Life is a very fast-paced thing.
One day you’re writing on stones and hunting mammoths, and the next, you’re decompressing from your 9 to 5 by lounging on the couch and watching viral cat videos. The point is – everything changes in a blink of an eye, and sometimes, keeping up with the world simply becomes an impossible task.
“What quietly went away without anyone noticing?” – this web user turned to one of Reddit’s most thought-provoking communities, encouraging its members to share examples of things that were once popular but have since disappeared. The thread garnered nearly 45K likes as well as 44K comments containing some pretty intriguing responses.
Before we continue with the article, let’s hear from the author himself! “I asked that question because I’m always fascinated by that moment when something pops into your head that you haven’t thought about in ages, and it sorta takes you back in time for a second and makes you wonder where it went,” u/lukiiiiii said when Bored Panda pondered about the inspiration behind the post. We then invited the netizen to answer his own question, and he responded with: “My answer would have been maybe something like Kanye West or other ‘controversial figures’ that make headlines for a while and then disappear from the news cycle.”
Now, without further ado, pull your chair closer, and let’s begin!
More info: Reddit
#1 Acid Rain
Acid Rain.
It was a huge environmental issue in the late 70s thru the early 90s. Rain was acidic and damaged fertile areas among other things.
In the US there was much research done and eventually industrial regulations were put into place. Companies were allowed to decide what approach they chose to take as long as the results showed the appropriate amount of reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions.
Unfortunately, positive news doesn't sell, so news outlets did not do justice to reporting this success. As we went into the 2000s hardly anyone remembered what was done.
Report
218points
#2 Toys In Cereal Boxes
Actual toys in cereal boxes and cracker jack boxes.
Report
216points
#3 Self-Aware Politicians
politicians feeling ashamed when theyre caught lying
Report
215points
#4 Ownership
Ownership. We used to pay money and then the thing actually belonged to us. Now everything is rented or leased. Everything is sold "as a service". Music as a service. Movies as a service. Software as a service. Even printer ink as a service.
We spend and spend and in the end we hold nothing in our hands.
edit: You can also subscribe to clothes. Wear new clothes every month but never own them. You can also subscribe to cars. Clothes as a service, cars as a service.
Report
213points
#5 Water Beds
Water beds.
another user added:
Used to have one. Nothing like forgetting to turn on the heater an hour before bed in the middle of winter.
168points
#6 TV Image Shrinking To A Dot Before Slowly Fading Away
When you turn off the TV, how the image would shrink to a dot before slowly fading away.
Report
158points
#7 Deep-Voiced-Guy-Narrated Movie Trailers
Movie trailers with that deep voice guy doing the voice overs.
150points
#9 Taco Bell's Chihuahua Mascot
Taco Bell used to have a chihuahua as their mascot. Little dude just disappeared one day and anyone born after 2000 probably doesn't even know what I am talking about.
146points
#10 24-Hour Stores
I think people have noticed now but at the time, nobody noticed it was happening: 24 hour stores. I live in a major city and we don’t have a single 24 hour grocery store ever since the pandemic.
Report
141points
#11 The Panama Papers
Panama papers
another user added:
They actually still have impact to this very day, and lots of people noticed!
But as a summary, here are some things that happened:
After mass protests, the Prime Minister of Iceland was forced to resign, along with many other members of the ruling party.
After mass protests, the President of Pakistan was forced to resign, along with many other members of the ruling party.
Worldwide, hundreds of people – many rich and powerful – were arrested. Billions in stolen assets were returned to the people.
82 countries changed their laws to crack down on the wealth hoarding the papers revealed.
Report
137points
#12 Service Clubs
Service clubs. e.g. the Rotary, the Lions, the Shriners.
Oh, they're still around. But a common complaint among them is they've got no members under 70 and no new members are lining up to get in.
EDIT: The #1 question seems to be, "What the hell are these, anyways?"
They're social clubs with the primary objective to be doing projects to better the community. They might raise money to build a new playground, a new hospital, for scholarships, stuff like that.
They raise money for stuff.
132points
#14 Landlines In Residences
Landlines in residences. The jacks are still in almost any house but I rarely see anything plugged in anymore. The only people I can think of with them are all over 60.
Report
117points
#16 Thick Manuals Filled With Game Lore
Buying a new game and having a thick chunky manual filled with game lore which you would read before playing and so heighten the anticipation of the game itself.
Report
104points
#18 Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald.
Too many people are petrified of clowns.
Report
101points
