There are a few things that we have in the world that are dying out in terms of their popularity. Boomers still like to use them, but many younger generations have already dismissed them. In tribute, let’s take a look at 18 things that won’t exist when boomers are gone.
Home Milk Delivery
The streets in cities used to be filled with milkmen’s carts! Waking up in the morning to a fresh glass bottle of milk or two was a great way to start the day, but this industry is very much on the way out as a result of people preferring the store.
Going to the Movies
Going to see a movie at the cinema was once a part of everybody’s plans for entertainment. However, 61% of Americans did not visit the theatre at all in 2021, as reported by Gallup News! Younger people are preferring the idea of home entertainment instead.
Rotary Phones
Most kids these days wouldn’t even know how to use a rotary phone if making a call on one were to save their life! Smartphones have very much seen to the end of them and are making a real dent in landline phones in general, even in office spaces.
Reading Physical Newspapers
Many boomers still love to go to the store and pick up a newspaper in the morning, or to have one delivered. It’s not quite the same as reading the articles on an iPad for them, but the younger generations seem to disagree with that and would prefer to give up hard copies.
Classic Board Games
The rise of digital gaming has made a real dent in physical entertainment like classic board games. Of course, they are still sold, as families like to get together and play them over the festive period, for example. But they might not last much longer…
Listening to Cassette Tapes
Vinyl seems to be making a comeback as a medium for the younger generations to listen to music, but it seems unlikely that this is going to be the case with cassettes as well. Hardly anyone listens to these anymore, and they may well die out.
Saving with Piggy Banks
Online banking and the lack of cash in circulation mean that people don’t tend to own piggy banks anymore. They’re more likely to put their spare cash into an online savings account, as they probably wouldn’t even have any chance to add any more.
Going to Drive-in Theaters
The boomers of the world will remember the days of driving up to the theatre to watch a flick. But The Guardian reports that as of 2018, there were only 318 left in the U.S. It’s very sad, although some drive-in theaters are staying alive for those who want to enjoy the nostalgia.
Using Encyclopedias
Being able to look up any information you need online at the touch of a button has replaced the need to go into a book to find something. It does make sense from a timesaving point of view, but boomers will certainly miss using an encyclopedia.
Playing Outside Until Dusk
More and more kids are playing indoors these days rather than out on the streets like boomers used to do when they were kids. It’s pretty sad to see the sun go down in the evening without children playing, but that’s just the way the world is now.
Using Typewriters
The personal computer almost immediately saw the end of the typewriter as a means to produce documents. It was a lot faster, and it allowed you to actually edit any mistakes you made. As a result, typewriters are no more than antiques these days!
Personal Cameras
SAGE Publications reports that sales of digital cameras over the past few years have only been around a quarter or less than in the early 2000s when they were at their height. People instead prefer to just take photos on their smartphones, as the camera quality is powerful.
Dial-up Internet Connections
We’re not sure if many boomers will be ‘sad’ to see the back of having to plug your phone line into your computer to be able to get online, as broadband is a whole lot easier to use. However, there was something nostalgic and satisfying about the process.
VHS Tapes and Players
Digital streaming and media have made sure that physical movies on VHS are no more. First, DVDs and Blu-rays came and made a dent in VHS, and then even they were swept away by the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. The end of Blockbuster was a sign of the times.
Smoking in Public Places
The National Library of Medicine reminds us of how ban after ban has been landed on the U.S. for smoking, as secondhand smoke is very dangerous for those who inhale it. Because of this, we may well see a ban on smoking in public places across the whole of the U.S. one day.
Handwritten Checks
Many boomers used to like carrying around a checkbook to be able to pay people as and when they needed to. Of course, the transaction process was a lot longer, which could make it tricky to keep up with how much we’d spent, but online banking isn’t as fun!
Film Projectors
Nowadays, people would prefer to use a digital projector as it’s better quality and surprisingly affordable compared to how expensive they were when they first came out. So, physical film reels as a medium for movie consumption are dying or may well be considered dead.
Slide Rules
Remember when we had to make any calculations on slide rules instead of using a digital calculator? Nowadays, this technology is considered archaic but before the days of the calculator, it was a life-saver. No one uses them anymore, though, of course.
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