Things I'd like to return to:
- When you could just talk to someone about a problem and sort it out, without having to go online and negotiate some complicated website.
- Jobs filled on a more casual basis and not needing lengthy application forms.
- Property prices being affordable. And rental fees not being extortionate.
- Plenty of council homes for people who needed a home.
- Having most of what you needed within walking distance of your home. No hard-to-reach shopping centres and little need of cars.
- Food that was nutritious and healthy, and less ultra-processed food.
- Rampant misogyny which was usually shrugged off as harmless banter or "just the way things are".
- Phone boxes and exorbitant long-distance calls.
- Widespread discrimination against single mothers.
- Pervasive homophobia.
- Laborious searches for information, before Google arrived.
- Washing by hand, before washing machines were invented.
I miss public transportation. I used to be able to get a city bus to downtown by walking 2-3 blocks to a bus stop. Now, the nearest bus stop is more than a 1/2 mile away and the buses only run during rush hours.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Public transport is excellent in Belfast but pretty non-existent in a lot of rural areas.
DeleteOur village bus comes once a day
DeleteOle phat Stu: That's ridiculous. And the government wants us to use public transport and not cars. What world are they living in?
DeleteThe days when there was no corporate double talk were pretty good
ReplyDeleteKylie: I agree. Big businesses that maintain they're benefitting the community when actually they're just looking for bigger profits.
DeleteI miss lower US postal rates and the times when people would actually send cards and letters instead of texts and emails.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: Postage rates here have been going up and up to levels that make you think twice about sending a letter or a card. And yes, I'd like to receive more letters, especially hand-written ones.
DeleteThings being affordable is my biggest one. When I moved into my apartment 27 years ago, I was paying $375 a month. Now it's $1000 a month.
ReplyDeleteMary: I see today's equivalent of $375 is $735 to $750. So somebody's being super-greedy.
DeleteYes, the excuse of "harmless banter" is used so often to get misogynist men off the hook.
ReplyDeleteValerie: Likewise "just a bit of fun" and "can't men say anything any more"?
DeleteI miss people not being on their phones 24/7.
ReplyDelete