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Who’s ready to let their frustrations out? We can admit life isn’t what it used to be. Countless products, businesses, and parts of American culture have worsened. In a thread titled “Things We Wish Were as Good as Before,” several people met in an online discussion to talk about some things that used to be better. From air travel to theme parks (and everything in between), here are things that haven’t improved over the years.
1. Air Travel
Once upon a time, flying on an airplane was the height of luxury. Every aspect, from the in-flight experience to the airport itself, puts every traveler on a pedestal. One person puts it all into perspective: “Remember when you got a meal? Remember when you didn’t have to pay to check a bag? Remember when your friends could wait at the gate for you?” Ah, the good old days. I wish we could go back.
2. The Value of College Education
Thanks to a dwindling workforce, inflation, the world economy going down the drain, and millions of talentless men and women believing they can make a living being a social media influencer, a college degree is nearly worthless these days. Many boomers and Gen-Xers don’t blame young men and women for skipping college entirely. The college experience has changed radically in recent generations. Unfortunately, tuition is only getting more expensive as the years go by.
3. Apple Macbooks
Countless Apple fanatics confess they are frustrated with the company’s attempts to make the MacBook smaller and smaller with each new release. Most users would gladly accept more ports and buttons even if it meant a slightly chunkier final product. “I’d rather take an extra centimeter in thickness and more ports than use a hub for everything,” confesses one man. “This is coming from an avid Apple user.”
4. Housing Prices
Unless you purchased a home before 2020, the prospects of finding an affordable place to live are not as sunny as they used to be. Housing is no longer affordable. Rent is sky-high, and mortgage interest rates make buying a home one of the least financially wise decisions a person can make! In fact, many believe the quality of home construction has also suffered recently. They don’t make homes like they used to (but even if they did, nobody could afford them).
5. Scented Candles
Once dominated by one brand, the scented candle industry has exploded in the last 20 years. However, many customers believe the overall quality of these candles has gone down the drain. “Yankee Candle, in particular, used to be the candle company that was considered premium,” explains one woman. “But while they’ve never been cheap, at least a while ago, it was worth the money. But now they’re just outrageous in price, they don’t smell like they used to, and they are not worth the money.” I remember when Yankee Candles were all the rage; they were every man’s go-to gift to their girlfriend or wife when they couldn’t think of anything else.
6. Clothing
What happened to clothing that lasted years, even decades? Due to many clothing retailers engaging in a “race to the bottom,” prices have plummeted, but that comes at a cost: Now the quality is suffering. Unless you’re willing to shell out significant money for upscale clothing (and are sufficiently wealthy to afford those clothes), most ordinary people are left suffering by wearing subpar garments every day.
7. Major Home Appliances
Although home appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and ovens have become more energy-efficient over time, they tend to break down far more often. In the eyes of many, technology is to blame; there are too many high-tech components in modern appliances, leading to many more breakdowns. “My grandma has had the same fridge for 40 years, while my parents recently had to replace theirs,” reveals one woman. “It’s their third refrigerator in 20 years.”
8. Video Games
Unfortunately, we’ve long passed the glory years of video games, when titles like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog graced our game consoles and supplied us with untold hours of entertainment. these days, most video games are designed with one goal: to extract as much money out of gamers’ pockets as possible. From microtransactions to loot boxes to subscription services, we’re as far away from Mario breaking blocks with his head as we can be.
9. Facial Razors
Over a decade ago, razor companies lost their minds and collectively decided to over-engineer a timeless product that was already timeless. “Companies had it perfected with double-edge blades in a metal razor,” explains one long-time razor user. “You could easily get cheap and incredible shaves. Modern plastic disposable razors are worse on your skin, give a worse shave, and are grotesquely expensive.” Razors are proof that sometimes, advancements in technology don’t equal a better product.
10. Disney Theme Parks
Every year, Disney increases the prices of everything related to their world-class theme parks. Consequently, what was once an affordable and magical family vacation has become a trip that frequently puts countless families in financial crisis. From exorbitant admission fees to sky-high accommodation rates, Disney has revealed their true colors after all these years. According to many people, Disney theme parks are the perfect examples of something that has worsened over the years.
Source: Reddit.
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