Things You Don't See as Much of Anymore

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We're sifting through a societal filter, every one of us, right now. It's a relentless process, stripping away layers of the past – decades, centuries even – those things we grew up with, took for granted. But seeing what's slipping through our fingers, that's the tough part. We're so caught up in the now, the immediate, that recognizing what's being lost becomes a nearly impossible feat.

15 Things You Don’t See Much of Anymore

1) The Hipster

Remember the Hipster? What happened to these guys? Where did they all go?

Sometime in the early 2000s to 2010s the hipsters were this young, pretentious individuals with distinctive styles, living in gentrifying city areas. They were mostly white, heterosexual and enjoyed things like micro-brews, leather workboots and beards. They were a certain type of urbanist. They rode bicycles, had certain taste in music, food, clothes, hair, coffee. It was a legitimate counter-culture. A flavor of white guy you don’t see them anymore.

Probably because they all grew up and got married, had kids and moved to the suburbs. Some may have stayed. If you go around midwest cities you’ll still see some of them. But the original hipster cultural aesthetic never transferred to the next generation. It was abandoned for other styles and looks.

2) Trash Compactors

Trash compactors haven't completely gone away, but their popularity has declined immensely. They used to be a very popular product in the American kitchen for decades. They were expensive but people had them. You’d see all these old ads. They were a staple of the American kitchen.

Why did they go away? No one knows why. Maybe garbage bags evolved to be better. Perhaps they were just expensive and took up valuable space in the kitchen. They never made it. Although some aspects of the American kitchen remain.

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3) Dressing Up Like a Girl For A Laugh

There was a famous Oscars ceremony a few decades ago where the creators of South Park dressed up like women as a funny bit.

There’s a long tradition of this in comedy. Especially in British comedy.

But today? I don’t think people would get the joke. We don’t have the context that it is a funny thing. People would assume you’re non-binary or identify as a trans person. Or they would take real offense at a heterosexual man dressing up as a woman for a laugh.

Harry Styles recently appeared on Vogue wearing a dress. 20-30 years ago it would be a comedy. Like Monty Python. Today it’s called breaking gender norms. This act contributed to gender fluidity and the blurring of lines between what is considered "masculine" and "feminine" in fashion.

 4) Giving Someone a Movie

Let’s say you watched a great film and you had a friend or family member you thought would absolutely love it. How would you give them a copy? I guess, you hope they subscribe to the same streaming service as you? What if they don’t? They have to sign up and go through a ton of friction just to watch something. A huge pain in the ass.

My guess is this decline in direct media gift giving has been a big loss for inter-personal relationships. You may not see it in any metrics or stats. Just a behavior we don’t do anymore. And it most likely makes us worse off for it. Instead we rely more on Algorithms instead of people for recommendations.

5) Kids With Casts

Did you break your arm as a kid? I did. And lots of kids did so as well. Kids with casts were a very frequent phenomenon. You’d see them everywhere. But you barely see any with them today.

• Nowadays, medical professionals prefer using braces instead of casts for bone fractures. Initially, a fracture causes significant swelling, but as this inflammation reduces, a cast can become too loose, leading to improper bone alignment and potentially crooked healing. Braces, on the other hand, can be adjusted to maintain the correct fit as swelling decreases, providing a superior solution. This also allows for greater functional ability during recovery.

• Children today spend less time playing outdoors, which results in fewer opportunities for rough play and, consequently, a lower risk of bone fractures.

6) Saying it “Tastes Like Chicken” to Strange Meat.

"The phrase 'tastes like chicken' used to be a go-to for describing any unfamiliar meat. It implied a bland, generic flavor, reminiscent of chicken. Here's why people don’t use it anymore: losing its grip:

Increased Culinary Diversity: American’s palates have gone global, with much more references to different meats. There isn’t a reason to say 'tastes like chicken' because most people have eaten a wide array of meat now. With the explosion of foodie culture, cooking shows, and food blogs, there's a hunger for a more refined way to talk about flavors. 'Tastes like chicken'? Please, we can do better.

7) Frozen Yogurt Shops

The frozen yogurt craze had its moment but it looked like it would be sticking around forever. But that didn’t happen. You drive by strip malls and urban areas and you see them closed or going out of business.

Replaced by other stores that serve Acai bowls, vegan ice creams, and yes, bubble tea. It's not that bubble tea shoved frozen yogurt out of the spotlight; it's just part of a bigger shift. People want more options, more flavors, more customization. Bubble tea shops get that. They offer a mix-and-match of flavors, toppings, and teas, hitting the sweet spot of variety that today's consumers crave.

8) Musicians Making a Living From Playing Music

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