Things You Don't See as Much of Anymore

Click Here to read Part 1

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 as Much of Anymore

1) Family Photos in the Workplace

As a remote worker, my trips to the office are infrequent. On those rare occasions when I step into the office's sterile embrace, what strikes me most is the eerie emptiness that haunts the cubicles. Back when I worked in the office, it was a commonplace ritual for employees to decorate their workspace with photographs of their kids or relatives. Even the White House, the pinnacle of power, adheres to this quaint tradition; with each president putting family photos behind the desk.

But like so many things in this world, the office has metamorphosed into something cold and clinical, akin to the confines of a doctor's examination room or a Wal-Mart break room. There’s a few reasons this tradition has ended:

1) Hot desking is the new doctrine. Employees, like restless nomads, shuffle in on designated days and then retreat to the sanctuary of remote work on others. Desks become transient, identities interchangeable, and the very concept of "home" within those cubicle walls fades like an aging Polaroid.

2) People are not having as many kids as they used to. So there isn’t anyone to put photos of.

3) Employees leave companies every few years. It feels strangely out of place to decorate your workspace with images of family, only to uproot yourself every year or so.

2) Pianos in Homes

Ever come across a piano in a home these days? It's a rare sight.

But if you delve into your family history, you might find that your parents or grandparents once had one in their living room. You see, back in the late 19th and throughout the 20th century, pianos were a common sight in homes across many Western countries, especially in the United States and the UK. Pianos had gone from cutting-edge entertainment services to antique, in three generations

Families gathered around them for impromptu concerts, with children learning their first notes. The piano a piece of furniture and provided entertainment.

Over time, however, the prevalence of pianos in homes has declined. Various factors, such as changing musical tastes, the rise of digital technology, and the constraints of modern living spaces, have led to a decrease in piano ownership.

3) Route 66

Route 66, affectionately dubbed the "Main Street of America," occupies a unique and cherished spot in the annals of American cultural history. As one of the pioneer routes in the vast U.S. highway network, it etched its name into the national consciousness, a symbol of boundless horizons, the allure of adventure, and the call of uncharted territories.

There were many songs written about it.

1) Route 66 by Chuck Berry

2) Get Your Kicks On Route 66 by Nat King Cole

3) Route 66 by Depeche Mode

Route 66, an icon of the 1950s and '60s, once drew hordes of travelers, fueling the dreams of small towns and businesses along its winding path. However, the advent of more direct interstate routes led to its decline, and in 1985, authorities officially decommissioned it as a U.S. highway.

Yet, even as the road faded from official maps, subsequent generations held it in their cultural memory. In the 1980s and '90s, a nostalgia-driven revival sparked interest in Americana and Route 66, thanks to TV shows, songs, books, and movies like "Cars."

During this era, road trips surged in popularity, as adventurers actively sought the thrill of exploration along historic routes. But as time moved forward, cultural landscapes shifted, and newer generations forged their own connections and interests, leaving Route 66 to rest as a fading relic of bygone years.

4) People Who Don’t Always Have to Use the Bathroom

A peculiar fixation has taken hold—a seemingly insatiable thirst for water, as if it were the very elixir of life. I wrote about the Hydration Revolution a few months ago.

Yet, it comes with an inescapable consequence: an incessant pilgrimage to the restroom. Gone are the days when one could go about their business without interruption.

In the past, frequent bathroom trips were typically confined to bars or sporting events, where libations flowed freely. But nowadays? It seems half the pedestrians on the street are on a quest for a restroom.

5) Alka-Seltzer

Couple tabs of Alka-Seltzer for the hangover? Not talked about much these days. Alka-Seltzer, an over-the-counter antacid and pain reliever. It used to be everywhere. But the brand doesn’t seem to have survived the new generational filter.

Your stomach contains acids. Acids which can hurt you and cause heartburn/upset stomach. So, you take some Alka Seltzer and neutralize the acid so that it stops hurting you. People over the age of 50 still take it. Although it’s rare for younger people to touch it. It’s also not part of the new wave health revolution.

Overall trends in the over-the-counter (OTC) medication industry have evolved, with consumers increasingly looking for specialized or symptom-specific solutions. Alka-Seltzer, as a general-purpose antacid and pain reliever, may not align with these evolving preferences. Newer antacids or pain relievers may be seen as more effective or convenient for certain individuals.

6) Men Reading Novels

Are you a man?

Do you read fiction? Probably not.

But if you do, you most likely read old fiction, like the Count of Monte Cristo, Graham Greene or even Milan Kundera. What about new fiction? New novels are the domain of women. According to Nielsen Book Research, women outbuy men in all categories of novel except fantasy, science fiction and horror. Surveys show they account for 80% of sales in the UK, US and Canadian fiction markets – far more women than men are literary festivalgoers, library members, audio book readers, literary bloggers, and members of literary societies and evening classes.

It creates a vicious cycle. Women writing books only meant for other women to read because that is the market that is reading. Over time, men just stop reading fiction altogether. They begin gravitating toward youtube, or twitter or video games.

7) Skeletons 

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.