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25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone

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I loved those nostalgic fact sheets like "What the World Was Like 25 Years Ago"... you know, with young Joe Montana, Miami Vice on TV, Police Academy and Terminator on VHS, Ronald Reagan in the White House - right up until I realized that, damn it, this wasn’t a quarter of a century ago!

Yeah, 25 years ago is 1999. Yes, I understand that many of you, dear readers, were not even born at that time, but for me personally, it was so recently, it seems like, no, not yesterday, but at least like last week. But it turns out that two and a half decades have passed, and people in nostalgic online threads like this one remember all the good things that happened then. Let's remember too...

More info: Reddit

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#1

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Being able to not be reachable and people being ok with it.

ninevah8 , Rahul Shah Report

Final score:

174points

#2

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Folded paper maps in the glove box. Bonus points for the spiral map books!

jclark77 , Jason McHenry Report

Final score:

157points

#3

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone AN ABSOLUTELY BONKERS YEAR FOR MOVIES.

The Matrix

Dogma

Fight Club

American Beauty

American Pie

Green Mile

The Mummy

The Sixth Sense

Office Space

Boondock Saints

Varsity Blues

Blair Witch Project

And f*****g more! Not reboots, remakes or sequels. Just fresh f*****g content and original stories.

kainxavier Report

Final score:

151points

So, year 1999: the last year of Bill Clinton's presidency, in the UK folks are seriously thinking about what life will be like for the country after Queen Elizabeth (naive peeps, ha ha...), Michael Jordan has just retired for the second time, and Steve Jobs has just recently returned to his office at Apple headquarters, and is already hatching grandiose plans.

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The music world is captivated by Cher’s triumphant return, and Steven Spielberg recently received his second director's Oscar for Saving Private Ryan. Just recently Windows 98 was released, and millions of users around the world are cautiously opening a new internet search product called Google - through Internet Explorer, of course...

#4

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Pluto as the ninth planet.

sleepingnightmare , Oğuzhan Ali Report

Final score:

144points

#5

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone All their friends’ phone numbers memorized.

47h3157 , 幾架D Report

Final score:

143points

#6

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A "stereo system" in the living room.

Edit: Look man, if yours doesn't have a squeaky-a*s turntable, tape-to-tape deck and a shiny "metal-style" plastic carapace, we're not talking about the same thing.

Get out of here with your Bose, you hipster muso snobs. Shoo! Shoo! 🧹🧹.

sixty10again , Joe Shlabotnik Report

Final score:

143points

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Do you want more? Okay, Jeff Bezos becomes Time's Person of the Year, Albert Einstein is recognized as the Person of the Century, and the whole world is afraid of the terrible upcoming “Error 2000", which will allegedly render millions of computers around the world unusable. Britney Spears releases her debut album Baby One More Time, and John Elway wins the Super Bowl for the second time in a row, going from greatest loser to two-time champion in just two years.

Sony announces the start of development of the PlayStation 2, with the new Walkman model trying to spread the minidisc format throughout the world. Among the new video games, Silent Hill, Unreal Tournament and Quake III Arena stand out. Humanity sees off the penultimate year of the 20th century with nostalgia and looks forward to the new millennium with optimism...

#7

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone The ability to drop off/greet people at the boarding gates at the airport.

Fickle_Diamond_675 , cubby_t_bear Report

Final score:

138points

#8

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A whole shelf full of WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIAS.

TheMechTech80 , Old Photo Profile Report

Final score:

136points

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#9

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Concert tickets that you could afford.

NoSleep4Money , Tony Report

Final score:

134points

“The real question is actually not how good it was 25 years ago compared to now,” says Valery Bolgan, a historian and editor-in-chief of Intent News Agency from Ukraine, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “People in general tend to be nostalgic about the past, and the years that have passed since then only smooth out all the negativity that took place then, leaving only warmest memories. This is the specificity of human memory.”

“Yes, in 1999, and I remember it quite well, there were many wonderful things and phenomena left, but at the same time I am almost sure that when in another quarter of a century you and I remember the year 2024, we will also talk about it with extraordinary warmth and nostalgia: about TikTok, Reddit and Taylor Swift. Simply because this is also part of our life and our memory," Valery summarizes.

#10

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone The *need* to be home at a certain time on a certain day to watch the next episode of your favorite show.

Unapologetic suntans. (Edit: haven't you guys ever heard of slathering yourself in baby oil before going to lie in the sun? We all did it back then.)

A cassette deck in their new car.

WomanOfEld , Mark Doliner Report

Final score:

128points

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#11

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A binder of cd's under the driver's seat.

pratical-dreamer , domino_dude Report

Final score:

124points

#12

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A video rental store.

vapeshaker , Travers Scott Report

Final score:

121points

In this collection you will find both wonderful old-school things, which, however, today have been replaced by much more convenient ones, as well as simple human feelings and people who, alas, have left us. So just feel free to scroll this list to the end, put your likes under the best submissions, and once again either remember 1999 yourself or simply discover the past. After all, as old good Frank Sinatra used to sing, “it was a very good year!”

#13

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone My dad who passed away on June 18, 1999, at the age of 71, the same age I am now. "Everyone" didn't know him, but I sure as hell did. I held his hand until he let go. **Miss ya big time dad**. Till we meet again.

Crazy_Distribution95 , Pixabay Report

Final score:

118points

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#14

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A Walkman.

Various_Succotash_79 , hdboy88 Report

Final score:

114points

#15

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Affordable housing.

MrsGerstner , jonasosthassel Report

Final score:

101points

#16

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A phone book.

No-Nose-No-Toes , Phil Whitehouse Report

Final score:

99points

#17

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A reasonable expectation of privacy.

Clintman , Scott Webb Report

Final score:

99points

#18

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Land lines. Mom still has hers, but all the phones are cordless. The days of a handset connected to the receiver with a 25 foot cord are long gone. Scrolling through comments, yup Mom has an Answering machine connected to her landline. Edit #1: Mom is in her middle 70's. Edit #2: Supporting documentation

Seattlescape , Jason Thibault Report

Final score:

94points

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#19

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A VHS tape rewinder. "Be kind, rewind!".

Horzzo , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

69points

#20

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A local newspaper subscription.

Euphoric-March-8159 , Jon S Report

Final score:

65points

#21

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Cameras with film, posh people had digital ones

Dial up Internet

Discmans

Minidisc players

Floppy discs.

wilsonianuk , James Case Report

Final score:

65points

#22

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Fear of Y2K.

Aaront519 , Christian Frausto Bernal Report

Final score:

60points

#23

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Smoking section in a bar.

Bman409 , Ken Hawkins Report

Final score:

58points

#24

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Antennas on the outside of their cellphones.

Famous_Track_4356 , In Memoriam: Andy / Andrew Fogg Report

Final score:

58points

#25

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Dial up modems.

D-Rez , Paul Boxley Report

Final score:

57points

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#26

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone AOL free trials.

Tongue4aBidet , barrie Report

Final score:

52points

#27

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Multiple disc cd player.

loki143 , Toshiyuki IMAI Report

Final score:

51points

#28

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Windows 95 or 98.

Narc_Survivor_6811 , Chen Zhao Report

Final score:

44points

#29

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone The ability to get on an airplane without spending 20 minutes going through TSA.

The ability to navigate around town without a GPS or phone.

A nintendo 64.

Frozentank_ , Frédéric BISSON Report

Final score:

44points

#30

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone CRT televisions.

jimicus , Ryan Smith Report

Final score:

40points

#31

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Wallets with picture holders.

dreadmon1 , Robert Bogdan Report

Final score:

40points

#32

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Ash Trays.

ClydePincusp , Jan Krömer Report

Final score:

39points

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#33

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone Inflatable furniture

Mudd brand clothes/accessories.

IronicJeremyIrons , ▓▒░ TORLEY ░▒ Report

Final score:

36points

#34

25 Years Ago Almost Everyone Had These 34 Things, But Now They’re Gone A preferred 800 number for collect calls.

Saul-Funyun , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

Final score:

30points

Oleg Tarasenko

After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

What do you think ?

LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago

"34 Things That Nearly Everyone Had 25 Years Ago, But Barely Anyone Does Now": #1: our youth 😭😭😭

20points

marianne eliza 8 months ago

Hope for the future.

2points

Load More Replies...

Channo Sagara 8 months ago

I'm not crying...

0points

Julie S 8 months ago

Damn well played

0points

Michelle my Belle. 8 months ago

Hope

8points

Candid Panda 8 months ago

What will be even more fascinating are things we have today that will no longer be in use 25 years from now.

2points

Solidhog 8 months ago

Common sense.

1point

Mike F 8 months ago

Many of these were frustrating things from 1999, lol.

1point

FROGS! 7 months ago

I literally know all these and I’m not even 14 yet 😂

0points

Hester 8 months ago

I think a lot of people responding to this thread think 25 years ago is a lot longer ago than it really is... it was 1999 folks, not 1982!

0points

Mark 8 months ago

BP feeling nostalgic this week

0points

LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago

"34 Things That Nearly Everyone Had 25 Years Ago, But Barely Anyone Does Now": #1: our youth 😭😭😭

20points

marianne eliza 8 months ago

Hope for the future.

2points

Load More Replies...

Channo Sagara 8 months ago

I'm not crying...

0points

Julie S 8 months ago

Damn well played

0points

Michelle my Belle. 8 months ago

Hope

8points

Candid Panda 8 months ago

What will be even more fascinating are things we have today that will no longer be in use 25 years from now.

2points

Solidhog 8 months ago

Common sense.

1point

Mike F 8 months ago

Many of these were frustrating things from 1999, lol.

1point

FROGS! 7 months ago

I literally know all these and I’m not even 14 yet 😂

0points

Hester 8 months ago

I think a lot of people responding to this thread think 25 years ago is a lot longer ago than it really is... it was 1999 folks, not 1982!

0points

Mark 8 months ago

BP feeling nostalgic this week

0points

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