25 Everyday Items That Many Gen Zers Probably Won’t Recognise!

The world is constantly changing, with new technologies and trends appearing all the time. But what about the things that disappear without anyone noticing? In a thread on the subreddit /r/AskReddit, users shared their memories of things that have disappeared over time without anyone really taking notice. 

Here are the top 25 responses from the thread:

#1. Phone Books

u/largeheartedboy (2.5k upvotes): With the prevalence of smartphones and the internet, phone books have become all but obsolete, disappearing without much fanfare.

#2. Going to the Video Store

u/tallg8tor (2.4k upvotes): The experience of going to a video store to rent a movie has become a thing of the past, replaced by streaming services and online rental platforms.

#3. Printed Photos 

u/Reminiscist (2.3k upvotes): With the rise of digital cameras and smartphones, the practice of printing out physical copies of photos has become less common.

#4. The Sound of a Dial-Up Modem 

u/jamabake (2.2k upvotes): The screeching sound of a dial-up modem connecting to the internet was once a familiar sound in many households but has disappeared with the rise of broadband and wireless internet.

#5. Rotary Phones

u/Miss_Cain (2.1k upvotes): With the advent of touch-tone and mobile phones, rotary phones have become a relic of the past.

#6. Libraries

u/Shadow14l (2k upvotes): While libraries still exist, their importance and prevalence have decreased with the rise of the internet and e-books.

#7. Encyclopedias

u/Orcbooger (1.9k upvotes): Before the internet, printed encyclopedias were a valuable source of information. Now, they have largely disappeared without much fanfare.

#8. Using a Dictionary 

u/ivanjoelirizarry (1.8k upvotes): With spell-check and online dictionaries, the practice of physically looking up words in a dictionary has become less common.

#9. Physical Maps

u/benheath and u/mermonk (1.7k upvotes): With the rise of GPS and navigation apps, physical maps have become less common and less necessary.

#10. Cassette Tapes 

u/Chazzyphant (1.6k upvotes): The popularity of cassette tapes has faded with the rise of digital music and streaming services.

#11. Floppy Disks 

u/Leviathan_89 (1.5k upvotes): The once ubiquitous floppy disk has largely disappeared, replaced by USB drives and other digital storage methods.

#12. Walkmans

u/hyperrreal (1.4k upvotes): The iconic portable cassette player has largely been replaced by smartphones and digital music players.

#13. Film Cameras

u/chopkickdave (1.3k upvotes): The rise of digital cameras and smartphones has made traditional film cameras less common.

#14. Typewriters 

u/DentalProblem and u/ObscureWriter (1.2k upvotes): While typewriters still exist, they have largely been replaced by computers and digital word processing.

#15. Pagers 

u/2001user (1.1k upvotes): Before cell phones, pagers were a popular means of communication, but they have largely disappeared with the rise of smartphones.

#16. Handwritten Letters 

u/waterysorrows (1k upvotes): With the rise of email and texting, the art of writing and receiving handwritten letters has become less common.

#17. The Joy of Waiting for a Letter in the Mail

u/Surpeme (970 upvotes): This response highlights the excitement and anticipation people used to feel when waiting for a letter to arrive in the mail, a feeling that has largely been replaced by the instant gratification of email and social media.

#18. Saturday Morning Cartoons 

u/Merari01 (950 upvotes): Saturday morning cartoons were once a beloved part of childhood, but as streaming services and on-demand TV have become more prevalent, this tradition has largely faded away.

#19. Dialing 0 for the Operator 

u/jakehmw and u/FriedBrainOnToast (940 upvotes): In the past, if you needed help making a phone call, you could dial “0” to speak with an operator who could assist you. Today, with smartphones and widespread access to information, this service is no longer needed.

#20. The Art of Handwriting

u/TooManyCigarettes (930 upvotes): As digital communication has become the norm, many people no longer practice the art of handwriting. This response laments the loss of the personal touch that handwriting can provide.

#21. Handheld Electronic Games

u/TTKurt and u/moskaua (920 upvotes): Handheld electronic games, like the Game Boy, were once a popular way to pass the time. Today, they have largely been replaced by mobile gaming and other forms of digital entertainment.

#22. Having to Rewind VHS Tapes 

u/AmberBerserker (910 upvotes): Before DVDs and streaming, VHS tapes were the primary way people watched movies at home. However, they had to be rewound after each use, which could be a tedious task.

#23. Encyclopedia Salespeople

u/HappyLittleLlama (900 upvotes): Before the internet made information readily available, many families relied on encyclopedias for research and learning. Encyclopedia salespeople used to go door-to-door to sell these volumes.

#24. Blockbuster Stores

u/LordSquishy (880 upvotes): Blockbuster was once a household name, with thousands of stores worldwide. However, as streaming services have become more popular, Blockbuster stores have largely disappeared.

#25. Public Payphones 

u/indiedave (870 upvotes): Public payphones used to be a common sight on street corners and in other public places. However, as cell phones have become ubiquitous, public payphones have largely disappeared.

It’s fascinating to see how the world has changed over time, and how certain things that were once a part of daily life have disappeared without much notice. 

Was there something they missed? What do you think seemed to disappear without anyone noticing?

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Source: Reddit