7 Things That Were Better Before Technology Took Over Our Lives

With everything now available at the tap of a button, you don’t have to wait very long to have your needs met. Hungry? Just Eat. Horny? Just swipe, etc, etc. But why, in a world in which we can get things far easier than we ever have in the past, are most of us still not satisfied?

Maybe it’s because we don’t just crave the ‘thing’ itself. Before our lives were taken over by technology, the process of acquiring the things you wanted was an experience all of its own. It meant leaving the house, interacting with others and yes, a degree of inconvenience, but only in the first-world problem sense.

Nowadays, we can have what we want when we want it, but is that necessarily a good thing? Part of the enjoyment used to be the delayed gratification of getting something you had put in some effort to obtain. Below, I share seven things that were better before digitalisation.

1. Buying Music

Before Spotify, there was no other option than to visit a record shop if you wanted to listen to your favourite artist’s latest album.

In my teenage years, I’d get the bus into Newcastle city centre and head straight for HMV on Northumberland Street. I’d go here first, as it would almost always have what I wanted in stock.

Not far away was an independent record shop called Steel Wheels, which used to sell vinyl, and another store named Music Zone that was always good for picking up a bargain. HMV still operates in the city centre, but the other two are long gone.

Anyway, after spending a small fortune on new CDs, I’d get back on the bus knowing it would be at least 45 minutes before I could get home and play them on my Sony stereo. Excruciating but worth it!

2. Renting Films

Before “Netflix and chill” became part of the vernacular, back in the ’90s, the far more innocent “Be kind, rewind” was all we needed to know. And if you don’t know, that was the slogan plastered on Blockbuster VHS tapes.

It wasn’t difficult to find a Blockbuster store to get your film fix either; they seemed to be on every high street in the UK. Fortunately, there was one located next door to my dad’s work, and he was regularly nagged into bringing a VHS home for that evening’s entertainment.

Blockbuster’s inability to move with the times was ultimately its downfall, as it went bankrupt in 2010. It never stood a chance against slick streaming services, offering subscribers a huge choice of films without having to leave their living rooms. I still, however, preferred the anticipation of my dad returning home with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective for a third time that month

3. Photographs

Before you were subjected to your most insufferable Facebook friends posting pictures of their grubby feet overhanging a sun lounger, accompanied by the words “had worse Mondays”, the process of showing others your holiday highlight reel was a lot less instant.

Upon returning from your excursion, you would have to take the film from the camera to the nearest Boots (other stores were available) and then return some days later to collect your sacred snaps.

The ritual of showing every friend, relative and neighbour your evidence of ‘two weeks in paradise’ would ensue. The photos would then be allocated to a dedicated album labelled “Spain’99” or similar and then shoved in a drawer, never to see the light of day for the next five years.

The great thing about photos back then was that they were 100% authentic. You literally didn’t know how they would come out, and that was part of the fun. There was no curation or filters; what you saw was very much what you got. If the lighting was terrible or the photographer’s thumb was blocking a historical landmark, well, that was bloody well tough.

4. Buying Tickets

Back in the day, if you were after a ticket for a football match or gig, it invariably involved getting off your backside and joining the masses in a queue. Whereas the digital queue is potluck, a physical queue would sort the die-hards out from the Johnny-come-latelys, making it a much fairer system.

Standing in the cold, wind and rain for hours before finally getting your hands on a ticket was character-building and provided you with the feeling that you’d earned it. With sites like Ticketmaster now enabling you to buy tickets with a few clicks, you don’t quite get the same sense of achievement.

5. Booking A Holiday

When you fancied a few days in the sun 20 years ago, the standard practice was to visit your local travel agent, tell them where and when you wanted to go, and have them book the entire trip before you could say dos San Miguel por favor.  

You’d leave the travel agent feeling rather smug whilst tightly clutching an A4 plastic wallet containing all the details of your forthcoming jaunt. Having placed your full trust in the kind lady behind the desk, you’d feel safe in the knowledge that everything from tickets to transfers would be a-okay, and usually, they were.

Friends and work colleagues would promptly be made aware of your impending travel arrangements, and you’d be informed that your scheduled week in Benidorm made you a real jet setter. Back then, the booking of the holiday was like the starter before the main course; you felt like you were on holiday from the second it was signed, sealed and delivered.    

At the time of writing, I’m glad to say that high-street travel agents are making a comeback, which is good to see.

6. Going To Gigs

Unlike big sporting events, music concerts have always evaded the clutches of the live broadcasters. Okay, so if it was a really big show, you’d know a VHS or a DVD would be released at some point, but there was something rather special in the fact that you and the others present were the only ones experiencing those particular moments at that time.

Unfortunately, the advent of camera phones has somewhat diminished the novelty of being at a gig. Many view the entire thing through their phones, whether they are live streaming for social media, recording videos or taking hundreds of pictures. It kills the atmosphere and takes away the spontaneity that used to make gigs great. It can also disrupt the interaction between artist and audience.

7. Pubs

It comes to something when many pubs view “free Wi-Fi” as their biggest selling point. The pub used to be a place where you could leave your troubles at the door, but now the Facebook drama, WhatsApp memes, and 24-hour news follow you everywhere. People sit on their phones even in the presence of others.

The pubs themselves haven’t helped with their easy-to-use apps, which means punters don’t even need to leave the comfort of their chairs to acquaint themselves with the bar staff when ordering a pint. The big chains are the biggest culprits in creating sterile and soulless environments that have more in common with a doctor’s waiting room than a warm and inviting public house.

Final Thoughts

Digital processes may have made certain tasks easier, but not necessarily better. In many of these instances, it has eliminated the need for connection, resulting in us becoming more isolated and less present.

Is there any hope for the future? Technology has created changes in these processes that appear irreversible, and human behaviour has adapted to this. There are ways we can turn the tide, however, but it’s going to be a long road ahead…