Once upon a time, in a world not so long ago, people lived their lives without being bombarded by little red dots and pop-ups demanding immediate attention.
It was an era when thumbs were used primarily for hitchhiking and not for furiously scrolling through an infinite abyss of cat videos and strangers’ brunch photos.
1. The Morning Routine: A Radical Concept Called Peace
Back in the dark ages—also known as the ‘90s—waking up in the morning involved an alarm clock that only had one job: to wake you up.
It didn’t also tell you how the stock market was doing, that your ex just got engaged, or that some celebrity you barely recognize had an opinion about something.
People actually sat down to breakfast and read an entire newspaper without feeling the urge to check a notification about a flash sale on socks.
2. How People Socialized Without Emoji Reactions
Believe it or not, before social media, people communicated using something called “face-to-face conversations.”
It was a truly bizarre ritual where individuals stood in close proximity, made direct eye contact, and responded to each other in real-time—without buffering.
If someone wanted to share a funny story, they didn’t just post “LOL” and move on; they actually laughed. Out loud.
And friends could tell if someone was upset without needing a sad-face reaction button.
3. The Lost Art of Not Knowing Everything Immediately
There was a time when people didn’t have a tiny supercomputer in their pocket capable of answering any question in seconds.
If someone wondered, “What’s the capital of Estonia?” they had to either consult an encyclopedia, call a friend, or simply accept the mystery and move on.
And yet, society somehow functioned!
4. Entertainment: When Boredom Wasn’t a Crisis
Before the era of the endless scroll, if you had five spare minutes, you weren’t expected to fill it with doomscrolling. People actually embraced boredom.
They stared out of windows, daydreamed, or—brace yourself—made small talk with strangers. Watching a TV show required patience because you had to wait an entire week for the next episode.
And if you missed it? Too bad! No “watch it later” option, just a lot of vague recaps from friends who may or may not have been paying attention.
5. Final Thoughts: Was It Better?
Sure, technology has made life easier, but it has also turned us into dopamine-chasing zombies.
Before notifications dictated our days, people were blissfully unaware of what every acquaintance was eating for lunch or how many steps they took that day.
Life had a certain charm, a quiet rhythm, and far fewer people walking into lampposts while checking their phones.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to put the phone down and go outside and touch some grass.
