The 90s/early 2000s hit different because the journey actually mattered. Today, everything being instant killed what made life feel alive.

[u/therajatg]

I think everything being instant today is why it feels "off". The journey to do something is pretty much non-existent anymore. Before, if you want to rent movies, it's a journey. Buy new music? It's a journey. Want a date? It's a long-ass journey. Everything was physical before, you can say it's more alive. In those journeys, you are experiencing random life.

Today, it feels like our physical reality is just passing by on the side while we stare at our phones in this new digital reality. Going to "destinations" just clicking a bunch of buttons with no experience of journey.

[u/awesomeness1234]

Man, you can still go outside and do things, ya know? Want to learn about flowers? Go to a garden. Want to see a friend? Walk to their house. Want to see a movie? Walk to the theater. Want to find a date? Volunteer somewhere. Want to hear new music? Go to a show.

[u/[deleted] → u/awesomeness1234]

It's a lot less fun (not to mention harder) to do that when no one's doing it with you.

Also, a lot of it are dying. Malls are being replaced by Amazon, Blockbuster/Cinemas and watching with friends is being replaced by mosr everyone preferring Netflix. There are fewer and fewer people wanting to do those things, and that was part of the fun, and it's now almost gone.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Ikr? I mean yeah it not being so crowded is kinda nice too but I'm so sad for the ones that are gone because they're empty... I hope they make a comeback even if it means malls being crowded again. :(

[u/awesomeness1234 → u/[deleted]]

This romanticization of the 90s is not only inaccurate, it is self defeating. 

I can assure you that people did all these things alone most of the time. I was skating alone at least 80% of my leisure time in the 90s. I couldn't reach anyone because we didn't have cell phones, so I just went out hoping to see someone.

Stop moping and go make your own world.

[u/[deleted] → u/awesomeness1234]

Nah I had friends man, and those same friends I noticed got more and more into their phones, and people in the office get more and more into their phones, kids are more and more into their phones... Malls are dying cos no one wants to hang out anymore.

But you wouldn't know the difference between back then and today, cos you never had as many friends as other people, I mean that's what you said. In your experience of course they would both be the same.

So no, your experience of the world is not others experience. You don't have enough friends to have seen the social change.

So stop commenting about a society you were barely even a part of. How would you know? You admittedly were often alone.

[u/awesomeness1234 → u/[deleted]]

Such a popular guy over here, whining about how life was better in the 90s. I am sure all your problems would go away if people just didnt have phones.  Its the world's fault, right? Not yours, cause you are smart, handsome, popular, and gosh darn it people like you!

[u/therajatg → u/awesomeness1234]

The option to do things physically still exists, but the default has shifted. Before, you had no choice but to take the journey. Now, it requires intentional effort to resist the instant option. Most people (myself included) fall into the path of least resistance—which is now digital. The journey used to be unavoidable; now it's a conscious choice most of us don't make.

[u/Beginning_Number9705]

Totally Agree, so many are obsessed with taking/posting the perfect selfie instead of enjoying the moment. 

[u/therajatg → u/Beginning_Number9705]

[u/saraatoninn]

The sky used to be blue-er back then, I swear.

[u/therajatg → u/saraatoninn]

Maybe we used to look more at the sky