Let’s face it: some things in this world aren’t nearly as fantastic as they used to be. You know what I’m talking about: those small things that used to make every day a little brighter, more exciting, genuinely rewarding, or even just easier to get through. Well, the idiots of the earth have gone and screwed a lot of those up… and some people are still pretty bitter about it.
Remember when nature wasn’t bulldozed over, polluted, and destroyed for human consumption? What about when kids could roam free rather than be controlled by helicopter parents? Or the time when you could walk straight onto an airplane without being searched up and down? Ah, the good old days… Now, nostalgic people are taking to the internet to call out those who have crushed some of the nicer things in life with their idiocy! Notice anything that you miss?
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#1 We Already Know That People Are Awful, Dude
A few years ago, a guy on Twitter shared his Starbucks card information and told people to put it on their phones. The idea was to have a shared community card—get a drink if you wanted to, or donate to it so others could get a drink. You would think that people would just grab free drinks, but it actually had a surplus of donations versus people actually using it.
I think the card ended up with like, $200 at some point. Anyway, some idiot comes along and locks the card and account, effectively shutting it down. He said he did it because he wanted to prove how ineffective sharing was or something dumb like that. You always have that one guy who sees other people enjoying something and feels the need to disrupt it.
#2 Go, Speed Racer, Go!
"Unrestricted" roads in the UK, where there used to be no speed limit. Then, some dozy twonk races an AC Cobra at 185 miles per hour on it and poof! 70 miles per hour.
#3 Yeah, It Used To Be That Simple
I used to be able to walk into an airport, book a flight, walk to the gate and get on the plane. I have flown from San Francisco (where I live) to Los Angeles (where my sister lives) countless times in just that fashion.
#4 This Is A (Literal) Load Of Bull
My parent's old apartment had this little dog park. Our greyhound loved it because she could go run every morning. They closed it because people wouldn't pick up their dogs' #2. They would just leave piles of #2, despite management sending letters out. I'm still salty about that one. Don't get a dog if you can't pick up their messes.
#5 Thanks A Lot, Crummy Tourists
Our parents had a small summer cabin on a quiet, wooded lake. The water was pristine and ideal for fishing and swimming. The air smelled of fresh pine. Then it caught on, and the lake became overtaxed and ruined with powerboats—polluted with gasoline, oil, and junk tossed into the water (tires, mattresses, washing machines, solvents, etc.) Now, the fish are gone, the water stinks, and the pine trees have been cut down.
#6 Travel Tip: Don't Be A Piece Of Trash
In a way, traveling. Overtourism is an issue in part because idiots have no idea how to care for a space that they're in. Really, it's a privilege to travel, but these people treat it like a joke. Littering, getting tipsy, trashing an area, not honoring local customs, being rude and more can destroy a place. In addition to hurting the locals and their area, it hurts respectful travelers. One of my friends is super into national parks and has started carrying a trash bag with her to clean up after idiot travelers.
#7 It's Just Gotten Stupider And Stupider
YouTube. It used to be about uploading amateur videos. Old school YouTubers put out quality content as well. Now it's all corporate, with companies promoting their stuff, and a majority of the content being subpar.
#8 God Is Keeping Score, You Little Punks
We used to keep our church doors open 24/7, then vandals wreaked havoc on our statues, that so we locked up at night. We left it open during the days on Saturdays and the vandals still came. So now, we keep the place locked up except almost exclusively during banking hours and Sundays mornings.
#9 So, Being A Hermit Is Trendy Now?
A sense of community in your neighborhood. As a kid, I used to walk over to my friend's house and we'd play in each other’s backyards. We learned how to bike together, we would “explore” the woods between yards, play with the older middle schoolers, etc. A lot of paranoia kinda ended that. The fear of kidnappers, gang violence—it all kinda hit at once. Well, that and cicada season. After that summer, people around here kind of kept to themselves more.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Stories that matter — delivered straight to your inbox.
#10 Got A Rough Cold? Suck It Up
I miss when 24-hour decongestants and antihistamines actually worked. Oh, and anytime I buy decongestants, my driver's license gets scanned. Thanks, criminals! Or maybe it's the result of big pharma lobbying, but I'm trying not to buy into the conspiracy.
#11 It's Almost More Trouble Than It's Worth
Buying tickets online. It used to be easy. Now I have to choose all the squares with a car in them to prove I'm not a bot, log in with a password I forgot, get my password link sent to my email address, change my password, prove I'm not a bot again, pick seats, confirm seats, and pay an extra $20 for a convenience fee.
#12 These Days, Everyone Is A Scammer
eBay used to be this amazing multi-national garage sale, filled to the brim with people selling their used stuff. Then people started filling it with garbage no-brand products and drop shipping it to the winning bidders. Then came the people who started using it as a storefront and charging full retail value for their items. Now, eBay is nothing more than a bunch of resellers that find it more affordable than developing an actual web store.
This is leaving me scratching my head wondering why people don't just order it from Amazon for $20 less, or walk to a big box store and buy it for the same price without shipping. I've permanently checked the "used" button and the search results have been far better, but there are still people that keep the original box and try to sell it in "like-new" condition for full retail.
#13 You Can Kiss A Long-Term Career Goodbye
Pensions, retirement, and having a career with a company for more than 10 years. Stupid boomers, greedy corporate sharks, and terrible government ruined all that for everyone.
#14 Do Children Even Go Outside Anymore?
Being a kid. In the olden days, you could roam around your neighborhood, ride your bike to a nearby park, explore the woods behind your house, or whatever. On a typical summer day, you'd get kicked out of your house and told to come home when the streetlights came on. You had the freedom to roam, explore, create and play. Now, we have the norm that children ought to be under adult supervision every minute of every day.
We take them from one supervised activity to the next, handing them off like some kind of nuclear code briefcase. Parents are afraid to leave their kid in the car while they run into the store for a few minutes because someone might call the police on them, and they can be charged with a crime. This is ludicrous to me, all things being equal. It's one thing to leave your kid sitting in the car reading a book or playing a game on his tablet when the weather is a concern—that could be neglect or abuse if it's too hot, for instance. But if it's in the shade and it's a cool day and you're just picking up grandma's prescription real quick? I just don't understand.
#15 If You Want To Pass, Cough Up Some Cash
College books. My dad spent around $50 per semester and my great uncle spent around $20. I’ve spent $500. I know inflation bumps up the price every few years but geez, those guys in the industry have been screwing us forever.
#16 And Then They Unleashed The Floodgates Of Adults...
Facebook. I'm not saying it was amazing, but it was so different my freshmen year of college. It was fun to upload photos and connect with people you met in class, etc. Now there are a ton of middle-aged people with their political opinions (on both sides), acting like they're better than everyone who is mourning Mac Miller. "While you're crying over this celebrity, I'm thinking of the three veterans who pass away every day. Repost to show you care!" Just really sick of all of my aunts and uncles on Facebook with their stupid opinions. Obviously, I can unfriend those people and I have. I'm just saying the whole "vibe" of the site is different. Maybe it's just me getting old, but I'll take the first day of school pictures over politics any day.
#17 Now, Every Playground Is A Lawsuit
Playground equipment. The rolly slides, teeter-totters, the merry-go-rounds, all of it. There was even a park I used to play in as a kid that had an old, retired train car we could go in. The rolly slides apparently pinched too many fingers, the teeter-totters were too hard to get off of and the merry-go-rounds were spun too fast. As for the train, I’m pretty sure there were homeless people sleeping in it. Plus graffiti. Now it’s gated off and no fun for anyone.
#18 Who Gave You Permission To Drive, You Maniacs
Driving. There are too many damn people on the road, most of whom do NOT need to be licensed to drive. Some drivers don't use common sense, follow traffic properly, or understand that they are not the only vehicle trying to get somewhere.
#19 Why Be Informed When You Could Stay Blissfully Ignorant?
People used to read the articles and be informed. Now I feel like people skip to the comments to get the gist of what was actually written or said. So whoever invented the comments section ruined reading.
#20 It's Not Like People's Lives Are At Stake...
Inhalers. My bestie who had asthma used to be able to get inhalers without going through the counter when he was a kid whenever he needed it desperately. Now, they quit selling them over the counter and you need a prescription because of idiots who started using them for non-medicinal purposes. I imagine a lot of different kinds of medicines ended up this way.
#21 Well, You Guys Were Spoiled As Heck
If you worked hard all day at whatever job, you could usually live on that wage in a reasonable manner... says the boomer who grew up in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Politicians took money from the vested interests and let this happen, yet everybody blames the victims.
#22 You Just Have To Click A Button, Right?
Being a photographer. Everyone seems to "be" a photographer nowadays... Meaning if you're an Insta-person or a celebrity, basically anyone with a big following, you get booked for gigs despite not knowing anything about photography.
#23 It's Absolutely Become One, Massive Joke
Online dating apps. Now it's full of non-committal, ghosting, attention-seeking teases who just message for the ego boost but have little intention on going on dates.
#24 Ever Read About The Lorax? That's Where We're Headed
Not long ago, most neighborhoods in the United States were surrounded by woods or meadows. I'm not talking about formal nature preserves or national parks. These were simply open areas that businesses had not yet moved into. Kids could go there to build forts, catch bugs, and play elaborate hide and seek games. Nobody seemed to mind. There was a patch of a forest like this in my own neighborhood, up until I was about ten years old. It surrounded the back of a local baseball field.
These 30 acres included a creek where you could find salamanders in the springtime and lots of big old hollow trees where songbirds built their nests. It was cool to go back there through each changing season. You could actually feel the wondrous changes taking place. I still remember the way the springtime puddles smelled, or the joy of raking up huge piles of autumn leaves to roll in. Halloween time felt extra spooky, and spring was always enchanting.
Then the land was sold to a company that wanted to build an office park. The whole place was destroyed. Eighteen years later, the office buildings are no more than an empty eyesore. This same story is being replayed all across the country, and all around the world.
#25 Man, Rich People Get Everything
Burning Man used to be a really cool, inclusive mini-society. Now it's just a bunch of people with WAY too much money, isolating themselves from other people in the desert by buying out huge plots of land and excluding others from their clubhouses. This is a stark contrast from what Burning Man was supposed to be in the first place.
#26 Fender Bender? Milk Them For Every Cent
People used to just shrug at minor auto accidents or fender benders. Both parties would simply exchange insurance information and get the damage fixed. Now, too many people call a personal injury attorney and try to get "all the money they deserve" for injuries that don't amount to anything.
#27 No Worries, Keep Talking Through This Overpriced Movie
Movie theaters. Etiquette is absolutely dead. My once greatest joy is dead to me because people are inconsiderate jerks who feel they can act like they're at home and ruin it for others. I've incorporated a projector and a screen into my man cave and never looked back.
#28 And The Vandals Are At It Again, Pals
We used to have a small state park where I live. It was a literal hole in the ground in the middle of farm country. There was a waterfall, tons of crazy rock formations and climbing walls, as well as rare plants and trees as far as the eye can see. It was beautiful. Then stoners and hippies took over the place and spray-painted on all of the rock formations. Baggies and empty cans now litter the waterfall to the point where the entire waterfall looks like a fountain of trash. You can't step two feet in any direction without seeing a can or bottle. It's really sad. The last time I went, my friends and I left in tears. It was devastating.
#29 I Mean, They Were Called "Unlimited"
Unlimited data plans got killed in my country. You used to be able to get truly unlimited data for something like $50/month. Then, a small group of people started using that to basically run several terabytes of data through it each month. I think some were even running corporate servers using a smartphone as a modem. Eventually, the unlimited data plans just disappeared.
#30 Well, They Sure Sucked The Fun (And Water) Out Of That
In Australia, there were a series of giant inland lakes in the desert, collectively known as Menindee Lakes. Beautiful, natural diverse ecosystems, fun people, activities, and genuinely wondrous. Then, the Australian government sold up-river to water-intensive overseas cotton farms and didn’t restrict their water use. The river started flowing in reverse. Menindee lakes almost never fill anymore.
#31 I Can't Talk, I'm Busy Liking Your Post
Social media has ruined relationships and communication between people. Not romantic relationships only, but all. And now it's a cute cliche to be all, "I'm so anti-social." I don't have Facebook or Instagram and people get mad at me for it and sometimes refuse to tell me updates. "Well, you would know if you had Facebook." How about you actually have a conversation with me about your life?
#32 This Is What We Get For Being Generous
There used to be an annual free garage sale near me. People would bring in boxes of things to donate, volunteers would set them out on tables, and everyone could take what they wanted. Then, a couple of people pretended to be volunteers and loaded the boxes of donations directly into their own cars. A lot was also stolen from the church that hosted the event, including the stool from their organ. They no longer have the free garage sale.
#33 Way To Ruin It For Everyone, Thieves
I belong to a small, local 24-hour gym. They used to have small white towels (hand-sized) that you could use while you worked out. There was a laundry basket you could throw them in as you were leaving. They weren’t great quality; in fact, they were rather rough from being washed every day, but they were nice to wipe down your treadmill, wipe your face, etc. Last month, I entered the gym and there was a sign stating that they were no longer stocking the towels because people were stealing them. Why would anyone steal these small, scratchy towels? It’s probably the gym rats who forget to put them in the basket and now have a huge collection in their trucks.
#34 The "Fan Girl" Phase It Getting Old
Basically, everything that was once good but became mainstream. Popularity ruins everything. It's like once it gets enough traction, investors jump on it and siphon every last bit of fun out of it. Plus, it attracts mindless idiots who make the community sourer.
#35 Security Is A Total Nightmare
A smooth experience at the airport. I used to be able to walk through a simple metal detector and that was it; empty my pockets and I'd be good to go. Want to meet your family at the gate? That's fine. Want to walk your loved one to the plane? That's fine too. Now, we basically have body cavity searches and have to deal with rude agents who hate their jobs and would rather be anywhere else in the world. It sucks.
#36 Welp, That Was Fun While It Lasted
Drones. All it takes is a few idiots doing stupid illegal stuff like spying on people and legislators jump at the chance to restrict them.
#37 Lyrics Have Gotten Pretty Wild, My Dudes
Rap. Where do I start? Let’s make this simple. In the '90s, rap used to be about people explaining their lives and hobbies, with decent beats. They would talk about their life, friends, school, etc. while trying to combine it to rap. Fascinating. Not only that, but you had to be a good rapper to get big on rap. Nowadays? It is just all about girlfriends, money, abuse, and being the best. Nowadays, all you have to do to become a famous rapper is to mumble and speak gibberish. It is really sad that it comes to this point.
#38 If We Were All A Little Less Greedy...
The internet. There could have been a ton of low-cost services that could have been ad-free, easy to use, and fun to use. We are so intolerant of advertisements, and so resistant to paying for anything, that the whole way we pay for any service on the internet has to be secretive, underhanded, and deceptive. Internet services cost money, and we refuse to directly pay the costs, so they "steal it back" from us, by data gathering, and manipulation of content.
#39 They're Worse Than Boy-Band Stans
Being a football fan. Toxic internet fandom has hit football like a bomb with all the crazy Messi and Ronaldo fans, and journalists cater to this. The debate about who is better or whatever is fine, but it is just so omnipresent in all discussions. Crazy internet stans who worship these athletes like their personal gurus are just everywhere and can't be avoided. Even legit journalists, the best of them, are genuinely afraid of talking about either one in any honest or critical way, lest all their social media be assaulted by these crazy superfans.
#40 And They Thought It Was Corporate...
I used to work at a donut shop and we were located right beside a homeless shelter. Every night, we would take all the food that was still fresh and give it to charity. It wasn't a lot, usually about a dozen doughnuts. Then, one day, the regional manager came and shut the whole thing down. He didn't tell us why he just told us to never do it again or we would be fired. We never questioned it and just held the resentment of them in our hearts. Like, how cheap do you have to be that you would rather have us throw away consumable food!
A few months later, a homeless man came in right as we were throwing food in a garbage bag. He goes, "Ahhh it's such a pity, I used to love eating your guys' doughnuts until that idiot had to ruin it." My co-worker said, "Yeah that's honestly messed up, corporate greed, you know?" The homeless man gave us a weird look, he goes, "Nah, that's not what happened. One of the guys at the shelter faked choking on a donut hole and tired to sue this store; that's why they cut us off."
#41 I Just Want Some Darn Cash
Nordstrom. For years, you could get cashback, regardless of how you purchased an item. The classic scam was people would buy Nordstrom gift cards at grocery stores using stolen credit cards, buy thousands of dollars of merchandise, then return it for cash. Now, returns go back on the original form of payment (or store credit). If you paid with a gift card, they'll just give you a new one. However, it's annoying when your Nordstrom card balance is $0.00 and you just want the cash. I don't want a negative balance or store credit, I want the cash.
#42 Guys, It's Really Not That Deep
Those fun rock hiding groups on Facebook. In the beginning, you'd paint a rock and hide it for someone to find. There were SO many fun designs. Sometimes you'd find a rock from WAY out of state! It was thrilling in its own sweet little way. And then people started imposing new "rules" on the group. You can't hide rocks with glitter or stickers or googly eyes because it might make a squirrel want to swallow one. They'd jump down the throat of anyone who posted to the group with a glittery rock.
You were not allowed to hide a rock in places of business because someone might think it was a solicitation. Suddenly, all the fun animal-themed rocks hidden around the zoo were against the rules. Middle-aged women can be mean. Fights began to break out over designs, claiming they were 'stolen' from someone else. The entire thing turned into a cesspool of "He said, she said" and, "Ugh, ignorant people doing their rocks WRONG." Now the groups only consist of a few people who BEG others to hide rocks because they "don't know why the magic is gone."
#43 Do They Even Know What They're Watching?
I loved the experience of going to a movie, but it has gotten so bad now. My wife and I went to see "A Quiet Place" with another couple friends, and for the first half of the movie, there were these high-school-aged kids literally carrying out full conversations, not even trying to whisper. Like, the entire point of the movie is to be quiet. I asked them nicely once early on and it didn't stop, so I finally got fed up and told them to shut up or get out. My wife was super embarrassed, but at least we enjoyed the rest of the movie in peace. There's just no shame anymore. People letting their kids just cry, taking phone calls, talking during the movie, kids just running around like its a playground. Tickets have gotten too expensive to basically put up with the same thing I deal with on my couch.
#44 Peace Out, Childhood, It's Been Real
I watched my childhood apartment pool get filled in with literal tons of cheap sand because people kept abusing it and the landlords didn’t want the hassle of maintaining it anymore.
#45 I Can't Afford To Die Right Now
We used to have affordable medical care. Then, health insurance got in the mix and started to inflate the price of it. To try to curb that, idiots decided to regulate insurance companies to where they could only make a percentage of profit from the money they take in from premiums. Sounded good, right? Well, that suddenly meant that insurance companies were then motivated to increase the size of the pie altogether so that their take-home percentage was more. Now, they negotiate higher prices with providers and take in more premium money from customers in a constant profit cycle.
