Changes in technology have been phenomenal over the past 40 years, but what thing do we do, say, use, etc. That would be most shocking?
It might not be technology, rather a changed habit or perception.
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My opening gambit is a bit of wildcard – prepacked salad.
20 comments
Salad – Had to check this one – seems to be 1992!
lack of general smoking would be a big one.
Vapes.
Everything payable by card or app and even places being totally cash free
Not wearing a suit to the office.
I think the people tracking stuff. The couples with their phones set up to track each other.
I find it a bit odd and I’m a millennial, I have no doubt earlier generations would find this shocking/controlling behaviour.
The decreased awareness of each other is the most shocking to me. London was always a bit like this but it’s accelerated year by year so most people don’t even notice that they are taking no notice of what other people are saying, where they are trying to get to and whether they are getting in the way.
How scandal can be washed away so easily.
A minor indiscretion would have a politicians resigning or a soap actor sacked. Now people actually release their own sex tapes to escalate their careers!
There’s a distinct change in what is deemed respectable. Some of which I agree with, there used to be too many judgements made about people… but we potentially swung too far in the opposite direction where you can now do anything and it doesn’t affect your life. (Only in fame and politics – one racial slur as a real person and you will still get fired. In politics it will get you a cabinet position).
Well 40 years ago is pre-internet (or at least anything approaching a contemporary understanding of it).
Pretty much any aspect of the Internet would blow people’s mind in 1985, from the knowledge archive, to the real-time information access to the communication channels, to the shopping. Even Ceefax felt a bit like magic back then, so being able to check the football scores on a device in your pocket would blow people’s mind.
You staring into that screen for how many hours a day?…
Same sex marriage. (Without prejudice)
The demise of the pub
Using a mobile phone to pay for things in a shop
Buying out of season fruit and veg. I’m 43 and still remember going to the greengrocers with mum in the next village and buying what was in season.
Strawberries in winter? Madness.
Tattoos, so many tattoos.
Mobile phones, electric cars, self checkout, automated phone calls, ringing for a doctors appointment, gays holding hands or kissing in public. Boats with illegals on, too many houses. The list goes on
Being able to undertake various financial transactions from a wireless device that fits in my pocket
Chatting with random people while sitting on the loo rather than using the toilet library that most houses had.
Email. I remember sending an email to someone in the USA and they received it in just seconds. Unbelievable!!! Science fiction come true.
So 1985:
* Mobile phones commonplace (video calls were science fiction)
* Hand held satellite navigation
* Wikipedia and it being available anywhere you are
* Spotify/netflix/YouTube and other streaming services