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Someone Asked “What Was Normal In 2002 But Not 2022?”, And People Listed 30 Examples
The early 2000s was a magical time. Trapped between the old and the new, it was a short period of pure bliss and carefree experiences. Bright-eyed teens with low-rise jeans spent the afternoons listening to mix CDs full of the freshest hits on the radio. Kids whiled away the days watching MTV, learning Britney's dance routines, and playing Snake while waiting for a text on their Nokia 3310. The new millennium felt like entering the future, and, yes, flying cars and anti-gravity hoverboards were just around the corner.
The world moves quickly, and many things have obviously changed over the past 20 years. So to reminisce on the good old days, one Reddit user recently asked: "What was normal in 2002 but not 2022?" Fellow community members must have been feeling nostalgic as the thread immediately became a hit!
Get ready for a trip down memory lane because we at Bored Panda have gathered some of the best responses from the thread. We hope you can get a kick out of these amusing examples from the dark ages, aka the life you likely lived in 2002. Be sure to upvote the replies you find most relatable or that take you back in time, and then feel free to share your own recollections with us in the comments!
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#3
Going out without a phone or any other kind of remote communication device. Imagine driving a back road without anyway to get a hold of someone if you break down.
#4
Burning CDs, then writing the names of each song with the number track on the front of the CD
Ronda News Channel 2 years ago
Back in time.I did the same. But I recorded it from radio station using a cassette.
#6
A comedian making an edgy joke and not have their career nuked
#7
Smoking cigarettes everywhere. Cars had ashtrays and restaurants had Smoking sections.
#11
Fat-shaming and body-shaming. I say this after watching all the compilations of America’s Next Top Model. Those judges have a special place in hell.
#13
Going to blockbuster and hanging out at the mall
Daniel Atkins 2 years ago (edited)
I miss renting video games. Not going to pay full price for a game that once I beat it I'll never play again.
#14
Floppy disks. I work at my school as a program they offer and I saw an old 2000 PC with a floppy disk.
Sven Bokhorst 2 years ago
These are diskettes. Floppy disks were much larger and actually floppy.
#16
VHS tapes. I was 6 in 2002. They were at the end of their life, but most of what I watched up until then was on VHS.
#17
Using payphones.
Robyn Denton 2 years ago
Australia still has payphones, except that now you don't have to pay to use them. https://exchange.telstra.com.au/why-were-making-payphones-free-for-calls-around-australia/
Daniel Yamada 2 years ago
There are still a few places in the US where public payphone are available.
Jubum 2 years ago (edited)
Now, in times of hygiene panic, I'm surprised people didn't grow mushrooms out of their ears everywhere
Poultry Geist 2 years ago
That was before antibacterial everything ! We were fine !
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Jelena Putinja 1 year ago
they took them all off and now when your battery dies you have nowhere to call from
Diane Knight 2 years ago
Which is not so profitable, however if you are in a pinch, most businesses won't let you use their landline. My daughter used the bus and got turned around the second day and could not get back on track nor did her phone work as it was 'dead' (she now has a battery for such times) She finally found an office that'd let her use the phone, by then she was further off track, the secretary was kind and helped her with the street locations of where she was. I went downtown to pick her up, rather than the bus.
#19
Going home with your digital camera so you could upload the photos from your day to your computer and email them to your friends or upload to Friendster.
LillieMean 2 years ago
I still use my digital SLR camera. No matter how great a phone is, it can't beat the camera.
#20
Criss Angel.
#22
A single paycheck buying everything I needed.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 2 years ago
"Everything I need"? I don'T think I ever had a paycheck that big...
#23
Napster. For all you young farts, it was the original (as far as I know) platform to download music and make mix CDs. Y’all probably don’t know what CDs are anymore either. Hey are big in 02.
#24
Making plans. Back then your ‘Yes’ meant 'Yes' and you better show up on time to not miss everyone. Now, people be lazy and just text you when they’ll show up, two hours later.
Kirsten Kerkhof 2 years ago
People have always been flaky or punctual, that is nothing modern. The only thing I could think of is that in the past you had no way of letting others know so, if you cared, you turned up to make sure they didn't worry. Now it's easier to call and cancel last-minute. But my grandma was the flakiest person ever.
#26
Being in chat rooms with people of all ages, like MSN chatrooms. It's a good thing that it isn't a thing anymore.
#27
Frosted tips for guys and streaky highlights for women.
InvincibleRodent 2 years ago
I still see streaky highlights every now and again- I'm a bit conflicted about them, because while I don't particularly like the look, they do make their wearers' heads remind me of little hard candies. You know, the ones with the swirls? And that's just nice.
#28
Smoking indoors even around kids
Dial up Internet was still common
Not having a mobile
Wearing jeans under a dress
Buying CDs/DVDs
Telephones attached to the wall
Not using a car seat from 4yrs+
Glitter hair mascara
Leaving your kid in the car while you go into a shop
Cheque books and using cheques to pay for things
Swiping cards no pin required just a signature
2 door cars (nightmare to climb into the back)
Food had even more junk inside of it and it wasn't really frowned upon if you fed your family that c**p all day everyday
#29
Ringback tones
nooneimportant 2 years ago
oh man i wish this would have been bigger, i loved hearing a song when calling someone
#30
Faux hawks — the mullet of the 2000s. But back then, they were called mohawks, which would not go down well today. I'm suddenly feeling like Grandpa Simpson. I guess Simpsons references too.
What do you think ?
Dave Burley 2 years ago
A lot of these seem to miss the point. It's things that were acceptable not things where there have been advances in technology.
Bored Retsuko 2 years ago
That’s what I was thinking. But then again, BP will change the headline 10 times anyway, as always...
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Philenzortia 2 years ago
I don’t remember much of 2002. My father died the year before (I was 12) so for some reason my brain erased most of those years……
Phil Parker 2 years ago
One of the points on the list (ironically one of the ones not cut out on the short version) is just a list of the current post with Amanda Bynes attached at the end..lol
Dave Burley 2 years ago
A lot of these seem to miss the point. It's things that were acceptable not things where there have been advances in technology.
Bored Retsuko 2 years ago
That’s what I was thinking. But then again, BP will change the headline 10 times anyway, as always...
Load More Replies... Philenzortia 2 years ago
I don’t remember much of 2002. My father died the year before (I was 12) so for some reason my brain erased most of those years……
Phil Parker 2 years ago
One of the points on the list (ironically one of the ones not cut out on the short version) is just a list of the current post with Amanda Bynes attached at the end..lol
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