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30 Things That Unnoticeably Got Deleted From Our Reality, As Pointed Out By Folks In This Online Group
Interview With Author
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
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
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.
MellonCollie 1 year ago
Well, I was recently wondering why we never hear about acid rain anymore. But it was a fleeting thought in a moment where I did not have time to search the internet. However, it is an interesting thought. I remember seeing forests destroyed by acid rain as a kid, it certainly made a lasting impression!
#2
Actual toys in cereal boxes and cracker jack boxes.
#3
politicians feeling ashamed when theyre caught lying
Frando Bone 1 year ago
Please...average citizens on social media don't even care when they're called out on blatant lies/hypocrisy. What makes you think politicians would do any better? LOL
#4
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.
sofacushionfort 1 year ago
Part of the trend where capital is held in fewer and fewer hands while debt is carried on more and more backs
#5
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.
Mad Dragon 1 year ago (edited)
You don't turn the heater on and off; you leave it on all the time like a hot tub or heated pool. When I got a waterbed I had to sleep in the living room the first night because it took a day for the bed to heat the water enough for me to not be freezing.
#6
When you turn off the TV, how the image would shrink to a dot before slowly fading away.
zak 1 year ago
That was only present on CRT (cathode ray rube) TVs, and nobody makes CRT TVs anymore since L.E.D. and Plasma are vastly superior. It was pretty cool though 😎
jon gilbertson 1 year ago (edited)
and don't forget dragging your feet across the carpet and touching the crt screen to get a static shock, or getting one from adjusting the tin foil rabbit ears
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Sunny Day 1 year ago
Revealing my age - who remembers the stations "going off the air" every night around midnight?
Alison Long 1 year ago
And playing the Star Spangled Banner just before they went off the air.
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Jorie 1 year ago
When our three TV stations went off the air at 1:00 AM, the National Anthem would play to a film of the Blue Angels, then a test pattern would appear and "buzz" till the stations came back on the air in the morning!
Illusion 1 year ago
I gotta know more. When did they come back on? Would the anthem loop? Were they not freaking out about dead air?
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BlueSioux 1 year ago
Yeah, and no remote to use but get up & turn the TV on/off, volume up/down
Trophy Husband 1 year ago
My sisters tried to convince me that was an elf in the TV watching me and you could see his eye when the TV was turning off... I didn't believe it, so I started coming up with my own idea of who's eye that is, which were actually far less believable in retrospect...
Shyla Bouche 1 year ago
The picture wouldn't come on right away. Everything had to warm up first.
Jeremy James 1 year ago
The residual glow and telltale static crackle meant that you couldn't just switch it off and pretend to have been sleeping when you heard your parents coming down the hall.
Bear Family 1 year ago
There are some interesting YT videos that show how the Zenith TVs were made in the 1950s. Very technical process! Interesting even for a layperson to see.
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RoanTheMad 1 year ago
i can't remember what types of tv it was, but I had one as a kid where if you left a particular image on the screen to long on pause etc, it would eventually burn into the tv...
Old Roadie 1 year ago
Programming ending at midnight... then 'ant races' would be the only thing until national anthem played at 6 AM.
Erin Gerrity 1 year ago
or when they would sing national anthem and sign off.broadcasting is over
Bsawlsville 1 year ago
I thought it was a movie trope, but next item on this list, I remember it quite vividly
Tigeris Tiger 1 year ago
Some smart TVs have an option to make that happen when you turn it off. Calling back to the roots I guess
#7
Movie trailers with that deep voice guy doing the voice overs.
#8
The Sears Wishbook
Shelby Moonheart 1 year ago
When my mom was young, she was born in 1930, when the Sears & Robuck catalog came my grandmother would ask her and her sisters which dress they would like and then sew it for them.
#9
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.
#10
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.
Frando Bone 1 year ago
Yeah I live in a 24 hour city and NOTHING is 24hr anymore. I feel terrible for those who work overnight and can't do things like grocery shop during their normal hours.
#11
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.
#12
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.
Kookamunga 1 year ago
Shriners are still out there helping kids. Bonus, they wear fantastic fez hats and ride those tiny cars in parades! shriners-6...2c8bde.jpg 
#14
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.
#15
That class for keyboard typing n stuff.
#16
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.
#18
Ronald McDonald.
Too many people are petrified of clowns.
#20
Flash mobs
#21
Blackberry phones!
Kookamunga 1 year ago
I still have one in my Lost Technology Museum. AKA that drawer in the living room.
#22
Free samples. I used to see free sample standes every time I went to a store, now they are gone.
I now realize ( from all the comments ) that Costco apparently still has them.
#24
Picture in Picture TVs
another user added:
I miss this. Playing Crash Bandicoot in the tiny corner of the screen while my mom watched General Hospital on the rest of the screen.
sawadee krab 1 year ago (edited)
Or playing videogames with friends in one and watching the match in the other
#25
The American Chestnut Tree.
We sing “chestnuts roasting over an open fire” every year and yet never question why we have no chestnuts.
All the chestnut trees are dead is why, you see.
#26
Stumbleupon... I remember all my classmates and my Mom used to use it years ago
#29
Google+
#30
The word "Cyberspace"
What do you think ?
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
I can happily say that when I moved to my adopted state five years ago, I chose a tiny city of less than 4,500 population that is very quiet, very peaceful. My apartment is delightfully quiet---good, peaceful, cooperative neighbors, nobody gets into anybody else's business, and we don't have an actual street we're on, just our driveway-parking lot combo, so nobody rips through here. Super nice, beautiful scenery, great place---and income based, so the rent is very low, no matter who lives here.
Load More Replies...
leendadll 1 year ago
Google challenge: Finding 2 word google searches that return only q result.
E2U&U2 1 year ago
Pagers and the company that had a monopoly where I live, Pagenet. Everyone had one clipped to their person. Doctors and such probably still use them for speedy notifications, but for a short time in our history. they were the latest and greatest. Pagenet was such an arrogant company - they thought they would rule the world forever.
Amy S 1 year ago
Evening classes. You used to be able to take short classes at college in the evening in things like pottery and car maintenance. There's nothing like that near where I live and I'd really like to learn to sew/alter clothing. YouTube is great but not the same as having a teacher.
Jude Laskowski 1 year ago
Maybe you can find a seamstress or tailor in your area who will agree to teach you. Sometimes dry cleaners have seamstresses; it can't hurt to ask.
Load More Replies... L Johnson 1 year ago
Peace...and quiet. I feel sorry for anyone under 50 who can't leave their phone behind, find a quiet, shady spot in the woods. Walk away from your phone for awhile, find out who you really are. Intersected is enlightening. Let's stop buying into what social media is trying to sell us. They are liars.
Bec 1 year ago
Guess I am behind the times. My phone and computer still have them?
Load More Replies... Daniel Atkins 1 year ago
Metal antennas on cars now it is some small plastic protrusion on the roof.
JosephTheBookCat 1 year ago
skylanders. I have like 30 but you cant get the app anymore. I loved that game. rip skylanders.
aZZy_d3Lta (all pronouns) 1 year ago
I liked Skylanders but I HATED skylander Spyro's look. They took the child and put him through puberty man :(
Load More Replies...
Yeah, okay. 1 year ago
To be fair, why hire a guy out who might not go anywhere that night, when you can contract it out?
Load More Replies...
Sky Render 1 year ago
Cartridges for video games. They used to be ubiquitous until about the late 90s when the PlayStation took off, now the closest we have to them are game cards for Switch.
Bec 1 year ago
So you can 'buy' them online but not really oen them or sell them
Load More Replies...
Mudala Fundi 1 year ago
Skype: I never seen anything wrong with it that made people abandon it..
Dodo 1 year ago
Chimneys on houses. I honestly never realised this until recently, but all new houses are built without chimneys. Which makes sense but it does make me wonder if kids draw houses differently these days (like how they hold an imaginary phone differently to those of us who grew up with landlines).
Coolwhip 1 year ago
Sour starbursts, I use to love those things. Also the crispy m&ms, and those cheesecake bars.
Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago
I can happily say that when I moved to my adopted state five years ago, I chose a tiny city of less than 4,500 population that is very quiet, very peaceful. My apartment is delightfully quiet---good, peaceful, cooperative neighbors, nobody gets into anybody else's business, and we don't have an actual street we're on, just our driveway-parking lot combo, so nobody rips through here. Super nice, beautiful scenery, great place---and income based, so the rent is very low, no matter who lives here.
Load More Replies... leendadll 1 year ago
Google challenge: Finding 2 word google searches that return only q result.
E2U&U2 1 year ago
Pagers and the company that had a monopoly where I live, Pagenet. Everyone had one clipped to their person. Doctors and such probably still use them for speedy notifications, but for a short time in our history. they were the latest and greatest. Pagenet was such an arrogant company - they thought they would rule the world forever.
Amy S 1 year ago
Evening classes. You used to be able to take short classes at college in the evening in things like pottery and car maintenance. There's nothing like that near where I live and I'd really like to learn to sew/alter clothing. YouTube is great but not the same as having a teacher.
Jude Laskowski 1 year ago
Maybe you can find a seamstress or tailor in your area who will agree to teach you. Sometimes dry cleaners have seamstresses; it can't hurt to ask.
Load More Replies... L Johnson 1 year ago
Peace...and quiet. I feel sorry for anyone under 50 who can't leave their phone behind, find a quiet, shady spot in the woods. Walk away from your phone for awhile, find out who you really are. Intersected is enlightening. Let's stop buying into what social media is trying to sell us. They are liars.
Bec 1 year ago
Guess I am behind the times. My phone and computer still have them?
Load More Replies... Daniel Atkins 1 year ago
Metal antennas on cars now it is some small plastic protrusion on the roof.
JosephTheBookCat 1 year ago
skylanders. I have like 30 but you cant get the app anymore. I loved that game. rip skylanders.
aZZy_d3Lta (all pronouns) 1 year ago
I liked Skylanders but I HATED skylander Spyro's look. They took the child and put him through puberty man :(
Load More Replies... Yeah, okay. 1 year ago
To be fair, why hire a guy out who might not go anywhere that night, when you can contract it out?
Load More Replies... Sky Render 1 year ago
Cartridges for video games. They used to be ubiquitous until about the late 90s when the PlayStation took off, now the closest we have to them are game cards for Switch.
Bec 1 year ago
So you can 'buy' them online but not really oen them or sell them
Load More Replies... Mudala Fundi 1 year ago
Skype: I never seen anything wrong with it that made people abandon it..
Dodo 1 year ago
Chimneys on houses. I honestly never realised this until recently, but all new houses are built without chimneys. Which makes sense but it does make me wonder if kids draw houses differently these days (like how they hold an imaginary phone differently to those of us who grew up with landlines).
Coolwhip 1 year ago
Sour starbursts, I use to love those things. Also the crispy m&ms, and those cheesecake bars.
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