say that for the past few years, America has been more divided than it's been for a long time. While there have been periods in the past in which the country has been divided, most generations before this one have experienced periods of unity. Children born after 2010 have known nothing but division.
9. Confidence of Retirement
When I was growing up, retirement was a promise I knew I could count on. Kids today can't say the same thing.
Life is just so unaffordable at the moment — energy prices alone are making sure of that — so it's hard to put together a nest egg in preparation for retirement. Unless something drastic happens, that will not change any time soon. Our children could find themselves working until an unprecedented age by the time they reach the latter stages of their lives.
10. Human Connection
“Actual connection with others,” wrote u/Moon2078. “Connection to them is texting or using social media.”
All too often these days, people have their heads buried in their phones, tablets, computers, or other devices. We're becoming incredibly antisocial, and it's sad to see. If things keep going as they are, it won't be long before human interaction is a rare occurrence – and that would be tragic.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.